Olivia leads the CCSA, overseeing its London and Brussels offices. Olivia is focused on ensuring that the CCSA's 100+ members from carbon capture, transport, utilisation, storage, carbon removals and hydrogen production segments, as well as pioneering end-users from power and industrial sectors, are represented effectively and are able to engage constructively with UK and EU level decision-makers, whilst building their collective knowledge base to establish a successful industry. 

Olivia joined the CCSA in February 2021 as UK Director following a public sector and trade association career in energy and infrastructure spanning two decades. Before joining the CCSA, Olivia worked as a Senior Policy Manager at the National Infrastructure Commission where she led on a number of projects including; a review of UK Economic Regulation and The Role of infrastructure in Housing. Prior to this, Olivia worked at Ofgem leading workstreams on Strategic Investment, Connections and running a procurement project for a new energy solution in Shetland. 

From 2010-2012, Olivia was Account Director at the Madano Partnership leading strategic communications for major energy and infrastructure accounts including climate change expert Sir David King, and she began her career in the Local Government Development Programme - a fast-track stream for local government, before working as London Regional Manager for the National Housing Federation, leading advocacy and European programmes for affordable and sustainable housing. 

Education & Career Path

What inspired you to pursue a career in the energy sector?

I began my career in the energy sector by ensuring that the rollout of Photo-voltaics (solar PV) in the UK was accessible and affordable to people on lower incomes in social housing. I was incredibly motivated by the need to address climate change, and to do this in a way that could benefit everyone and had a real impact in their lives. Later, at Ofgem and the National Infrastructure Commission, I was able to work on some of the UK’s biggest challenges – from connecting renewables onto the electricity distribution network, to establishing a new energy solution to deliver security of supply on the Shetland Islands and planning long-term energy infrastructure for net zero. That sense of being part of big, system-level change and tackling some of the harder questions around decarbonising our industries whilst protecting jobs and continuing to manufacture essential products is what inspired me to stay in energy.

What kind of education or training did you need to get into your role?

My path wasn’t a straight technical one. Instead, I built expertise in policy, advocacy, strategic communications, regulation and infrastructure delivery through roles at The National Housing Federation, Madano, Ofgem, the National Infrastructure Commission and later at the CCSA. That blend of policy and practical delivery - understanding both the government framework, decision-making processes and how projects actually get built - has been essential to leading in this space.

Are there any specific skills or subjects you recommend students focus on if they’re interested in working in energy?

I would recommend STEM subjects; sciences and maths and at university subjects like engineering, chemistry and for CCUS particularly; geology. To understand the subsurface is very important, especially as the market scales up and we require more expertise in CO2 injection into stores. 

However, being passionate about climate change and working to develop a clean energy system goes a long way. Energy is such a complex, interdisciplinary field that you need to be able to make sense of technical concepts, understand how political decisions get made, alongside the role of legislation, regulation and investors. Economics, law and politics are all also very useful. It’s important to be able to communicate on complex topics to a variety of audiences to get infrastructure projects across the line.

What challenges did you face while entering the industry, and how did you overcome them?

Whilst I'd spent the last 10 years of my career working in energy regulation and long-term infrastructure planning, my role as UK Director for the CCSA was my first entry into the Carbon Capture industry. Getting to grips with the technology as well as the complexity and breadth of the industry and the ‘CCUS value chain’ was challenging. As someone said to me early on, we are building a new industry at scale from scratch in the UK and so, whilst this is a proven technology and has been successfully operating in the US, Canada and Norway for over 25 years, it is the first time we are doing it in the UK and everything has had to be developed for first-of-a-kind; business models, technical network codes, legislation, engaging investors and regulators. 

A key solution to this was applying lessons learnt from other sectors; I had worked in renewables at the beginning of the roll-out of solar PV and the feed-in-tariff in the UK. Using this experience in rolling out a new technology at scale, bringing the industry together and gaining government and investor support, as well as an understanding of regulating electricity networks from my work at Ofgem meant I was not starting with a blank sheet of paper.  

How is the industry changing in terms of what it looks for in new talent?

There are skills shortages across all engineering and construction sectors in the UK. CCUS is no different. As this exciting new sector ramps up and more projects are deployed, we expect there will be ongoing demand for qualified engineers, project managers, construction workers and operational specialists. As such, all these areas will continue to be in high demand within the sector.  

A unique feature of CCUS is the ability to build on existing expertise in the North Sea. Pipelines, offshore operations, drilling and subsurface engineering skills developed over decades can be repurposed to CCUS projects, giving professionals a pathway to transition into low-carbon roles and supporting a just, skills-based transition.

The commercial CCUS sector also continues to evolve rapidly. As initial projects progress, technologies and processes will advance - ranging from next-generation carbon capture systems to the use of AI in optimising CO2transport and storage. Developing the skills to enter this market and contribute expertise in these innovations will also be attractive to future employers.

The industry also increasingly values people who can bridge disciplines. Individuals who can integrate perspectives across policy, engineering, politics and public affairs will be important to delivering a range of solutions for the sector. Ensuring both ongoing support and enabling CCUS to be done correctly. 

As we navigate the energy transition, it is imperative to have adaptable problem-solvers who can communicate across sectors and think strategically about the wider system - whether that means developing business models for low-carbon products, advancing capture technologies or addressing planning and permitting challenges.

Company/Organization

What does your organization do, and what sets it apart in the energy sector?

The CCSA is the leading European trade association driving the commercial deployment of CCUS. With offices in Brussels and London, we represent over 120 members across the full value chain - from the industrial emitters like cement plants and refineries, to CO2 capture technologies, transport and permanent storage of CO2 and of course the supply chain that underpins all these industries. What sets us apart is our ability to bring together governments, industry and investors to overcome barriers, shape policy and create business models that translate net zero ambitions into real, large-scale projects. By combining policy influence, stakeholder convening and practical delivery expertise, we help to ensure CCUS is deployed safely, efficiently and at the scale needed to meet climate targets.

Can you describe a typical day in your job?

A typical day can vary dramatically. On one day I might be briefing ministers in Westminster or the Commission in Brussels, the next day I’m chairing a member meeting on technical regulation and then speaking internationally about the UK’s leadership in CCUS. One of the huge attractions of leading a trade association and our two fantastic teams in London and Brussels is the broad-ranging, variety of complex interesting work. From running world-leading conferences, bringing together over 800 Ministers, industry representatives, regulators and investors, to working with industry and government to develop new regulations and business models, engaging investors, technical working groups and new industry standards and working across skills providers to ensure we have the right, trained people to build and operate the industry. I am always meeting new people and continually spreading the message to industry, investors and decision-makers about why we need CCUS to decarbonise and protect our industries and jobs. 

How well do you think oil and gas companies are adjusting to the challenges of the energy transition?

Oil and gas companies are investing heavily in CCUS, hydrogen and other low-carbon technologies, recognising both the risks of inaction and the opportunities of leading the net zero transition. The scale of the opportunity is significant: delivering all CCUS clusters could attract £26 billion in private investment by 2030 and contribute £94 billion in Gross Value Added by 2050, while creating over 50,000 skilled jobs in engineering, construction and related fields. 

Two CCUS clusters have already reached final investment decisions, with others set to follow before the end of this Parliament. Net Zero Teesside Power (bp) and the Northern Endurance Partnership (bp, Equinor and Total Energies) in the East Coast Cluster, as well as Liverpool Bay CCS (Eni) as part of the HyNet cluster in the North West, have reached financial close and are now moving into construction. Building on this progress, the Acorn Project (Storegga, Shell, Harbour, NSMP) in Scotland and Viking CCS (Harbour and bp) in the Humber – both supported by development funding committed by Government - are also aiming for Final Investment Decisions in this Parliament. Separately, the National Wealth Fund has committed equity investment in Peak Cluster.  Other clusters and projects are also ready to go, demonstrating the sector’s momentum and readiness to act. 

Around 80% of the CCUS value chain overlaps with the UK’s oil and gas supply chain. This means that pipelines, project management expertise, drilling and subsurface engineering skills, and offshore operational experience - all honed over decades in oil and gas - can be directly applied to CCUS projects. By repurposing these assets and capabilities, companies can transition existing staff into new low-carbon roles, supporting roughly 100,000 offshore workers by 2030. This approach not only safeguards industrial jobs and retains valuable expertise but also attracts private investment, ensures energy security and accelerates the UK’s path to net zero.

How significant will CCUS be in the journey to net zero?

CCUS is essential for reaching net zero. Leading independent organisations - including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Climate Change Committee (CCC), and the International Energy Agency (IEA) - all recognise it as a critical technology for limiting global temperature rises and reducing CO2 emissions. Simply put, there is no credible pathway to net zero without it.

In line with the UK’s carbon budgets, the country needs to capture at least 50-60 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2035 to stay on track for net zero – to put that into context, that’s equivalent to offsetting the carbon footprint of the entire population of Greater London twice over. Projects like the Peak Cluster – the UK’s largest cement decarbonisation initiative – essential for all the homes, schools and hospitals we need to build - could capture over 3 million tonnes annually - comparable to taking 800,000 cars off the road - while HyNet Phase 1, in the North-West and North Wales,  is designed to store 109 million tonnes, equal to removing 60 million cars for a year.

Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs) like Direct Air Capture, Bioenergy with CCS and Energy from Waste with CCS will also be essential to reaching net zero in the longer-term out to 2050 and beyond. These technologies will continue to remove residual emissions for industries like aviation and agriculture that will not be able to fully decarbonise by themselves. 

CCUS is not optional - it is a cornerstone of the net zero transition alongside renewables or course. Without it, heavy industry cannot decarbonise, emissions cannot fall fast enough and the 1.5°C target slips out of reach.

What will be the key subjects under discussion at the upcoming CCSA Conference in London?

Our flagship conference, taking place on 14–15 October at the QEII Centre, will bring together more than 850 policymakers, industry leaders, investors and international stakeholders under the theme “Real Projects, Real Impact – Delivering Net Zero.” It’s an opportunity to take stock of the huge progress the CCUS sector has made and, crucially, to focus on what it will take to scale delivery over the next decade.

The discussions will span a wide range of issues. We’ll hear global perspectives, from new projects in Denmark, Norway, Italy and Germany to developments in the US, Canada, Brazil, the Middle East and Asia. Closer to home, sessions will focus on what it takes to scale up delivery - from building the right skills and supply chains, to addressing planning and permitting challenges to developing non-pipeline CO2 transport options. Another major focus will be market creation, with investors sharing their perspectives on how to establish a self-sustaining CCUS industry, alongside sessions on low-carbon product markets and the future of a European CO2 storage market.

Technology and innovation will also be centre stage, whether it’s next-generation capture technologies, Energy from Waste solutions or the integration of CCUS with hydrogen. 

The timing could not be better. With final investment decisions now secured in the UK for Net Zero Teesside, the Northern Endurance Partnership and Eni’s Liverpool Bay CCS project – as well as numerous projects getting the go-ahead across Europe, we are moving firmly from ambition into delivery. The conference will showcase this momentum and chart the path for CCUS to scale up and make a decisive contribution to net zero.

Future of Energy

What do you see as the most disruptive forces shaping the future of the energy industry over the next decade?

At present, the geo-political debate on net zero is disruptive, and something that we’re seeing in the UK and Europe, but also globally as many external factors have come into play to disrupt our energy industries. It is vital that we stay the course to meet net zero by 2050 and prevent further emissions from going into the atmosphere. We can already see the impacts of climate change and the short and long-term economic costs of flooding, displacement, overheating and the difficulties in insuring against some of these. We cannot afford to wait any longer to address these global challenges.

It’s important to look at the economic opportunity of the transition more locally – the foundational industries such as cement and steel that will be able to compete in the low-carbon products market and sell decarbonised products, the thousands of existing jobs in heavy industry that will be safeguarded and the 50,000 new ones by 2050, as well as inward investment in our industrial heartlands. 

Regulatory and market certainty will be one of the most influential forces shaping the CCUS sector in the coming decade. This means establishing frameworks that support new projects, as we did with offshore wind and PV, followed by market rollout and cost reductions. This coupled with allowing CO2 to move efficiently across borders, unlocking around a third of Europe’s storage capacity and creating opportunities to serve European emitters. Aligned carbon pricing, such as linkage between the UK and EU Emissions Trading Systems, together with clear, stable regulations, gives investors the confidence to commit to long-term infrastructure and scale CCUS effectively.

Cross-border cooperation not only reduces CO2 transport and storage costs but also strengthens industrial competitiveness and maximises the economic potential of the UK’s storage resources, projected to support a £30 billion export market by 2050. When paired with robust regulatory frameworks, these measures ensure CCUS can decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors while delivering strategic, environmental and economic benefits across the UK and Europe.

How will the role of traditional energy companies evolve in a world increasingly focused on renewables and decarbonization?

Traditional energy companies have the scale, expertise and infrastructure to deliver large-scale projects, which makes them essential to the energy transition. Their pipelines, subsurface knowledge and project management capabilities are directly transferable to developing technologies like CCUS.

The Northern Lights project in Norway, a collaboration between Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies, illustrates this shift. It is now transporting and storing CO2 captured from industries, the first of which is Heidelberg Materials’ Brevik cement plant - producing low-carbon cement - and stores it safely and permanently in a reservoir 2.6km under the seabed, showing how energy companies can support decarbonisation while maintaining essential industrial activity.

By leveraging existing assets and expertise, traditional energy companies are evolving into integrated energy providers, supporting CCUS, hydrogen and renewables. Their role is transforming - becoming more diversified while remaining central to delivering reliable, low-carbon energy.

What energy technologies are likely to scale fastest - and why?

CCUS, alongside other technologies like low-carbon hydrogen and renewables, will scale in parallel, each serving different but complementary roles. CCUS is crucial for decarbonising heavy industry, delivering negative emissions, and providing flexible low-carbon power. 

Gas with CCS, for example, allows for reliable low-carbon dispatchable power generation to keep the grid stable alongside intermittent renewables. Low-carbon hydrogen will scale, particularly where direct electrification isn’t feasible, such as in transport and industrial processes. Greenhouse Gas Removal demand is also expected to continue through 2050 per IPCC scenarios - supporting long-term net zero goals and responding to growing global demand for carbon credits.

CCUS is a strategic enabler. It protects industrial capacity, supports jobs, ensures reliable low-carbon power and works alongside other technologies to help the UK meet net zero. Assessing each sector’s emissions profile, cost-effectiveness and feasibility highlights how CCUS complements other technologies to deliver a fully decarbonised economy.

How are regulations shaping CCUS investment and project delivery, including legal or cross-border challenges?

Clear and predictable legislation, regulation, business models and permitting are critical enablers for scaling CCUS. Rules on areas such as CO2 storage, project approvals, and emissions accounting provide investors with confidence of a stable framework and help the UK cut emissions while remaining competitive.

The UK’s Energy Act 2023, for example, was a major step, providing a framework to support investment in CCUS and clean technologies while giving Ofgem a duty to prioritise the UK’s net zero target. Building on that, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, offers opportunities to streamline project consenting, making it easier to deliver pipelines and capture facilities. Streamlined planning will be essential for CCUS clusters and other key infrastructure, supporting the UK’s industrial strategy and net zero ambitions – and we hope that the Bill will enable these benefits.

Cross-border frameworks and aligned carbon pricing are critical to unlocking Europe’s CO2 storage potential, giving investors confidence, reducing costs and strengthening competitiveness. Together with robust regulations, they enable CCUS to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors while delivering strategic, environmental and economic benefits across the UK and Europe.

About CCSA

CCUS, or Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, is a key low carbon solution – vital to meeting the UK’s statutory Net Zero target at least cost. CCUS enables industrial decarbonisation as well as the production of clean power, clean products (such as cement and chemicals) and clean hydrogen – which can also be used to decarbonise industry. In addition, CCUS also enables greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS) or Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS).

The CCSA is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment of CCUS, with offices in the UK and Belgium. We work with members, governments and other organisations to ensure CCUS is developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to meet net zero goals and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations. 

The CCSA currently has over 120 member companies who are active in exploring and developing different applications of carbon capture and removals, CO2 transportation by pipeline and ship, utilisation, geological storage, and other permanent storage solutions, end-users in the power, industry, waste management, fuels, and hydrogen production sectors, plus supply chain, engineering, construction and management, legal and financial consulting sectors.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: CCSA