Discover PetrolPlaza’s Specials for 2020

In a time of continuous innovation and rapid changes in the market, PetrolPlaza, the global publication for the fuel retailing industry, will continue to explore trends and changes throughout 2020.

February: Nordics & Baltics

The first Special of 2020 will take PetrolPlaza to the Nordic and Baltic markets – home to some of the most forward thinking companies and countries when it comes to alternative fuels. Denmark was the world leader in electric mobility until the State decided to burst the bubble and drop incentives; Norway has now picked up the mantle in regards to electric vehicles with hybrids accounting for 60% of all new sales; Sweden and Finland have pushed forward biodiesel and ethanol as a key part of their fuel mix; other countries such as Estonia present an interesting case for biogas. We will be exploring the benefits and disadvantages of the different scenarios, speaking to world-leading retailers and looking into other interesting areas from Nordic and Baltic countries. 

June: Cybersecurity & Data Protection

The emergence of new technologies such as cloud technology and the Internet of Things have made sites safer and more efficient. However, retailers are facing new challenges regarding cyber security. Governments have also become stricter on data protection and are requiring more to be done. Last week, Visa warned that gas stations have become a target for large hacker groups due to the vulnerabilities that some of these sites still exhibit. Kaspersky Lab also warned that hackers can launch cyberattacks on some 1,000 embedded controllers that are currently online. How shall retailers best protect their sites? We’ll be speaking to security experts, software providers and retailers to explore one of the most relevant topics in today’s industry.

September: Middle East

Despite some of its areas still suffering the devastating effects of armed conflict, the oil rich region continues to develop its fuel retailing market. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman have now joined the convenience revolution with modern non-fuel propositions. We’ll be looking at the different players in each market, trends and business opportunities for suppliers and foreign OMCs.

December: Hydrogen – The fuel of the future?

What many believe will be the fuel of the future as it presents a similar driving range to liquid fuels, it only takes a few minutes to fill up and has zero emissions. The costs of developing the fuelling infrastructure remain extremely high and its hazardous nature requires of trained operators. Major projects in Germany, Japan and California will provide more information on the feasibility and potential of the fuel. What role will hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles play in the future fuel mix? Will governments start favouring fuel cell vehicles over battery-powered cars? We will try to respond to some of these questions in our last Special of 2020.

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