Michael Hay, Head of Offshore Renewables, BWEA

He is a graduate of Imperial College London with an MSc in Environmental Technology and Energy Policy where his research project was concerned with the potential role for UK regions in the development of a marine renewables industry. On completion of this work he joined the Renewables Innovation Review Team at the Department for Trade and Industry. This small external group assessed all renewable energy technologies, including wave and tidal stream, and advised Treasury on the allocation of funds in the Governments 2004 Comprehensive Spending Review. In February 2004 Mike joined BWEA in a new position that expanded its hugely successful wind mandate in order to champion the emerging wave and tidal stream enegry sector. As well as co-ordinating the interests of BWEA’s 117 marine members Mike also leads the Associations offshore wind work, representing these industries in discussions with Government, offshore stakeholders and the media.

Neal D Rafferty, Renewables Policy Manager, Scottish Executive.  HelpS head up the branch responsible for renewable policy matters, advising Ministers and helping deliver their policies via mixture of grant provision and legislation.  Member of the Scottish Executive's energy policy team since 1999

Jamie Moore (BSc, MSc) – GIS Consultant

Jamie has 6 years’ marine Geographical Information Systems (GIS) experience and an MSc in GIS.  This course helped to strengthen skills in database administration, query and management, geographical data analysis, remote sensing and internet mapping. It also provided practical training in a variety of both raster and vector based GIS applications.  These complement a broad base of marine GIS experience gained while contributing to, and managing consultancy and research projects at ABPmer.  Selected recent project experience includes the quantification of exploitable tidal energy resources in UK waters; the collation and management of an online marine aggregates metadatabase; GIS analysis and support for various offshore windfarm developments; design of managed realignment scheme digital terrain models and presentation using photorealistic 3-D visualizations; analysis of possible location for managed realignment on the Conwy Estuary and providing GIS training and consultancy in the Caribbean.

Jeremy Sainsbury, Natural Power Consultants. Jeremy qualified as a Chartered Surveyor and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in 1995. For the past 18 years, he has been involved in the renewable energy industry at various levels. At an operational level, he has managed three small hydro schemes. He is the Director responsible for Development, Grid and Policy within Natural Power Consultants Ltd, and was the project manager responsible for consenting the offshore Robin Rigg windfarm in the Solway Firth (180MW) and Codling Wind Farm off the coast of Eire (800-1200MW – permitted subject to lease finalisation). On land he has overseen the consenting of over 700MW in the UK, and construction management services of over 180MW

Dr Michael Ottaviano, Managing Director, Seapower Pacific Pty Ltd

Michael’s background in R&D and prior to joining Seapower  was as a Senior Manager specializing in Technology and Innovation consulting at a global advisory firm. He has advised companies on new product development, intellectual property, innovation portfolio management and technology commercialization. He completed his MSc in Germany and his Doctorate in Business Administration in Melbourne in the field of Corporate Innovation. He is also MD of ASX-listed Carnegie Corporation.