Shell anticipates a rapid growth of the New Energies activities, which will generate hundreds of new jobs. The company also will strengthen its R&D activities in Amsterdam.
Energy transition
The New Energies branch builds on Shell’s experience with low-carbon technology and explores new commercial models for the global energy transition. The focus is on new fuels and electricity. Marjan van Loon, CEO Shell Netherlands, emphasizes that this involves innovative investments: ‘From increasing our wind activities in the North Sea to further investments in hydrogen solutions. We are also working on a solar park in Moerdijk and on various solutions in the area of electric mobility. ‘
From The Hague, the worldwide activities of New Energies have been coordinated over the past two years. That resulted in 150 jobs. According to Maarten Wetselaar, Integrated Gas & New Energies Director, the business unit in the Netherlands will grow to between 500 and 700 jobs over the next five years. Further growth in the period thereafter depends on the opportunities in this market at home and abroad. Worldwide Shell expects to invest an average of $1 to $2 billion per year in New Energy until 2020. Last year, the energy giant invested about $24 billion total, mainly in oil and gas projects.
R&D
Shell Technology Center Amsterdam (STCA), which has an average R&D budget of $1 million per day, remains one of Shell’s three global hubs for innovation. The other two are located in Houston and Bangalore. The STCA developed various consumer products, such as low-carbon fuels and lubricants derived from natural gas. The center also has knowledge in the field of low-carbon energy sources, based on biofuels and hydrogen. STCA recently opened a new wing for new laboratory equipment and housing a few hundred additional technical experts who will be working in the next three years.
