As Shell’s Corporate Chief Scientist, Dirk Smit often gets questioned on “how we can transform to a net-zero emissions energy system” and even “how to further accelerate this transition”. This lightning talk is the adjusted version of an academic lecture given by Dirk, several times, in universities and conferences around the globe. In the film, he explains why chemical energy carriers are vital in a decarbonised economy of the future, complementing direct electrification using renewable power like solar PV, wind, and hydro. With chemical energy carriers, we can substantially increase optionality and flexibility for all types of customers, which is key to faster scale-up the energy transition, unleashing pathways towards a carbon neutral future. This is usually a starting point for a debate on why the energy industry, more specifically the oil & gas industry committed to achieving net-zero – in line with the Paris Agreement – may in fact be crucial to enable this transition. Lear...