Houston is no stranger to being at the center of the conversation for all things energy.

This continued as thousands of industry, government, and tech leaders from 156 countries descended onto the Energy Capital for GasTech 2024, the world’s largest energy exhibition and conference for natural gas, hydrogen, and climate technologies.

With an aim to transform energy through vision, innovation and action, key decision-makers across industry shared insights on how to move the energy transition forward and the significant role natural gas will play in the process.

For five members of the Energy Coalition at the University of Houston, the nation’s largest energy-centric student organization, it was a comprehensive look at the current state of energy as well as the road ahead.

EC board members Gerardo Angulo, Suhaib Kaissi, FNU Vidhi, William Day and Prince Aleta, each of whom are part of the GasTech Future Leaders Program, shared their takeaways from the event with UH Energy.

Here’s more on their perspective on the evolution of energy and the need for students to think globally as they prepare to enter the workforce and tackle industry challenges.

Energy Diversification and the role of Hydrogen

As the world transitions to cleaner energy, there is an increased demand – and need – for nations to get on board. Hydrogen has emerged as a future lynchpin in the energy landscape that can help supplement available resources and aid a more sustainable energy future.

One UH student noted that industry is looking to redefine the energy transition.

“For me, the biggest eye-opener was hearing some discussions stating that we should not be calling it ‘energy transition,’ but rather ‘energy diversification,’” said Angulo, chair of the Energy Coalition. “Let’s be reminded here, we are not changing any sources of energy, we are simply adding more to meet the high demand we have as a nation.”

Aleta, an environmental engineering Ph.D. student who also serves as the EC’s vice-chair of business competitions and symposiums, found the global competition for leadership and expertise in the realms of hydrogen and carbon capture fascinating.

"It was quite interesting to see India position itself as a leader in green hydrogen, with ambitious plans to manufacture electrolyzers and become a major player in the sector," he said. "Turkey is emerging as a critical player in the European energy market with plans to expand pipeline infrastructure and blend various energy sources to meet both domestic and export demands. Egypt is being pushed towards cleaner energy solutions to maintain its export competitiveness to European markets, and this will likely accelerate their adoption of technologies like carbon capture."

Vidhi, vice-chair of marketing for EC and a physics doctoral student found the discussion relevant to her research, offering a broader perspective on hydrogen’s role in decarbonizing industry.

“Scaling green hydrogen through electrolysis powered by renewable sources is essential for decarbonizing industries like cement, steel, and aviation," she said. "Blue hydrogen, which integrates carbon capture technology, offers a crucial bridge for reducing emissions while we work towards fully carbon-free solutions. However, the technology must be cost-effective.”

Aleta agreed, adding “The hydrogen market still requires subsidies and technological advancements to reach its full potential. There is a consensus among industry leaders that hydrogen will play an inevitable role in the future energy landscape.”

Collaboration, Policy and Agility are Key

Conversation at GasTech 2024 indicates that the future of energy lies in collaboration, innovation, and adaptable policies.

Kaissi, a graduate student studying supply chain and logistics technology, said that his key take away was that an effective energy transition requires a dynamic plan of attack and a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances.

“Flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing conditions will define the leaders of tomorrow’s energy industry," he said. “It was enlightening to hear global supply chain leaders debating the balancing act between global and local supplies of energy large projects. In today’s interconnected world, the concept of purely local operations is outdated. Everything operates on a global scale. Investing in more in powerful partnerships and thus focusing on building stronger relationships with suppliers and partners is more critical than ever before.”

Fellow EC board member William Day emphasized the global disparity between developed and underdeveloped nations related to progress within the energy transition. As developed countries move away from fossil fuels, many developing nations, particularly in the global South, are still building basic energy infrastructure. Day said intentional, situation-specific measures need to be taken to ensure equity for all in the new energy future.

“Countries like Nigeria and India rely heavily on traditional biomass for cooking, which hurts economic development,” he said. “This creates an equity challenge: while cleaner energy is the goal, energy security and affordability must be prioritized for all. Instead of blanket carbon regulations, we need region-specific policies that account for various stages of development and ensure equitable access to modern, affordable energy sources, allowing for a just transition without penalizing developing nations.”

Agile thinking must be paired with a constructive collaboration among lawmakers, problem solvers and more if global emissions goals are to be met.

“Meeting the challenge of achieving low or zero carbon emissions requires innovative solutions, supportive policies, substantial investment, and, most importantly, collaboration across industries, governments, and academic institutions to drive a sustainable future,” Vidhi said.

It’s About People

According to Angulo and his colleagues, many of the preeminent voices of industry underscored the importance of developing a workforce that can tackle the energy issues of today and tomorrow.

“The key to leading the future energy industry lies in upskilling talent, especially as we adopt alternative energy sources and new technologies," Kaissi said. "Flexibility is essential for employers, and human connection should be at the core of evaluating candidates. Strong partnerships and relationships with suppliers will be the foundation of success."

Day concurred, citing the increasing use of artificial intelligence within different industry work environments.

“The importance of upskilling industry experts to use AI for problem-solving, while emphasizing the need to validate AI outputs cannot be understated,” Day said. “For AI to be most beneficial, especially in sectors like energy and logistics, the professionals who have deep expertise in these industries need to acquire AI skills themselves.”

While technological advancements require a multi-faceted workforce, it was evident to the Energy Coalition members that the most important aspect of the energy transition will not be the next great idea, nor will it be the about the newest tool in the energy puzzle.

“The energy transition, or a better term, energy expansion isn’t only about technology. It’s about people,” Kaissi said.