All-Energy 2005
Biographies
DR ANDY MCKENZIE - graduated from the Institute of Sound & Vibration Research at Southampton University in 1981 with a degree in Engineering Acoustics and Vibration. He worked as a noise consultant in Sydney, Australia before returning to Southampton in 1984 to carry out research in Audiological Acoustics at ISVR leading being awarded his Ph.D. in 1988. He subsequently worked as a freelance consultant., also carrying out further research work in Audio Acoustics at ISVR before forming Hayes McKenzie with Malcolm Hayes in 1991. Since then the company, which was formed specifically to provide acoustics consultancy services to the wind turbine industry has worked on well over 200 wind farm projects in the UK, Ireland, Mainland Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the USA, providing evidence at 21 UK public inquiries and contributing to, amongst other things, ETSU-R-97, the accepted assessment standard for wind turbine noise and the Federal Standard for wind turbine noise assessment in Australia. The company has offices in Salisbury, south-west England, Machynlleth, mid-Wales, and a joint venture company with Australian Power and Water in Sydney, Australia.
JULIAN CHAFER - joined the MOD (Defence Lands Service) in 1990 after gaining a degree in Agricultural Economics at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth and a Diploma in Rural Estate Management from the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.
Since qualifying as a rural practice chartered surveyor in 1992 he has worked in rural and urban estate management, disposals, estate rationalisation, estate policy, the overseas MoD estate before becoming Head of Estates for Defence Estates' Central Business Unit.
Following the reorganisation of DE into Northern and Southern regions he has been able to concentrate solely on Safeguarding on the MOD estate which includes the particularly high profile subject of renewable energy. As Head of Safeguarding he has overall responsibility and accountability for the delivery of all Safeguarding services provided by DE.
In addition to Fellowship of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors he is also a Member of the Association for Project Management.
GEOFF BUTLER - Progress towards the UK government's targets for Energy from Renewable Sources is currently being slowed by the number of planning objections to proposed Windfarms from the MoD and civil airports which operate radars. Windfarms can produce interference with radars potentially jeapordising flight safety. BAE SYSTEMS is working on a number of techniques to overcome the problem.
Geoff graduated in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at University of Portsmouth in 1992, and joined BAE SYSTEMS (then Siemens Plessey) in 1994.
After spending a number of years in engineering and then project management, Geoff moved into his current role as Wind Farms Business Manager in 2004, and is now responsible for business development in the Radar/Wind Farm area. A key part of this role is engagement with the key stakeholder community.
JENNY SIMMONDS - After graduating with an MA Hons degree in Archaeology from Edinburgh University, Jenny joined Hampshire County Council Planning Department working as an archaeologist dealing with land use planning issues, later moving to Somerset County Council Planning Department working in a similar role.
Jenny returned to Scotland in 1990 to join the countryside Commission for Scotland (CCS) to work as a Planning Officer and continued in this role when CCS merged with the Nature Conservancy Council (Scotland) to become Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in 1992. Her roles in SNH since 1992 include Planning Adviser and Area Officer. In 1995, Jenny graduated from Herriot Watt University with a Postgraduate Diploma in Town and Country Planning. Jenny is currently with the National Strategy Unit in NSH, working on renewable energy policy and planning issues.
Specialist work:
Stephen is leader of the firm’s Renewable Energy Group and provides advice to developers, community groups and landowners involved in Renewable Energy projects.
Advises national and local property developers on site assembly, planning, environmental and construction law aspects of property development. He has a substantial involvement in commercial leasing both for Landlords and Tenants and also investment purchases and sales.
Other Interests:
Rural pursuits, sport and music
SIMON TRIBE - is a director of West Coast Energy, based in their Edinburgh office. He is responsible for coordinating West Coast Energy’s environmental and planning services in Scotland and has been involved in 24 wind farm proposals in the last 3 years, with 4 permissions granted to date.
