Biomass for Heat and/or Power - Biographies

Keiran Allen, Technology Acceleration Manager, The Carbon Trust

Keiran Allen works for the Carbon Trust’s where he manages the Biomass Heat Accelerator programme and is also involved in working up and reviewing other Bioenergy-related R&D projects for the Carbon Trust. Prior to this, Keiran managed one of the Carbon Trust’s building research programmes (the Low Carbon Buildings Accelerator) and carried out research in to LED lighting. Prior to working at the Carbon Trust, he was involved in academic research management at the University of Edinburgh. He has a Masters degree in renewable energy systems and an MA in physical geography.

Keith Arbuthnott, Founder and Managing Director, Arbuthnott Wood Pellets Ltd

Keith Arbuthnott started the first commercial wood pellet manufacturing plant in Scotland late in 2007 and the business has expanded since to meet the evolving demand for wood pellets from all over the country. Based at Arbuthnott Estate 23 miles south of Aberdeen, Arbuthnott Wood Pellets Ltd uses the registered trade name “Stovies” for their product and were runners up in the Northern Star Business Awards in 2008 and the winner in the new business section of the Renewable Energy Awards last December. Keith Arbuthnott is the founder and managing director of the company and has lived and worked in the north-east most of his life.

David Cameron, Chief Technical Officer, Scottish Renewables

David Cameron is Chief Technical Officer at Scottish Renewables. David joined Scottish Renewables in July 2007 while studying an MSc in Renewable Energy at the University of Dundee. As well as overseeing technical aspects of Scottish Renewables work, David has specific responsibility for Heat and Distributed Generation.

David’s interest in renewables was fired up by reading of the A’Chrannag development on Bute – a 7 storey social housing block which was designed to not require a heating system. This house uses passive heating and positive ventilation.

Rebecca Carr, Renewables & Sustainable Development Advisor, Forestry Commission Scotland

Rebecca Carr is the Renewables & Sustainable Development Advisor for Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS). Over the last 5 years, she has worked on the development of woodfuel projects across Scotland, initially through the Highlands & Islands Woodfuel Development Programme, before joining the FCS Policy Team.

Since then, she has produced the Biomass Action Plan for Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government and was a member of the FREDS Renewable Heat Group, contributing to the Renewable Heat Strategy report. She coordinates the FCS Regional Biomass Advice Network which consists of regionally based staff providing advice and information to the public, as well as putting in place a range of biomass initiatives including mobilisation of woodfuel supply and coordination information provision. She has delivered the £7 million Scottish Biomass Support Scheme which funded over 60 biomass projects in 2007 and is now responsible for delivering the Scottish Biomass Heat Scheme.

Before joining FCS, Rebecca was a consultant at the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, developing forestry and biomass related carbon management projects in the UK and internationally, and worked on methodologies for the forestry projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

Michael Curtis, Process Engineering Manager - SEPA North

Mike is a Chemical Engineer working as Process Engineering Manager for SEPA’s North Region and has worked for SEPA since its inception in 2006. He has regulated Shetland’s Energy from Waste plant, the 2.3GW installed electrical power multi fuel power station at Peterhead, the oil and gas reception and processing sites on Shetland (Sullom Voe Oil terminal) and Aberdeenshire through which a large proportion of UK natural gas and oil are processed. His other Regulatory experience was gained in 6 years at HM Industrial Pollution Inspectorate covering the oil industry and radioactive sources and scales in Scotland’s NE. His hands on experiences and skills were developed over 11 years in process and project engineering roles within the British Alcan group, and its forerunners, working in the manufacture of alumina and zirconium chemicals. In addition he has worked as a Radiation Protection Adviser to Oil and Related Companies and as Environment engineer for oilfield projects.

Professor Paul Mitchell, Institute of Energy Studies, University of Aberdeen

Professor Paul Mitchell has nearly 30 years experience in conducting research, development and demonstration in renewable energies, particularly focusing on biomass and bioenergy.

He has worked closely with government departments and agencies, research institutes, international organisations and industry as programme and project manager developing biomass and bioenergy as an economically viable and sustainable source of energy. He is the author of over 200 scientific papers, editor of a book and 16 conference proceedings.

Professor Mitchell is based in the University of Aberdeen, College of Physical Sciences where he is Director of the Institute of Energy Technologies. The Institute brings together all the research in the University directed at energy related issues. Prime strengths are in renewables (biomass, biofuels, wave, fuel cells), petroleum geology, storage of nuclear waste, economics & policy, supply system modelling, carbon sequestration, design of energy efficient buildings.

Professor Mitchell is a founder Director of the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) and a Director of the Energy Technology Partnership. He is also Chief Editor of the academic journal Biomass and Bioenergy published by Elsevier.

Martin Murrish, UK Product Manager Heating Division, Hoval

Martin Murrish is the UK Product Manager Heating Division with Hoval Ltd with particular responsibility for boiler technologies and their application. He is a graduate of the University of Leeds (Chemical Engineering), a former Fuel Technologist and has over 20 years experience in the applied use of many solid fuels including biomass and has extensive knowledge of the practical issues surrounding these fuels.

Martin’s expertise has proved invaluable in tailoring biomass and other renewable solutions to meet the needs of specific projects and organisations.

Stuart Pocock, Head of Onsite Renewables, Renewable Energy Association

Stuart Pocock joined the Renewable Energy Association, which is the largest trade association for the renewable energy industry, as it Head of On-site Renewables earlier this year.

He has ten years experience of decentralised renewables, having been responsible for developing a successful building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) business for Lafarge Roofing. Stuart has also represented the construction products sector on the Renewable Advisory Board’s Microgeneration Working Group.

Stuart also has a background of over twenty years experience in the construction products industry, initially with Redland Roofing and later with Lafarge Roofing. During that time, he held a variety of senior management positions in purchasing, quality assurance and marketing.

Iain Todd, Renewables Champion to the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG)

Iain Todd is a chartered engineer, who has worked in both the private sector and the Civil Service. He has held senior posts in the Health and Safety Executive, the Department of the Environment, and the Department of Trade and Industry, mostly on energy-related issues. Between 2000 and 2002, Iain was Director of Oil and Gas Development at the DTI in Aberdeen; then between 2002 and 2004 he was the DTI’s Director of Renewable Energy. As such, he was responsible for the first two years of the Renewables Obligation legislation, financial programmes of £300m, and initiatives to grow a UK renewables supply chain.

In June 2004 Iain returned to the private sector, and now works as a renewable energy consultant. Much of his time is given to his role as Renewables Champion to the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG). In this role he acts as project manager for the planned Aberdeen offshore wind farm, which is intended not only to act as a power station for the city, but also as a national test centre for offshore wind technology. The potential of this latter role was reinforced at the end of January 2009, with an announcement by the European Commission that it planned to invest 40 million euros in the development of the test centre role of this project.

He is also currently working for the Scottish Government on the planned Scottish European Green Energy Centre in Aberdeen, and is Honorary Professor of Renewable Energy Policy at both Aberdeen University and the Robert Gordon University. He is a frequent presenter at conferences on renewable policy issues, most recently at the Global Wind Energy Conference in Beijing.

Eric Wells, Renewable Energy Development Co-ordinator, Aberdeenshire Council

Eric is a geology graduate (University of Aberdeen) with a postgraduate in Systems Analysis & Design from Napier University in Edinburgh.

After spending the early part of his career in the oil industry Eric moved into the IT industry, living and working in the South East of England. In 2004 Eric returned to the East of Scotland and has spent several years restoring and converting an old mill building at Morphie in South Aberdeenshire, which is now his home, complete with ground source heat pump and wood burning stoves. Eric worked for two years with SCARF on projects raising awareness of Fuel Poverty in Tayside and North East Scotland before joining Aberdeenshire Council in his current post of Renewable Energy Development Co-ordinator.