CERAWeek by S&P Global, the energy industry’s preeminent gathering of senior executives, government officials, thought leaders, academics, technology innovators, and financial leaders, took place on March 18 - 22, 2024 in Houston, Texas. I was thrilled to speak at this year's event and to connect with my colleagues, clients and friends. I've listed my top 5 takeaways from the event below:

1. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary for Infrastructure David Crane is doubling down on the Biden Administration's commitment to hydrogen, calling it an “absolutely key pillar” of U.S. decarbonization plans.
    
2. The consensus for strong demand growth for fossil fuel and renewables in 2024. Above all, everyone has now figured out that electrifying everything lifts power demand. In fact, the CEO of Valia Energía, one of the largest private power companies in Mexico, said we need to combine gas and renewables for energy transition.
    
3. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser asserted that energy consumers around the world need lower-carbon energy with minimal disruptions to their daily lives.
    
4. The conversations around oil prices and the need for increased energy security in light of geoglobal conflicts were an intense focus, with fascinating insights from my good friend Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global, on this topic.
    
5. LNG also played a large role in conversations, with Secretary Jennifer Granholm sharing that the Biden Administration's pause on export approvals will wrap up within a year.
    
6. Finally, we heard Bill Gates speak and challenge Houston to become the next “Energy Silicon Valley” with energy transition breakthroughs.