US calls for collaboration at Gastech 2025 in Milan

Gastech 2025 opened in Milan with a focus on strategic dialogue on the future of global energy, according to the event’s organisers.

The conference has brought together government representatives, industry executives and technology providers to consider the role of natural gas, hydrogen, low-carbon solutions and climate policy in shaping the sector.

In a keynote address, US Department of the Interior secretary Doug Burgum underlined the need for collective effort. “There is not a country on earth that can solve the challenges of energy, the challenges of climate, by themselves,” he said. “This is going to require all of us.”

Mr Burgum stressed discussions at Gastech 2025 must consider security of supply as well as affordability. He said energy security and energy reliability remained cornerstones of economic stability and added efforts to reduce emissions would only be successful if they recognised the diversity of resources available to different nations.

Delegates heard the conference is designed to facilitate conversations across governments, companies and regions at a time of geopolitical and environmental uncertainty.

Mr Burgum told the audience that global policy frameworks must strike a balance between decarbonisation targets and economic development, “We cannot have an energy transition without energy security,” he said. “We cannot have energy security without affordability,” he added.

He also referred to the rapid pace of technological innovation and argued international partnerships were required to accelerate deployment.

Gastech 2025 provides a platform for open discussion on both immediate and long-term issues. These include the role of liquefied natural gas in global trade, the scaling of hydrogen projects and investment in carbon capture and storage.

In closing his remarks, Mr Burgum returned to the theme of partnership, “If we want to actually have progress, we are going to have to work together across borders, across companies, across industries,” he said.

His comments were met with strong acknowledgement from the assembled delegates, setting the tone for the four-day conference.