Europe’s top industrialist takes on green batteries
Nov 14, 2023
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Jim Hagemann Snabe, Europe’s top industrialist and chairperson of Northvolt, discusses achieving climate goals, zero-emission shipping, and competing with the Chinese battery industry. They also explore policy changes, incentives in green technology transition, and the role of leadership in driving the zero carbon transition across various sectors.
Decarbonization presents a significant business opportunity, and technology plays a crucial role in driving the energy transition and reducing carbon emissions.
To achieve a more sustainable future, Europe and North America need to develop their capacities for critical raw materials and battery manufacturing, despite the dominance of China in the battery sector.
Deep dives
The Urgency of Decarbonization and Business Opportunities
Jim Snabbar, former chair of shipping giant Mersk and Siemens, discusses his dedication to accelerating the decarbonization of the world. He believes that decarbonization is not only necessary to avoid a disaster but also presents a significant business opportunity. Snabbar highlights the role of technology in driving the energy transition and reducing carbon emissions, emphasizing the growth of Siemens' portfolio that helps companies achieve zero carbon emissions while saving money. He also discusses the importance of scalable and affordable storage solutions, such as batteries, and the efforts of Northvolt, a battery company focused on creating a sustainable battery manufacturing industry. Snabbar acknowledges the dominance of China in the battery sector but expresses the need for Europe and North America to develop their capacities for critical raw materials and manufacturing batteries to ensure a more sustainable future.
Taking Responsibility for Product Emissions and Scope 3
Snabbar recognizes the limitations of focusing solely on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and emphasizes the importance of Scope 3 emissions, which result from the use of products and services. Siemens aims to reduce its Scope 3 emissions by taking responsibility for how its products are being used and what they are being used for. Snabbar highlights the need to shift the focus from just selling products to reducing emissions and creating business opportunities. While Siemens aims to work with industries that emit a lot, Snabbar explains that the company's portfolio is focused on helping companies reduce their carbon footprint. He discusses the progress made in zero carbon shipping, outlining the ambitious goals set by Maersk and the industry's shift towards using green fuels like methanol.
Bold Leadership for Zero Carbon Solutions
Snabbar shares examples of bold and ambitious leadership in industries moving towards zero carbon solutions. He highlights the importance of courageous leadership in driving the transition to sustainable practices and technologies. Snabbar discusses the exponential growth seen in the zero carbon shipping industry, where Maersk's commitment to zero carbon emissions by 2050 has resulted in the ordering of more than 28 vessels. He concludes that if zero carbon shipping is possible, then achieving zero carbon in any industry is also attainable.
You may not know Jim Hagemann Snabe by name, but he has been called Europe’s top industrialist. Snabe has held leadership positions at some of the world’s biggest companies like Maersk and Siemens. He is now a chairperson of Northvolt, Europe’s largest battery manufacturer with 4,000 employees, $55B worth of orders and the competitive edge of greener batteries.
Akshat spoke with Jim Snabe at the Bloomberg Tech Summit in London about how industrial behemoths like Maersk and Siemens can meet climate goals, whether zero-emission shipping will ever be a reality, and whether Northvolt can ever outcompete the Chinese battery industry.
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Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd and our senior producer is Christine Driscoll. Special thanks to Kira Bindrim. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit bloomberg.com/green.