SOLAR IRELAND 2022 Speakers
Alan Farrell, TD - Fine Gael
First elected to Parliament in 2011 for the Dublin Fingal constituency
Served on Local Authority (Fingal County Council) 2004 - 2011
Member of Fine Gael Party (EPP) for over 20 years
Dáil Éireann
- Environment and Climate Action Committee 2020 – Present
- Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Committee 2020 - Present
- Chairperson, Children & Youth Affairs Committee 2017 – 2020
- Head of Irish Delegation to OSCE PA 2013 to 2020
- Public Accounts Committee 2016 - 2020
- Justice, Equality & Defence Parliamentary Committee 2011 - 2017
- Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform Parliamentary Committee 2011 - 2016
Fine Gael Party
- Fine Gael Spokesperson on Climate Action
- Chairperson - Internal Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform 2011 - 2016
- Chairperson - Internal Justice, Defence & Equality 2013 - 2016
- Member - Internal European Affairs Committee 2011 – 2016
Barry Quinlan - Head of Energy - built environment, retail energy and regulation - the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Bio to Follow
Barry Walsh - Development Manager - Temporis Aurora GP
Bio to Follow
Bill Senior - Director of Operations - Power Capital Renewable Energy (PCRE)
Bill has over 15 years experience in the infrastructure and energy sectors, specialising in utility solar PV, engineering, procurement and construction. He is responsible for supply chain management, budgets and successful delivery of projects. Bill is also the Treasurer and Board Director of the Irish Solar Energy Association.
Brian Leddin - TD - Limerick City
Brian Leddin is a TD for Limerick City, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action, Green Party spokesperson on Transport, Climate Action and the Environment and Chair of the Green Party in the Oireachtas. Before being elected to the Dáil, he worked as a mechanical engineer in Limerick and was a councillor on Limerick City and County Council. Brian is an engineering graduate of the University of Limerick and also holds an MSc in Renewable Energy Systems Technology at Loughborough University
Christopher O’Sullivan - Fianna Fáil TD - Cork South West
Christopher is the Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South West, and the party’s spokesperson on Environment, Climate Action and Biodiversity as well as the parliamentary party’s Ógra liaison.
Born and bred in Clonakilty, West Cork, Christopher was a county councillor for 13 years, in which time he served as Mayor of County Cork.
Since being elected to the Dáil Éireann in 2020 he has been a strong voice for the agriculture, hospitality, tourism and live entertainment sectors, as well as standing up for fishing communities hard hit by Brexit.
Driving decisive climate action and protecting Ireland’s rich biodiversity has been a major focus for Christopher in his role as vice-chair of the Climate Action Committee.
Christopher is a keen birder and whale watcher.
Conall Bolger - Chief Executive Officer - Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA)
Conall brings nearly 15 years of experience in energy and sustainability to ISEA. He has developed substantial markets and policy expertise working across the renewable energy value chain: from community and behind the meter projects to larger scale onshore and offshore wind development. Conall founded, led and developed Cornwall Insight's Irish operations. He has worked with and advised policy makers and regulators in Ireland and Northern Ireland. He holds an MSc in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Edinburgh. His international renewables experience includes Poland, Canada and Great Britain.
Cyril Perrin - Managing Director - Neoen in Ireland
Cyril is working in the renewable energies sector for 13 years.
He took successive positions within Neoen – a leading French Independent Energy Producer – first based in France and thereafter heading Neoen’s developments in several geographies as Portugal, Mozambique and Zambia.
Based in Dublin since 2021, Cyril is Managing Director of Neoen in Ireland – active in the development of solar, wind and storage projects.
He graduated as an engineer in agriculture & agro-business both in France and in Brazil.
Dr. David Connolly - Chief Technology Officer - Astatine
Dr. David Connolly is Chief Technology Officer with Astatine, who offer turnkey solutions for large industrial users who wish to decarbonise their heat, using high-temperature heat pumps (up to 200°C), and electricity, using onsite solar PV or offsite Corporate PPA contracts. David is also Chairperson of the Irish District Energy Association which represents the district heating and cooling industry across the island of Ireland. Previously, David was CEO of Wind Energy Ireland which is Ireland’s largest renewable energy association and before that, David was an Associate Professor in Energy Planning at Aalborg University in Copenhagen, Denmark, where his research focused on the design and assessment of 100% renewable energy systems for electricity, heat, and transport. www.dconnolly.net
David Maguire - CEO - BNRG
David is a Founder and CEO of the BNRG Group. The Group develops, construction and is owner/operation of utility scale solar PV Parks. The Company has commissioned a significant portfolio of projects across Europe and the US with a value in excess of €300m and more recently has been developing projects in Australia. BNRG was the first company to gain planning permission for a utility scale solar project on the Island of Ireland and the first company to use crowdfunding to fund large scale ground mount solar projects. David is an environmental scientist by profession and holds Masters degrees from National University of Ireland and the University of Wales, in Environmental Sciences and Resource Management. Prior to renewable energy development, David held positions with the Environmental Protection Agency with responsibility for Research & Development. With over 22 years in the environmental and renewable energy sectors, he is consulted frequently on complex environmental and energy issues. David is a Founder of Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy 'AFASE' representing over 860 companies with a combined annual turnover of £26bn and employing over 86,000 people. In addition, David is a Founder of the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA).
Declan Cullinane - Country Manager Ireland - BayWa r.e.
Declan Cullinane is the Country Manager for BayWa r.e in Ireland focusing on large scale solar, on & offshore wind and storage development through to operation.
Through his experience in the renewable energy industry across Europe, emerging markets and in Ireland over the past 15 years he has valuable knowledge of the challenges and the potential routes to deliver large scale projects in the Irish market.
Declan is responsible for the operations and growth of the BayWa r.e business in Ireland with a development and acquisition focus.
He is currently a board member of ISEA and is active in supporting the organisation in terms of growth and lobbying.
Donal Smith – Grid Connection Advisor
Donal provides development support to all projects and technologies connecting to the grid. Chair of the ISEA Grid Committee and Member of WEI council.
Working in renewable development since 2006 Donal provides critical advice and professional services from project inception to asset operation.
Donal is a Power Systems Engineer with a MSc from Aalto University in Helsinki and a BE from NUI Galway.
Minister Eamon Ryan - Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport
Eamon Ryan TD is the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Minister for Transport. He was appointed to this role in June 2020.
Eamon Ryan was elected to represent Dublin Bay South in the 2020 general election.
He was born in Dublin and raised in Dundrum and Dartry.
He studied commerce in UCD before taking a job managing a marketing course in the university's School of Business. He went on to found a cycling tourism company - Irish Cycling Safaris - in the late 1980s and in 1996 won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.
He was the founding chairperson of the Dublin Cycling Campaign and began his political career as a Dublin City Councillor for the Rathgar-Rathmines ward. He then went on to serve both as a TD for Dublin South and as a Government Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
In recent years he has worked for a European climate organisation and chaired the digital policy group in the Institute of International and European Affairs.
He is currently leader of the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas.
You can contact Mr Ryan at [email protected]
Eoin Brennan - Renewables and Trading Analyst - Flogas Enterprise
Eoin is the chair of ISEA’s Behind the Meter Working Group which is focussed on the rapid growth of solar in both the domestic and commercial sectors. The group addresses key areas for BtM including grid connection policy, plannings standards, and policy responses on the Microgeneration and Small Scale Generation support schemes.
Eoin works as a Renewables and Trading Analyst with Flogas Enterprise Solutions (formerly Naturgy) where a PPA portfolio of over 200 MW is managed alongside the supply of renewable electricity, natural gas and biomethane to Industrial and Commercial users. He has a wide range of experience across policy, regulation, new business development (Corporate PPAs, biomethane, I&C solar), commercial modelling and wholesale markets.
Eoin Hartigan - Head of Origination, Project Finance - Bank of Ireland
Eoin Hartigan is responsible for the origination of project finance transactions across the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Bank of Ireland is recognised as the leading Project Finance bank in the Irish market with substantial energy/wind/ solar and infrastructure/PPP portfolios.
Previously Eoin worked in the Global Leverage Acquisition Finance/ Global Project Finance team in the BOI Corporate Banking division and was a key member of the RBS/Ulster Banking Corporate Banking Project Finance team.
Eric Lonergan - Macro Fund Manager - M&G
Eric is a global macro fund manager. He has been co-manager of the M&G Macro Episode Fund, one of Europe’s most successful macro hedge funds, since its inception in June 2010. Eric frequently contributes to the Financial Times, The Economist, Bloomberg and CNBC. He also advises policy-makers. He has a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University and an M.Sc. in Economics and Philosophy from the London School of Economics.
Eric is co-author of Supercharge Me: net zero faster, an FT climate book of 2022, and the 2020 FT critic’s book of the year, Angrynomics.
Francisco Estela - LONGi Service Technical Director Europe
Francisco Estela, engineer with more than 25 years’ experience in the solar industry, has developed his activities in different areas within R&D for balance of systems, solar cell manufacturing, grid connection PV projects in private funds, large pumping stand-alone PV systems for farming irrigation, and self-consumption systems for residential, commercial and industrial markets.
For the last 2 years he has held the position of Product & Solutions Director for Europe with focus to transfer the company innovations downstream and to provide technical support to our customers.
Garrett Monaghan - Partner - Pinsent Masons (Ireland)
Garrett is one of the most active lawyers in the Irish energy sector and has been at the forefront of Irish renewables since the launch of REFiT in 2005. He advises sponsors, funders and investors on several inter-related disciplines including energy, project finance, M&A and emissions / carbon trading. As Head of Pinsent Masons Projects Practice on the island of Ireland, he has worked on several "pathfinder" energy projects across the solar, waste to energy, storage, onshore & offshore wind and interconnection sectors. Garrett has extensive international experience and is dual qualified in Ireland and England & Wales.
Gary Connolly - Commercial Director - Activ8 Solar Energies
Academically trained in finance with a BBA in Business Finance, and practically in the trades through his family business. Gary began his position in Activ8 Energies as a Business Development Manager with duties to streamline the working processes within the company. After one year, this progressed to becoming the General Manager of Activ8’s first venture into the Solar PV world, through its sister company Solar NI.
Having successfully managed Solar NI, helping it claim prestigious installation accolades, Solar NI also became the Activ8 Groups first experience of PPA’s and other solar financial instruments that had become the norm in a high tariff Solar PV environment. The reduction of these tariffs seen Solar NI consolidate back into the Activ8 parent company where Gary is now the Commercial Manager, heading up the finance, tendering and commercial prospecting for Activ8.
Skilled in Asset Management, Fund Administration, Mutual Funds, Management, and Hedge Funds. Strong sales professional with a BBA in Finance focused in Financial Markets, Accounting, Statistics from The University of Memphis.
Gavin Blake - Partner - ByrneWallace
Gavin has over fifteen years’ experience advising clients in the energy sector, in particular in relation to wind farm projects but also extending to projects in the fields of solar PV, energy storage, bioenergy, hydro, auto-production, conventional power, AD and CHP. He works with developers, funders and investors from the securing of land rights and consenting phase right through to project finance and construction. Gavin also regularly acts in the acquisition and disposal of renewable electricity projects, both at development stage and operational stage.
Prior to joining ByrneWallace LLP, Gavin was Partner in the Energy and Natural Resources team of another large Irish law firm. Gavin was also previously company secretary of a multi-national renewable energy developer.
Gavin is currently both a director of, and company secretary of, the Irish Solar Energy Association and through his active involvement with this organisation is very much at the cutting edge in terms of current and ongoing developments and changes affecting the Irish renewable electricity sector
Gerry Shannon - Chairman - Obton Ltd
As Chairman of Obton Ltd in Ireland Gerry brings to bear an extensive experience in Utility Scale Solar Farm development. Working as a finance partner of Standard Bank in South Africa from 2010, Gerry successfully brought 150 MW of solar farms into Financial Close. This speciality came home to Ireland with the Obton arrival in 2018, and in RESS we have been awarded 110 MW on eleven projects in Counties Tipperary, Longford, Galway, and Wexford. As a world leading solar developer, Obton is pledged to commit the funding for the construction of one Gigawatt of solar in Ireland by the year 2030. This will be implemented by continued participation in the RESS program, together with delivering Carbon Credit benefits to the Corporate sector through Virtual Power Purchase Agreements.
Contact Gerry at [email protected]
James Delahunt - Director - KPMG Ireland
James is a Director in KPMG’s Corporate Finance practice and leads Renewable Energy M&A and Financing service line of KPMG Sustainable Futures, Ireland’s largest dedicated climate change and sustainability advisory team.
James has advised on over €3bn worth of Energy transactions totalling over 4GW of assets in recent years. He also advises developers and investors on their financing strategy in relation to their asset portfolios.
James Power - Investments & Financing Manager - BNRG Renewables Ltd
James is responsible for the financial modelling, investment appraisal and project financing on BNRG’s Irish and USA Maine assets.
A KPMG trained Chartered Accountant, James spent stints in RSM and ESB within the Networks and Asset Development divisions before joining BNRG in 2020
Jim Hughes - Director - Fehily Timoney Company
Jim Hughes is the Director in Fehily Timoney and Company (FT) responsible for the Energy and Planning Sector. Jim is a qualified Town and Environmental Planner with over 18 years experience in the development sector having worked in both the private and public sector. He has extensive experience in the environmental assessment and consenting of renewable energy projects in Ireland. Acting as Project Director, Jim has brought onshore renewable energy projects, including Wind, Solar and renewable gas projects from site selection, feasibility and constraints assessment through to planning and permitting. FT has over 25 years experience in the renewable energy sector and provide a multi-disciplined approach to its projects, having all the key environmental disciplines in-house.
John Melvin - Director Energy Networks and Legal - Commission Energy Regulation (CER)
John Melvin was appointed as the Director of Energy Networks and Legal in 2016 and is currently Director of Security of Supply and Wholesale. John is responsible for overseeing gas and electricity Security of Supply and the wholesale all-island electricity market (SEM) in cooperation with the Utility Regulator in Belfast.
John Pollard - Investment Manager - NTR plc
Investment professional with strong engineering and technical background with 9 years industry experience across multiple sectors. Significant experience in origination, financial modelling, asset management and acquisitions.
Extremely driven individual adept at stakeholder management, solution-based scoping and project management, with strong business acumen owed to experience in managing and leading teams in numerous industries in diverse locations around the world – India, Africa, Australia and the UK.
Joop Hazenberg - Policy and Impact Director - RE-Source Platform
Joop Hazenberg (1978) is Policy and Impact Director of the RE-Source Platform. He has been working and living in Brussels since 2013, specialising in Europe’s energy and climate policies. Amongst others, he was EU correspondent for a range of international media, campaign manager for NGOs on the phase-out of coal power plants, and Director External Affairs at the GSMA, representing the mobile telecommunications industry in Europe.
Before moving to Brussels, Joop Hazenberg worked in political circles in his home country The Netherlands. He had several functions in the Dutch Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a national newspaper. He also founded a think-tank for young professionals, wrote six books (the latest on climate change) and many op-eds and essays on (international) politics.
See his LinkedIn profile or his own website for more information.
JP Wallace - Senior Business Development Manager - EDF Renewables Ireland
JP has over 12 years’ experience in the Irish energy industry, and combines a strong technical background with in-depth commercial and contractual experience. At EDF Renewables, his primary responsibilities relate to acquisitions and ensuring our projects are auction-ready. He holds a Master of Engineering degree in Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems from TUD, for which he received a Gold Medal award, and a Diploma in Business and Finance from the National College of Ireland.
Kenneth Conway - Principal Power Systems Consultant - TNEI
Kenneth leads TNEI’s grid connection and due diligence offerings in Ireland. He has over 7 years’ experience within the energy industry, including the completion of over 200 shifts as a Grid Control Engineer in EirGrid’s National Electricity Control Centre. Recently, Kenneth has worked on key strategic projects including EirGrid’s Shaping our Electricity Future and WEI’s Bridging the Gap.
Ken Stewart - Key Account Manager - Sungrow EMEA
Ken brings close to 10 years’ experience in the renewable energy industry from residential & commercial scale, HV/MV grid connection, Smart city. And now actively, Large Scale Solar Renewables and Battery Storage solutions at Sungrow.
He is responsible for assisting in the delivery and sales of Utility Scale Solar projects providing vital energy back to grid and reducing our dependency & consumption of energy from fossil fuels. Since Irelands inception into the Solar market, he has helped secure to date nearly 350MWp of PV energy to grid alongside Sungrow having shipped nearly 50GWs of inverters alone in 2021, they have once again proven to be the No. 1 Global Leader in 2022.
He has developed valuable experience and contacts within the industry and is a leader with proven facilitation, change management, and problem-solving experience involving technical teams from China to understanding a demanding Irish DS3 grid code expectancy.
He is consistently studying the market & looking to explore new technologies to meet yearly targets and reduce our global carbon footprint. Interests in Climate action, Energy storage solutions and Floating PV.
His international renewables experience to date includes China, US, AUS, IRL & UK.
Kevin O'Donovan - SVP European Wind & Solar - Statkraft
Bio to Follow
Kieran White - Vice President Europe - Ørsted Onshore
Kieran White is Vice President of Ørsted’s European Onshore business. In this capacity he is responsible for ensuring the continuing optimal performance of operating assets and the growth of the business across Europe. This growth will be built from the existing Ireland and UK business and a strong focus on major European renewables markets such as France, Germany and Spain. Technologies include onshore wind and solar PV but also includes the growing BESS market as well as working with other business units such as P2X to support their further growth. The global onshore team aim to develop 17.5GW of renewables as part of Ørsted’s 50GW by 2030 global target.
Kieran joined Ørsted in 2021 as a result of the acquisition of the Brookfield Renewable’s Ireland and UK renewable assets. At Brookfield, Kieran was CEO of the Ireland & UK renewable business from 2018 and was instrumental in the preparation of the business for sale and the integration of the business into the Ørstedgroup. Prior to joining Brookfield, Kieran has managed a variety of manufacturing businesses across Ireland & the UK in the course of the previous 15 years and before that worked as a consultant across different industry sectors.
Kieran graduated as an engineer and holds a MSc in Offshore Engineering
Liam Ryan - Chief Innovation and Planning Officer - EirGrid Group
Liam Ryan is the Chief Innovation and Planning Officer of EirGrid Group. Prior to this Liam was Interim Director of Grid Development & Interconnection. Liam also held a number of other positions in EirGrid including Head of the Integrated Single Electricity Market transition, Head of Transmission Engineering & Maintenance, Head of Market Operations, Head of Power System Operational Planning and Head of Programme Management Office. Liam is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of ENTSO-E, The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity. Before joining EirGrid, Liam held a number of senior roles in Hewlett Packard manufacturing and innovation departments and before that worked in consultancy. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, he has a PhD and Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and holds a Masters in Mathematics.
Lynn Boylan - Sinn Féin Senator
Lynn Boylan is a Sinn Féin Senator and the party’s spokesperson on climate justice. She served as an MEP between 2014-2019 and was the spokesperson on climate for the Left Group in the European Parliament and attended COP in that capacity. Before entering politics, she worked as an environmental education officer in Killarney National Park. She has recently completed a Msc in Climate Change: Policy, Media and Society where she focused specifically on the Energy Charter Treaty and its legitimacy in a Paris compliant future.
Maeve O'Callaghan - Senior Operations Manager - Elgin Energy
Bio to Follow
Mark Varian - Partner in the Projects and Construction Group - Eversheds Sutherland Ireland
Mark is a Partner in the Construction and Projects Group.
Mark specialises in construction, projects and PPP law. He has acted for developers, employers, banks and contractors in some of the largest and most complex building and engineering projects undertaken in the State. He has also advised on the commercial aspects of many transactions in the telecoms, renewable energy, transport, waste and oil and gas sectors.
Mark's recent experience includes:
- Acting for National Toll Roads in the Waterford N25 PPP (value in excess of €200m)
- Acting for AIB in the financing of the new eircom headquarters (value in excess of €150m)
- Advising Hollandia BV in relation to the development of the Samuel Beckett Bridge, Macken Street, Dublin
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Bio to Follow
Michael Norton - Head of Commercial Sales - Pinergy Solar Electric
Michael Norton is Head of Commercial Sales for Pinergy Solar Electric. Working in the Energy and Renewables industry since 2009, Michael is passionate about helping the business and farming sectors to decarbonise and lower their energy costs. He has gained valuable experience working across Solar PV markets in Belgium, Norway and Chile and is now focused on scaling Pinergy Solar Electric’s commercial Solar PV business. Michael holds a Masters in Renewable Energy from the University of Oldenburg, Germany and a Bachelor of Science from Dublin City University.
Michael Phelan - CEO & Co-Founder - GridBeyond
Michael has over 22 years management experience in sales, marketing and product development in electronic and software companies targeting the energy sector.
Prior to joining GridBeyond, Michael held positions at Philips, Microsol, PCAS and Duolog in automation and electronics. He was responsible for developing European, Asian and American markets and OEMs such as Invensys, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, and Alstom. In addition, he has facilitated several successful exits. Michael is a graduate of University College Dublin where he obtained an MBA in Business Administration, Management and Operations.
Naomi Chevillard - Head of Regulatory Affairs - SolarPower Europe
Naomi Chevillard is the Head of Regulatory Affairs of SolarPower Europe. She coordinates SolarPower Europe’s Advocacy Committee and National Associations Committee, and follows the main European legislation related to renewable policy, including support schemes and grid integration of solar. She is in charge of industrial policy files, and coordinates SolarPower Europe’s European Solar Initiative. Prior to joining SolarPower Europe, Naomi Chevillard has worked for in the Directorate for European Affairs for the French TSO RTE in its Brussels office. She also worked in Paris for the SGAE, the European Affairs secretariat to the Prime Minister, as well as in the offshore wind sector, for Eoliennes en Mer, the consortium gathering ENGIE, EDPR and Caisse des Dépôts.
Nicholas Tarrant - Managing Director - ESB Networks
Nicholas Tarrant was appointed Managing Director of ESB Networks in September 2021. Prior to this he was Executive Director of Engineering and Major Projects, ESB. He previously held the position of Managing Director, Northern Ireland Electricity Networks during a time of huge growth in renewable generation. He has also held a number of other senior manager positions in ESB, including that of Generation Manager with responsibility for ESB’s thermal and renewable generation portfolio.
Oisín Joyce - Policy Officer - Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA)
Oisín is Policy Officer with the Irish Solar Energy Association and is focused on sustainable energy transition. His professional experience includes business development, information technology and research within the renewable energy space.
Oliver Begley - Business Development - SolarMarine
SolarMarine specialises in floating hardware solutions to support PV panels on water, both inshore and offshore. Oliver is a recent addition to the team and a final year mechanical engineering student at Trinity College, Dublin. His passion for energy grew from his experience working with the Trinity SMF - the largest student-managed fund of its kind. He has a long history of entrepreneurship at the age of 22, having started 7 businesses to date, ranging from Vehicle imports to large-scale apple juice production. He has now focused all his attention on solar energy, after spending the entire summer in Houston and San Francisco, learning from the best in class. His presentation will focus on the future of floating P.V and the work SolarMarine are doing.
Owen Collins - Senior Associate - Matheson
Senior Associate in Matheson's Energy and Infrastructure group, specialising in providing legal services to the energy sector with a particular focus on renewable energy projects and energy regulatory advice.
Paul Carson - Managing Director - Strategic Power Projects
Experienced Entrepreneur in Real Estate, Planning and Renewable Energy having founded, developed and exited market leading companies in these sectors.
Well known and respected across all key stakeholder groups including Property, Renewable Energy, Investment, Finance and the Political arena.
Dr Paul Deane - Senior Research fellow in clean energy futures at the Environmental Research Institute’s MaREI Centre in UCC
Dr Paul Deane is a senior research fellow in clean energy futures at the Environmental Research Institute’s MaREI Centre in UCC. He has authored and co-authored over 150 technical papers on the future of energy in areas such as electricity markets, European and global power systems, renewable energy integration and energy access. He is an active contributor to European policy thinking on clean energy and in 2019 was the Royal Irish Academy speaker in computer science and engineering.
Peter Kavanagh - Director - Highfield Solar
Peter is a co-founder and Director of Highfield Solar which is the leading independent developer of large scale solar projects in Ireland. He has been active in Irish renewables since 2003 and has held a number of senior management positions. Peter is well known and respected in the wider renewables industry and oversees all Highfield Solar activities in Ireland. He is a board member of ISEA and frequently contributes to policy and regulatory debates.
Peter Russell - Director - Huawei FusionSolar & Storage IRL
Business Development & Sales Director, with over 13 years experience working in the Renewable Energy sector. Working with Solar PV, BESS ,Heatpumps and other renewable technologies.
Phillip Newsome - Principal Officer - Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
Philip Newsome is the Principal Officer of the Renewable Electricity Division in the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications. He is responsible for the development of onshore renewable electricity policy to deliver on Climate Action Plan targets including the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, community energy policy and spatial planning for onshore renewable technologies.
Rebecca McManus - Associate - Aurora
Rebecca specialises in the power markets in Great Britain and Ireland, advising investors, asset developers, generators and off-takers.
While at Aurora, Rebecca has:
- Been instrumental in driving Aurora’s expansion into Ireland, developing a diverse market intelligence subscriber group consisting of regulators, utilities, financiers and developers
- Led Aurora’s influential research into Ireland’s critical policy issues including the DS3 system services, Climate Action Plan targets and RESS auctions
- Advised clients on bidding strategies for Ireland’s competitive DS3 system service auctions and renewable auctions
Rhonda Doyle - Director of Operations, Services and Projects - Schneider Electric Ireland
Rhonda Doyle is the Director of Operations, Services and Projects at Schneider Electric Ireland. She is responsible for managing operations in Ireland, with a specific focus on maintaining service for customers in the region and developing a growth strategy that targets critical industries including data centre and networks, manufacturing, and renewable energy segments. This includes overseeing the projects team in the delivery of multi-discipline projects for customers and being directly responsible for the development of field services across these core industries.
Rhonda joined Schneider Electric in January 2021 having previously spent 17 years at eBay. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a master’s degree in Business Administration at Dublin City University and is currently a volunteer at TU Dublin.
Richard Green - Corporate Development Manager - Energia Group
Energia Group is a leading independent all-island energy utility and one of Ireland’s top 50 businesses. Energia Group’s strategy is strongly focused on Irish energy markets, leveraging integration of generation and supply and delivering growth through expansion into new customer supply segments, conventional generation and renewables, with an emphasis on Solar PV. Energia recently announced its €3bn ‘Positive Energy Programme’, driving the transition to a net zero carbon future and helping Ireland meet its climate action targets.
Richard has the responsibility for the Group’s development of utility scale solar PV projects in Ireland. Energia currently have a substantial solar development portfolio at various stages of the consenting process.
He is a qualified Chartered Surveyor and has worked in the solar industry since 2012. He was previously responsible for the development and delivery of the first utility scale solar PV project in Ireland (4.8MWp), connected by private wire to Belfast International Airport.
Richard is also currently a Board Director of the Irish Solar Energy Association.
Rory Mullan - Senior Consultant & Director - Mullan Grid Consulting
Rory Mullan is a senior consultant and director of Mullan Grid Consulting. A qualified Electrical Engineer, Rory has worked in the Irish Electricity Industry for over 15 years in various commercial and technical roles in utility and consultancy sectors.
Rory is also a member of the IWEA council and the IWEA, NIRIG & ISEA Grid Committee.
Sarah McCormack - Associate Professor - Trinity College Dublin
Sarah McCormack is an Associate Professor in the Dept of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. She took up a Faculty position at Trinity in 2009 and was made a Fellow of the College in 2016. She has PhD and BSc degrees in Science & Engineering from Ulster University. Her research areas are sustainable energy, particularly solar energy and energy storage and has published over 150 papers, with over 5000 citations. Her current research projects focus on Luminescent Solar Devices enabling collection of diffuse solar radiation of higher latitude climates (European Research Council) and she is coordinating a 14-partner H2020 project IDEAS, based on the integration of renewable energy technologies in a more holistic and integrated manner in buildings. Recently she has been working with artists through Temple Bar Gallery and Project Arts Centre, NCAD and community groups and Sustainable Energy Communities to engage and progress towards a just sustainable energy transition.
Shaunagh Moodie - Research Analyst - S&P Global Commodity Insights
Shaunagh Moodie is a research analyst in the Clean Energy Technology team at S&P Global Commodity Insights, currently focusing on solar PV, specifically global PV inverter market supply chain trends and demand forecasts for the Middle East and Africa. Prior to joining S&P Global, Ms. Moodie worked as an Economist at the South African Reserve Bank where her research focused on credit risk and the transition toward green finance. She holds a first-class Master of Science in Renewable Energy and Environmental Finance from University College Dublin, Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School; and two degrees in Economics from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Tara Reale - Head of Business Development UK and Ireland - Lightsource bp
As Head of Business Development for Lightsourcebp across the UK and Ireland, Tara is responsible for the overall management of all LSbp development activity in both countries.
This encompasses both greenfield and co-development/acquisition opportunities in the PV space, as well as overseeing the expansion of the LSbp business in the UK into storage and green hydrogen.
Prior to joining LSbp, Tara was a Principal Project Manager for Amey Investments, responsible for originating new projects across the environmental sector, particularly energy from waste and electric vehicle infrastructure. Previously she was also a Senior Technical and Commercial Adviser for Mott MacDonald, as well as a Structural Engineer with Aecom, and therefore has broad experience across the project development lifecycle. An engineer by background, she holds a Ph.D. in Asset Management.
William Walsh - Chief Executive Officer - SEAI
William Walsh is Chief Executive Officer in SEAI, having previously held the position of both Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer. William joined SEAI 2013. Prior to joining SEAI he worked for IFI where he held a number of roles including Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Director. Prior to that he held senior management positions in the private sector. William is a Chartered Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from Dublin City University and a Graduate Diploma in Strategy, Innovation and Change from UCD.
