This article was originally published on IMPACT magazine (#43, 2023), issued by American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan. 

As the world faces the urgent need to address energy trilemma, energy companies find themselves at a crossroads – balancing the increasing demand for energy, mitigating the environmental impact, and ensuring affordability and accessibility. Amidst this complex challenge, renewable energy sources have emerged to offer viable solutions effectively manage and balance the trilemma and pave the way towards a sustainable future.

As more and more players of the energy ecosystem strive to transition towards a greener and more resilient future, this complex dilemma has become a central focus, demanding innovative solutions and collaborative efforts from governments, industries, and societies.

Renewable energy, developed from sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal power, possesses unique characteristics that align with the objectives of the energy trilemma. It has been systematically proved that transition to renewable energy choices can effectively address each dimension of the trilemma and lay the groundwork for a sustainable and prosperous energy sector.

Efficient transition

While the transition to clean energy sources is crucial for a sustainable future, it is important to acknowledge the ongoing need for fossil fuels during this transitional phase. Fossil fuels have long been the backbone of our global energy infrastructure, providing reliable and affordable power to support economic growth and meet the energy demands of our society.

Fossil fuels continue to play a vital role in ensuring energy security and stability, and offer a consistent and reliable energy supply. This stability is especially critical in times of high energy demand and geopolitical tensions and conflicts (e.g. conflicts in Syria, Ukraine and their tough consequences) or when renewable energy sources may be insufficient, such as during extreme weather events or in regions with limited renewable resources.

Moreover, fossil fuels possess the advantage of established infrastructure and distribution networks. Decades of investment and development in the domain have resulted in a robust system that efficiently extracts, transports, and utilizes fossil fuels. Shifting entirely to clean energy sources requires significant investment in new infrastructure, which takes time and resources. During the transition period, relying on fossil fuels ensures uninterrupted energy supply and avoids potential disruptions that may occur during the transition.

Environmental sustainability

However, it is important to note that the need for fossil fuels during the transition to clean energy should not undermine the urgent necessity to reduce our reliance on them. One of the most pressing challenges of our time is mitigating the impact of climate change and preserving the world’s ecosystems. Renewable energy sources offer a compelling solution by emitting little to no greenhouse gases during operation. Gradually, shifting away from fossil fuels and embracing renewables reduces carbon emissions, curbing climate change and contributing to a cleaner environment.

Moreover, the deployment of renewable energy technologies facilitates the transition towards a circular economy, minimizing waste and promoting resource efficiency. By harnessing the power of the sun, wind, and water, we can break free from the destructive cycle of extraction, combustion, and pollution that characterizes traditional energy sources. Unquestionably, to ensure more balanced approach, collaboration of governments, businesses, and research institutions to allocate resources to advance technologies like solar, wind, energy storage, and grid integration solutions is key. Investments to research and development can lead to cost reductions, improved efficiency, and new breakthroughs in clean energy.

Ensuring energy security

Renewable energy plays a vital role in enhancing energy security by diversifying the energy mix. It is no secret that, unlike fossil fuels, which are subject to price fluctuations and geopolitical tensions, renewable sources are abundant, widely distributed, and domestically available in many regions. By reducing reliance on finite and imported resources, countries can strengthen their energy security, achieving a more stable and self-sufficient energy supply. Furthermore, the modular and decentralized nature of renewable energy systems empowers communities to generate their own electricity, fostering energy independence and resilience. From solar panels on rooftops to small-scale wind turbines, individuals and businesses can contribute to a more robust and secure energy network, reducing vulnerability to disruptions and power outages.

Economic affordability

One common misconception about renewable energy is its perceived high cost. However, ongoing technological advancements and economies of scale have significantly reduced the cost of renewable energy generation. Solar and wind power, in particular, have witnessed substantial price declines in recent years, making them increasingly competitive with conventional energy sources.

Moreover, governments have been committed to create a conducive environment for renewable energy. In Azerbaijan, for instance, over the last few years, the government has implemented supportive policies and incentives to promote renewable energy development, including solar power across the country. These initiatives aim to encourage investment and facilitate the growth of solar energy projects. Supportive policies, such as feed-in tariffs and tax incentives, create a conducive environment for solar energy production in the region.

As a result, both local and foreign energy companies have started to display more and more interest in investing in renewable energy development. The recent MoUs and cooperation agreement between the government of Azerbaijan and energy companies like Nobel Energy, TotalEnergies, and China International Energy Sources Group are just few examples.

This follows the government’s systematic efforts in promoting clean energy and reducing carbon emissions by establishing ‘green energy zones’ across the country, and signifies an important milestone in advancing sustainable energy solutions and fostering environmental stewardship.

Fostering social equity

Investments in renewable energy create jobs and drive economic growth, offering opportunities for innovation, research, and manufacturing. By embracing renewable energy choices, businesses, jointly with the governments, can stimulate local economies, reduce energy poverty, and foster social equity. Moreover, the decentralized nature of renewable energy systems empowers communities and individuals to become active participants in the energy sector, generating income and reducing energy expenses.

While renewable energy presents a set of advantages, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges that must be overcome to fully harness its potential. Issues such as intermittency, grid integration, and energy storage require innovative solutions and robust infrastructure investments. Policy support, market incentives, and international cooperation are crucial to accelerating the adoption of renewable energy technologies and addressing these challenges effectively.

All in all, while fossil fuels have served as the primary energy source for many decades, the urgent need to address climate change and transition to cleaner energy cannot be ignored. Acknowledging the continued need for fossil fuels during this transitional phase is essential, considering their role in ensuring energy security, stability, and affordability. However, it is important that we prioritize the rapid development and adoption of renewable energy sources to minimize the environmental impact of fossil fuels and pave the way for a sustainable future.

At Nobel Energy, we have always been committed to creating the culture of diversity and inclusion so that our people feel safe, respected and included. To build and sustain such environment, we have adopted a corporate value of ‘people-oriented’, which has allowed us to ensure both women and men have equal rights and opportunities, and greater sense of value, trust and satisfaction.

To see if we have been able to put words into action, we took an opportunity of International Women’s Day and talked to some of our female colleagues from across the Nobel Energy Group companies, to hear their firsthand reflections.

Saadat Rahimova

Saadat Rahimova works as a technologist in the Drilling Department of SOCAR AQS, Nobel Energy’s integrated drilling and well services segment. Her brief is to prepare weekly and monthly drilling reports and presentations, as well as develop reports on daily drilling progresses. 

Saadat thinks when it comes to people development, SOCAR AQS walks the talk. In her own words: “What I really like about our company is that it has been systematically investing in people and technologies, two key factors to ensure both personal and business success.  Just to give an example, the advanced software that I use to do the reporting, helps me to keep my technological skills up to date and deliver the job in an accurate and effective way”. 

Saadat is confident to express her opinion and ideas, and feels valued thanks to the speak-up culture that is encouraged by the management of the company. “I think the engineering experience that I gained before traveling to our offshore platforms has also played a role in my confidence, as it had taught me to keep my self-control at all possible crisis situations”. She adds: “It would be fair to say that knowing and sharing responsibilities with the team members have equally boosted my self-confidence and trust in my colleagues”. 

Sevinj Gasimova 

Sevinj Gasimova has been working for a Geology department of SOCAR AQS since 2008. Today, Sevinj is the Head of Geology Department, and her job is monitor and control geological processes during the drilling of oil and gas wells, liquid loading, completion, as well as gas logging services. Sevinj is proud to be part of some challenging operations, including well planning, and geological analysis, investigation of complications and identification of risks. 

She underlines: “I was both excited and proud to take part in horizontal well drilling, which was successfully implemented for the first time in the history of SOCAR AQS”. Some other complex jobs that she also contributed were open-hole lower completion processes, sidetrack drilling, planning and drilling of multilateral wells and exploratory wells drilling. 

Sevinj is assured that SOCAR AQS’s fundamental values support both employees’ personal and career development. “I have experienced it personally, when in 2015, I was trusted the role of Director of the Geology School by Azerbaijan Society of Petroleum Geologists. This makes me feel valued and supported by my company as I did not have to compromise neither my career, nor my academic activities”. 

Saida Askerova 

Saida Askerova works as Health, Safety and Environment Officer (HSE) at Prokon, Nobel Energy’s EPC business. Saida’s typical workday is about writing and monitoring safety reports, protocols and procedures. In her own words: “I evaluate possible safety risks and ensure that all safety measures are observed in worksites, employees are strictly informed and follow all safety procedures”. Saida’s other important task is to make sure that Prokon complies with the environmental standards, which remains as one of the main priorities for the Group. “Nobel Energy is determined to transform to meet today’s energy needs, while making sure it provides sustainable energy solutions, and I’m excited that we, as environmentalists have a big role to play in this.” 

Saida thinks Prokon is a great workplace which makes her feel safe and empowered. As she puts it: “I’m an HSE officer and what can be more rewarding than feeling safe and being part of the team that makes sure all of the employees are safe”. Being trusted to do such a responsible job makes me feel proud and keeps me motivated to unleash my potential even more”. 

Sabina Mustafayeva 

Sabina Mustafayeva, is thrilled to be part of Prokon’s Human Resources (HR) team at Prokon. “I am so delighted to have been assigned to one of the strategically important projects of my country - the Modernization and Reconstruction of the Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery (HAOR). As a Project HR Coordinator, I do support my company by providing professional, analytical, and technical support to HR related projects and initiatives”, says Sabina.  

For Sabina, working at Prokon is about being part of a healthy work environment, in many senses. “It is about promoting safety culture, healthy discourses, giving employees a voice, earning and extending trust within the company”.  

As the HR team, Sabina and her colleagues, make every effort to create a healthy, safe, people-oriented (both corporate values of Nobel Energy Group) environment. “It helps us to create the sense of community amongst our employees and motivates us to achieve better personal and business results. I am excited to be part of the team that has been contributed to creating such rewarding and inclusive environment”. 

Goncha Babayeva

Goncha Babayeva works as an Environmental Engineer at Prokon who contributes to the company’s HSE agenda by researching and analysing environmental issues in the area and create plans to decrease possible impacts of business operations on the environment. “I participate in ‘site environmental walkthrough’ sessions, collect observations and prepare close-out reports and provide recommendations for maintaining and improving our environmental performance”.

Goncha says she feels pretty safe, included, and comfortable in the domain, which is commonly cited as male-dominant, and she thinks it’s due to the nature of the team that she work with. She sums up: “I feel lucky to have Prokon as my first work place. My colleagues and the management have been very supportive, approachable and encouraging from the first day I joined the team. This has helped me to easily integrate to the team, and encouraged to deliver the best possible results”.  

Irina Mustafayeva

Irina Mustafayeva works for SDL Nobel, Nobel Energy’s subsidiary focused on the fabrication and installation of structural steelwork, upgrades of offshore facilities of major oil and gas companies. In her capacity as a Commercial and Planning Lead, Irina’s high-level responsibility is to contribute to SDL Nobel’s success through the annual commercial plan development process, as well as identify and analyse potential commercial risks and liabilities associated with proposals, ongoing projects and supplier agreements. 

At work, Irina feels completely safe and empowered. As she puts it: “We have an immensely friendly and caring environment here, which has allowed me ask open questions, freely express my opinions to the management and get the required support to constantly advance. Such approach makes me feel valued and use every opportunity to grow within the company".

Vusala Mammadbayova

With 15 years’ of experience in Procurement and Supply Chain, mainly in the Oil and Gas domain, Vusala Mammadbayova is a perfect fit for Glensol, Nobel Energy’s subsidiary that has been providing field operations and equipment maintenance services since 2012. In her capacity as PSCM Team Lead Vusala is responsible for planning, supervising, and coordinating procurement activities for the company. She is developing efficient business practices and implementing them in the team’s day to day operations. As part of her dynamic role she often finds herself “negotiating new agreements and renegotiating existing agreements to obtain better terms and conditions for the business”.

Vusala says: “I enjoy my job as I can see its direct impact on our business, but what I truly value here is that Glensol has created an environment where I feel comfortable and safe to achieve even greater results both personally and for our company”. She is confident that such environment, encouraged by the company culture and the management, has laid the foundation of professional and friendly relationships among the employees.

Vusala concludes: “I spend most of my day time at work, and I am blessed to have a workplace where I can communicate openly, ask honest questions, and share my ideas and concerns without any fear of retaliation – this has greatly contributed to securing psychological safety at work".