Speakers

	Edmund Bailey MRICS Director Bailey and Partners Edmund is a Chartered Surveyor and is Manging Director of Baileys and Partners, which includes amongst others specialist grid connection land officers and engineering consultants. Baileys and Partners is a member of the BHA and specialises in hydroelectric projects (HEP). Baileys and Partners can take the project through the whole cycle, including the initial feasibility report all the way through the licensing and planning process to project management, successful commissioning and thereafter operations and maintenance. As part of this process, Edmund has significant experience in dealing with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in Wales and the Environment Agency in England on licensing and flood defence consents, and the relevant local Planning Authority where planning consent is required. Edmund also has experience of acting in an Expert capacity on valuations of such schemes. Edmund also works alongside the BHA on the Wales Hydropower Stakeholder Group assembled by Natural Resources Wales and a Task and Finish Group for Hydropower assembled by Welsh Government, influencing future abstraction and impoundment licensing guidance for Welsh applicants.

	Lars Boener Operations Director VerdErg Lars has spent several years in project finance of large infrastructure schemes across Europe and North America for a London based developer, followed by a similar role with a focus on solar and wind energy projects. He joined VerdErg in 2014. As Operations Director he is leading the technology and project development for VETT (Venturi-Enhanced Turbine Technology) and is responsible for bringing this novel low-head hydropower and tidal power technology to market.

	Chris Brooks Director Westflight Ltd Chris Brookes is an engineer and Welsh hill sheep farmer who has spent almost a lifetime in agricultural and automotive engineering. He is founder and Managing Director of Westflight Ltd, which, since the 1960s when it first developed off grid electrical systems for remote Welsh hill farms, has built a strong reputation for engineering and innovation with renewable energy technologies. especially in the agricultural and rural sectors.

	Josh Brown Renewables Manager Co-op Energy Josh has recently joined Co-op Energy as the Renewables Manager after spending over five years with renewable energy consultancy Natural Power, where he managed renewable energy projects from feasibility through to construction in the UK and Ireland. As the Renewables Manager he is responsible for the Power Purchase Agreement portfolio and for implementing the Co-op Energy’s new Community Energy Strategy.

	Gideon Carpenter Senior Policy Advisor Hydropower Natural Resources Wales Gideon is Senior Policy Advisor on hydropower for NRW and has been involved with regulation of hydropower since joining the Environment Agency Wales (EAW) in 2001. He has a background in irrigation engineering, working in the private sector in the UK and overseas prior to joining Environment Agency Wales. Gideon has spent 13 years in EAW/NRW’s Hydrology and Water Resources management team including the roles of Technical Specialist and Team Leader before moving to his current role in 2014.

	Bill Edwards MSc Director Saddleworth Community Hydro Bill is a retired BT telecommunications engineer who was part of the team that successfully delivered the award-winning 51kW hydro scheme at Dove Stone Reservoir in Saddleworth.

	Neil Farrington Senior Manager - Renewables & Communities Community Energy Plus & Tide Mills Ltd Neil is the Senior Manager for Renewables and Communities at the Cornish energy charity Community Energy Plus (CEP) and has over 15 years’ experience of working with communities on the development and delivery of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in community settings as well the delivery of carbon reduction programmes. He has recently completed an MSc in Marine Renewable Energy at the University of Plymouth. He founded and is Technical Director of Community Power Cornwall (CPC), a pioneering co-operative venture that develops community-owned renewable energy installations, and a founding Director of the Low Carbon Society, a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) created exclusively to support the Community Energy Sector and currently managing a £2.7m loan facility for community energy in Cornwall. Neil was shortlisted for the South West Sustainable Energy Champion Award at the 2011 South West Green Awards, was named ‘Best Individual’ at the Cornwall Sustainability Awards 2010 and was shortlisted for the National Renewable Energy Association ‘Energy Champion’ award in 2010. He was selected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for his pioneering work on community energy.

	Amanda Forman Director Snowdonia Hydro Amanda is the Proprietor and Director of Snowdonia Hydro Ltd, an independent consultancy based near Tywyn in the southern aspects of Snowdonia National Park. She is currently an active member of the British Hydropower Association (BHA) and has been involved in a number of micro hydro developments in Mid and North Wales. Amanda has gained experience with licensing, consulting and managing both grid connected and off grid projects. Amanda has studied marine and environmental science at higher education level and holds a Masters degree in architecture, environmental and energy studies. With a drive for business and low impact living, Amanda is ideally placed to advise a wide range of clients on renewable energy solutions in the land, business and residential sectors.

	Kate Gilmartin Director My Green Investment CIC Kate works as a low carbon consultant and provides technical consultancy around renewable energy and energy efficiency. She works with a diverse client base in a number of sectors, including providing due diligence for potential renewable energy investment assets, undertaking project analysis and financial modelling. Kate has a particular interest in hydropower and is the administrator for the Micro Hydro Association, providing support to individuals and developers progressing with mirco hydro projects. She set up the Community Hydro Forum five years ago to support community projects sharing their experiences. The Community Hydro Forum has been awarded funding through the Peer Mentorship project run by the Cabinet Office to deliver four interactive workshops and support communities through the complexities of hydro development.

	Simon Hamlyn Chief Executive Officer British Hydropower Association Simon, who is a 3-Dimensional Designer by qualification, comes from a family of architects - both parents and his Grandfather. Simon's career has embraced international branded drinks, hotels & leisure, electronic entertainment, magazine publishing, internet businesses and, over the past 12 years, consumer membership organisations. Simon is based in Bangor on Dee, just south of Chester, with two terriers and two young children. He enjoys, when time permits, a love of music, cricket, football, skiing, walking, running and game shooting.

	Dan Hammond Operations & Maintenance Manager Dulas Ltd Dan joined the Dulas hydro team in 2015 to manage its operation and maintenance services, having previously worked for Dulas for almost 10 years on the development and consenting of renewable energy projects. Dan leads on Dulas’ delivery of a range of O&M services including site management, routine and reactive maintenance, performance review and reporting, fault finding and scheme optimisation.

	Will Handford Hydro Energy Specialist National Trust Will heads up the hydro team for the National Trust, delivering hydro projects as part of a programme to enable the Trust to meet 50% of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2020. He joined the National Trust in early 2016 after nearly ten years' experience in renewables, project managing and designing hydro schemes across the UK.

	David Harries Partner Aaron & Partners LLB David Harries heads the Planning, Environmental, Energy and Regulatory practice at Aaron & Partners LLP Solicitors and specialises in renewable energy. Under his leadership, the team acts for developers, land owners, consultants, suppliers and manufacturers, advising on all aspects of renewable energy and all sizes of scheme, including numerous hydro schemes. In the course of doing so, Aaron & Partners LLP has gained a knowledge of the issues of renewable energy installations, which is detailed but rounded and highly practical. In particular, the firm aims to give sound, clear, practical advice, on time and on budget.

	Steven Jermy CMarTech FNI FIMarEST Managing Director Tide Mills Ltd Steven Jermy is a Chartered Marine Renewables Technologist, an energy, economics & environmental analyst, and the author of Strategy for Action: Using force wisely in the 21st Century. In his first career, as a naval aviator and seaman officer, he commanded 4 warships and went onto senior appointments that included Captain 5th Destroyer Squadron, Commodore Fleet Air Arm, Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of Defence Staff, and Strategy Director in the British Embassy in Afghanistan. Since leaving the navy in 2010, he has specialised in tidal energy, but also acts as an energy market analyst for his company, James Fisher Marine Services Ltd, one of world’s leading offshore renewable energy consultancies. Steve has a first degree in Applied Maths & Physical Oceanography from University of Bangor, an MPhil in International Relations from University of Cambridge, and is a Fellow of both the Nautical Institute and of the Institute of Marine Engineers, Scientists and Technologists.

	Tom Matthews Commercial Generation Manager Good Energy Tom has a deep understanding of the renewables industry. After studying energy engineering at the University of Birmingham, his focus moved to the wholesale energy market, arranging flexible power and gas trades for large blue chip and industrial energy consumers. He then moved into negotiating PPA contracts and now heads up Good Energy's Commercial Generation Team.

	Wayne Muncaster Managing Director Endeco Technologies With over 20 years' experience in the energy sector since starting with British Gas in the 1990s, Wayne has seen the energy landscape change significantly and is ideally placed to provide advice and education on this complex market. With the influx of renewable energy and with National Grid requiring the help of aggregators and flexible energy producers and consumers to ensure the UK can reach its green goals, Wayne's invaluable knowledge and expertise have secured him a spot as one of the industry's authoritative voices on the the topic.

	Jamie Needle Development Manager Derwent Hydro Jamie works as Development Manager for Derwent Hydro, after joining in 2005. He is primarily responsible for acquiring new sites for development, procuring permissions and consents, and arranging finance. Derwent Hydro has been actively involved in developing and operating UK generating stations since the 1980s. The Company specialises in schemes in the 1-1,000kW range, both new build and refurbishment, high head and low head.

	Guy Richardson BSc MRICS Dip Rating ACMI Director Rating Colliers International Guy Richardson is Director, Rating at Colliers International and has over 27 years’ experience in the valuation of property for local and national taxation. He previously worked for the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) where, his many and varied roles included; ‘Head of Utilities Rating’ responsible for the assessment of regulated industries including electricity, gas and water; ‘Director of Council Tax’ maintaining bandings on 22million homes in England and Wales; and member of the VOA’s management Board providing strategic direction on Local Taxation in England and Wales. Guy is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Rating Surveyor’s Association. He holds the RICS Diploma in Rating, the gold standard in rating qualifications.

	Mark Scutt Director Shrewsbury Hydro Mark has been involved in the hydro industry for the past 5 years and has been leading the Shrewsbury Hydro team planning to install a 400kW hydroelectric plant alongside the Shrewsbury Weir. Before hydro, he ran the Villiers engine company in Wolverhampton, making small petrol engines and generating sets so he is delighted to be involved in generating carbon-free power.

	Stephen Woodland director SWCBC Stephen has many years of experience in assisting businesses to develop their financial models to support innovative projects. Successfully leading a wide variety of projects through the often complicated fund raising process has provided Stephen with capability to match developers with investors/lenders and provide valuable assistance in the preparation of the business case.