Five golden rules for a healthy supply chain

The energy sector is booming, with 77% of companies reporting record growth in 2024, averaging 24% revenue jumps. However, beneath the surface, frustration abounds. Policy whiplash, project delays and fragmented strategies are holding back progress. EIC’s ninth Survive & Thrive report, surveying 141 global energy firms, reveals a unified call to action: stability.

Companies are asking for more than just support – they are seeking coherence. From the UK’s plea for “joined-up thinking” to Europe’s fear of deindustrialisation, the message is clear: energy cannot thrive in chaos.

So, what does the supply chain need to survive? EIC members have called for:

1. A consistent pipeline of bankable projects

Projects stuck in approval limbo (for example, UK offshore wind) drain resources and talent. Without a consistent pipeline of projects, “Capability leaks slowly... and when you look up, it’s gone”, says one UK-based respondent.

2. Access to funding

Rising costs and inflation squeeze profit margins. Lack of funding causes an exodus to tax-friendly markets. The UAE, for example, has 0% corporate tax.

3. A role for all technologies

Oil and gas fund 57% of supply chain revenues, and shutting it off “is energy security suicide”, as one Survive & Thrive respondent puts it.

4. Consistent policy and regulation

About 77% of UK firms cite policy chaos as the top barrier, while Europe fears “deindustrialisation”. Lack of consistent policy risks driving talent away to more stable markets – for example, the Middle East’s 68% revenue growth is a magnet for the supply chain.

Every sector, every region and every solution has a role – that’s the message from the report

5. Drive exports

Only 6% of firms explore new export markets. Europe and the UK lead exports but need state backing. Having said that, local content requirements serve as barriers to entry.

A joined-up energy future will need all five of these asks to work together in sync. Without a consistent pipeline of bankable projects, funding stalls. Without funding, technologies stall. Without all technologies, progress stalls. Without policy consistency, projects stall. And without export momentum, value stalls.

Every sector, every region and every solution has a role. That is the message from this year’s EIC Survive & Thrive report. It is not one answer – it is all of them together.

That is why our deep dive begins here — with the need for a consistent pipeline of bankable projects. Without a steady flow of viable opportunities, the rest of the energy transition puzzle simply does not fit together. In this first feature, Jonathan Dyble explores what makes projects investable, why bankability is under strain, and what must change if the UK is to retain its talent, capability, and momentum on the road to net zero.

All together 

A joined-up energy future needs all five rules working in sync

1. A consistent pipeline of bankable projects

Unlocks investor confidence
Attracts capital
Without a consistent pipeline of bankable projects, funding stalls

2. Access to funding

Enables delivery of real projects
Supports all energy technologies
Without funding, technologies stall

3. A role for all technologies

Balances energy mix
Strengthens supply chain capability
Supports more projects entering the pipeline
Without all technologies, progress stalls

4. Consistent policy and regulation

De-risks investment
Stabilises project development
Encourages long-term planning across sectors
Without policy consistency, projects stall

5. Drive exports

Increases global market access
Boosts project viability
Attracts further investment into the pipeline
Without export momentum, value stalls

Image credit | Gene Cornelius Redactive