Speakers

Aaron Lally

Managing Partner  |  Vest Energy

Title of Conference Talk: Funded battery storage – how to solve your grid connection issues with flexibility 

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

TBA

Personal Biography:

Aaron established VEST Energy in 2020 after spending over a decade trading UK and European electricity at some of the largest traders globally including Barclays Capital, Mercuria and Glencore. He was part of one of the largest proprietary trading teams in European electricity and gas by volume traded. More recently he co-founded and led an electricity start-up focussed on AI which managed short term UK electricity trading for one of the largest energy companies globally.

Dave Mann

Hydropower Director  |  TLS Renewable Consulting

Title of Conference Talk: New ways to increase revenue – sell it for more money!

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Private wire opportunities to sell locally – physical and virtual. A review of various locations where physical private wires have been installed, and experience of setting up and operating Energy Local clubs to sell energy within the same sub-station area at a higher price.

Personal Biography:

Dave leads the experienced TLS team providing hydropower engineering and consultancy services, both to external clients and for the TLS Group inhouse renewables fleet. As founder of MannPower (2004; acquired by TLS, 2020), and now as TLS Hydro Director, Dave has led technical development to design, deliver, and improve many dozens of new small- and micro- hydropower schemes.

Duncan Steel

Group Director  |  Amentum

Title of Conference Talk: Developing New Capability for Very Low Head installations

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Amentum, Jacobs and SETB secured funding from the UK Departement of Energy & Net Zero to prototype and hydrodynamically test a very low head capable turbine targeting both Tidal Range and Run of River applications.  This phase of testing is now complete and with promising results we are moving forward to look at larger scale demonstration and proving operations.  This talk will share the approach and some results along with potential next development steps for the capability.

Personal Biography:

Duncan Steel is currently Group Director – Technology, Digital and Innovation at Amentum.  Here he leads a team researching and developing a wide range of engineering solutions in support of client critical missions.  Previously he was Chief Technology Officer at Sellafield Ltd, from 2017 to 2021 following a career in Rolls-Royce Plc of over 25 years. He was responsible at Sellafield for broad Research and Development portfolio, Technical Assurance, Innovation Strategy and the functional leadership for Technical, Digital and ICT staff.  His career at Rolls-Royce saw Duncan have key roles across Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Programme Management, Business Development and Transformation/Change. Duncan has also worked as an Associate Consultant to Deloitte in their Supply Chain Practice.  He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southampton University and an MBA from the Open University.

Will Handford

Renewable Energy Specalist  |  National Trust

Title of Conference Talk: Decarbonising an Island

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Lundy has no grid connection to the mainland, a real year-round load, and currently relies on diesel generation. This talk presents the design and development of proposed renewables and BESS colocation system to displace that diesel dependency. It covers the key design challenges and practical constraints of a remote island site where supply logistics are weather-dependent and getting the system design right first time matters.

Personal Biography:

An experienced Renewable Energy professional focussed on delivering renewable energy projects across the UK to drive down carbon emissions from the use of fossil fuels in the generation of electricity and heating of some of the UK’s most iconic and historically significant buildings.

Sam Naylor

Head of Local Power Plan Delivery  |  Great British Energy

Title of Conference Talk: The Local Power Plan

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Latest updates – hear from GBE about the ambitions to grow community and local energy across the UK, as set out in the Local Power Plan, and the latest work that has been done to develop their products and offerings.

Personal Biography:

Sam Naylor is the Head of Local Power Plan Delivery at Great British Energy (GBE), where they lead initiatives to accelerate local energy projects. Prior to joining GBE, Sam worked for the UK Government, specialising in community energy policy.

Matt Palmer

Senior Engineer  |  Dulas

Title of Conference Talk: Pumps vs Turbines – A Case Study

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

This paper summarises the replacement of two rotary lobe pump-as-turbines installed on the raw water inlet to a water treatment works in South Wales.  The pulsed output flow from the pumps had caused significant vibration in the downstream pipework feeding the works, resulting in them being taken offline soon after installation.  A review of site parameters showed that the variability in both head and flow at this site was not really suitable for a twin pump-as-turbine option, and they have therefore been replaced with bespoke in-line Francis turbines

Personal Biography:

Matt has been a hydro engineer at Dulas for more than 25 years and has extensive experience of designing, installing and upgrading a wide range of hydroelectric schemes. He has also acted as client’s engineer and undertaken due diligence on numerous hydro projects

Kyle Smith

CEO & Co-Founder  |  Konductor

Title of Conference Talk: Moving from PPAs to Local Energy Markets

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Kyle will share is experience evaluating the prospect of a Local Energy Market for a community owned 900kW wind turbine in the Outer Hebrides. He’ll highlight the changes in regulations that are allowing Local Energy Markets to form, the opportunities for hydropower generators and local consumers but also the challenges associated in making these systems work well.

Personal Biography:

Dr Kyle Smith is CEO of Konductor and holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering. He has extensive experience in wind, hydro, and microgrid development and operations. Konductor is a real-time monitoring and asset management platform for distributed energy systems, now widely used by asset owners and investors across the UK (www.konductor.energy).

Matthew Vickers

CEO  |  Community Energy England

Title of Conference Talk: Not all kilowatts are equal

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Hydropower, especially when its community centred, delivers a unique and valuable source of power. How do we work to make that value accessible and visible both in the energy system and in transforming prospects for places and communities.

Personal Biography:

Matthew joins CEE at a pivotal moment for the UK energy system and for the role of community energy within it.

Most recently, Matthew led the UK’s grid connections reform programme as Director of Connections Reform at the National Energy Systems Operator (NESO), helping unlock up to £40bn per year of private investment in energy infrastructure and accelerating the deployment of clean power. His leadership has been instrumental in strengthening investor confidence and enabling more locally grounded energy deployment.

Previously, as CEO and Chief Ombudsman of Ombudsman Services, Matthew helped shape fairer, more transparent energy markets and strengthen public trust during a period of significant market change.

Ewan Campbell-Lendrum

Director  |  H2O Power

Title of Conference Talk: Beeston Weir Hydro – A Quarter of a Century of England’s Largest Run-of-River Hydro

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

From “the first of many” under the NOFFO, trough one of a kind and a corporate embarrassment facing demolition, to dogged but difficult workhorse

Personal Biography:

Following graduation Ewan spent a decade working for environmental regulators and developers as a freshwater biologist and general environmental consultant in England, Wales and Scotland. He then moved into the construction industry and was responsible for, amongst other things, overseeing environmental management for the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and Health, Safety & Environment for the Metronet Alliance on London Underground. Ewan joined Infinis (then the UK’s largest purely renewable energy company) in 2007, where he was both Head of Safety Quality & Environment and responsible for Infinis’s Hydropower Development activities. In 2014 Ewan founded H2O Power Ltd, which develops, owns and operates run-of-river hydro schemes across the UK. Ewan is a Chartered Environmentalist and Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, where he sat on the Professional Standards Committee and was a membership assessor/examiner. Specialties: Health and Safety, Sustainability, Environmental Management, Corporate Responsibility, Renewable Energy and Hydropower Development

Chris Henshaw

Director  |  Bluenergy

Title of Conference Talk: Operational efficiency and revenue optimisation – Getting Match Fit for Post FIT

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Many UK hydropower schemes will soon see their Feed-in Tariff (FIT) support come to an end, placing greater emphasis on operational efficiency and revenue optimisation. This panel session will explore practical steps that scheme owners and operators can take to ensure their assets remain financially viable in a post-FIT environment.

Personal Biography:

Chris jointly founded Bluenergy, a one stop hydro power consultancy and installer. Bluenergy takes on all aspects of hydropower in house from feasibility, design, planning and permitting to procurement, complete installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance. Bluenergy also provides these services to schemes installed by third parties,  community groups and to others operating in the hydro sector. Bluenergy has now worked on projects ranging from 4kW to 1.6MW

Chris firmly believes in a fully integrated approach to hydropower, which avoids costly duplication and expensive layers of project management. This approach leads to tailored site solutions, which maximize oversight, and of course returns for our clients.

Dean Needle

Director  |  Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd

Title of Conference Talk: Match Fit for Post FiT: A Case Study on Caudwell’s Mill

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Caudwell’s Mill houses historic hydroelectric generating equipment that was updated and brought back to service under the Feed-in Tariff. This Case Study investigates challenges faced by the site, and the steps being taken to promote longevity beyond the end of the Feed-in Tariff.

Personal Biography:

Derwent Hydroelectric Power Limited (DHPL) is a family-run hydroelectric power (HEP) company founded in 1988. Alongside operation of its portfolio of sixteen small HEP generating stations, DHPL offers maintenance, administration, design and project management services to the HEP industry.

Dean Needle is a DHPL director, with responsibility for hydropower operations. Overseeing activities ranging from HEP conception to operation, Dean holds a holistic understanding of many HEP development, renewal, optimisation and operational aspects.

Harry Driscoll

Senior Manager, Sales  |  Natel Energy

Title of Conference Talk: Fish protection as a design principle: RHT propeller, Kaplan and Francis turbines

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Over half of UK hydro plants are 60+ years old and require upgrades to meet new environmental regulations which also apply to new construction. Natel FishSafe® Restoration Hydro Turbines (RHTs) offer a solution. These highly efficient (over 90%) and cost-effective runners integrate modernization with regulatory compliance. Crucially, their thick, forward-swept blades ensure safe passage for fish, without costly exclusion screens or seasonal shutdowns. Operating effectively at low to medium heads with installations in the US and Austria, FishSafe™ turbines have demonstrated 98-100% fish survival rates: allowing hydropower to increase production, preserve biodiversity, and lower costs. This talk will include discussion of RHT installations underway in France, as well as the EA’s inclusion of Natel FishSafe® turbines in their Best Achievable Eel Protection (BAEP) guidance.

Personal Biography:

Harry is based in the UK and specializes in Natel’s sales in Europe and the rest of the world (outside of North America). Harry has more than 15 years of experience in the small hydropower sector, beginning with the publication of his undergraduate thesis on powering up old watermills in his home county of Dorset, in the South of England. Prior to joining Natel, Harry was a director of the UK-based hydropower consultancy Hydroplan, where he was involved in the design and construction of more than 50 hydropower projects, delivering over 40MW of renewable power to the grid. Harry holds a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Leeds and an Advanced Apprenticeship in Electrical Engineering. Outside of work, Harry plays the drums and helps his wife to raise their three young sons.

Adrian Cantle-Jones

Partnership Director  |  Zero Carbon Communities

Title of Conference Talk: TBA

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

TBA

Personal Biography:

TBA

Emma Gill

Energy and Renewables Originator  |  Engie

Title of Conference Talk: TBA

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

The presentation focuses on a next step to the december presentation that was made… putting into practice what we offer and a real life case study of it at work. Implentation, results and next steps in the form of P441.

Personal Biography:

Emma is a Renewables Originator for ENGIE Supply UK, primarily focused on power & biogas purchase agreements, renewable development and contract structuring for a wide variety of distribution connected generation technologies.

With a decade in the energy industry working from both the project development angle, and now for a major supply and energy management business, as well as 20 years’ experience in sales and management, Emma’s experience spans the whole value chain, which offers a unique perspective for clients.

Emma has a BSc in Psychology from Leeds University, along with various accreditations in leadership and project management.

Harry Chase

Hydropower Servicing Manager  |  TLS Renewable Consulting

Title of Conference Talk: New ways to increase revenue – make more energy

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Installing a siphon intake at Nenthead Mines hydro to increase the flow from the upper reservoir. The scheme used a historic pipe through the dam that was smaller than the main delivery penstock and therefore restricted flow. There was also no provision for pigging in the original design, but it was expensive to make the necessary changes so this was never done. We designed a system to use off the shelf pipework to lift water over the reservoir dam to supply the penstock with the correct flow, incorporating a way of introducing pigs at the same time. These measures combined to deliver a 60% increase in power.

Personal Biography:

As a qualified field engineer with wide experience in Archimedean Screw hydro and related plant, Harry manages deployment of our field crews and carries out maintenance programmes and enhancement projects on behalf of our clients.

Harry Gourlay

Managing Director  |  H2O Hydro Ltd

Title of Conference Talk: Hydro opportunities in a Post-FIT Era

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

In this talk, I’ll begin by introducing my background and some of the hydro projects I’ve been involved with over the years and how I got into this field. I’ll then discuss a new 500 kW hydro scheme that I’ve recently started building nr Loch Lomond,  focusing on how we’ve approached making the project work financially in a post-Feed-in Tariff time.

I’ll talk through some of the key decisions we’ve made, the positives and opportunities we still see within the sector, and some of the challenges we’ve faced along the way — from rising costs; grid issues; enviromental difficulties to the uncertainty around long-term revenue.

I’ll also cover what I believe is becoming an increasingly important topic within the industry: hydro schemes that are approaching the end of their Feed-in Tariff support period. I’ll discuss ways existing schemes can be optimised, upgraded, and improved to remain efficient and commercially viable for the long term and/or equally sold to release some capital.

Overall, I want to give a practical and honest perspective on developing new hydro schemes in today’s market, as well as the opportunities I still believe exist within this exciting sector.

Personal Biography:

I grew up on up a livestock farm in southwest Scotland, where my family developed three small hydro schemes on the farm while I was still at university. We worked closely with UK manufacturers including Hydrover Turbines and Sustainable Control Systems to deliver the projects. One of the schemes powers the house and office, while the other two — around 15 kW and 30 kW — export electricity to the grid.

Being involved in those projects at an early stage made me realise that small-scale hydro was the industry I wanted to work in. Richard Drover, who founded Hydrover Turbines, was a huge influence on me and gave me the opportunity to get hands-on experience building hydro schemes. I started out working alongside him before gradually going out on my own and developing projects across Dumfries and Galloway.

From there, I expanded further afield, building schemes on the west coast and in Argyll, while continuing to work across southwest Scotland. Alongside new developments, I’ve also become increasingly involved in maintaining and upgrading existing hydro schemes, including projects I wasn’t originally involved in building. Over time, that has given me experience across the full lifecycle of small hydro — from development and construction through to long-term operation and maintenance

Chris Elliott

Director  |  On Stream Energy Ltd

Title of Conference Talk: Old Walls Hydro – Regulator imposing changes on a license of right

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

Operating under a license of right, Old Walls Hydro has been generating since 1936.  The Environment Agency propose to severely modify the abstraction license without direct evidence of harm.   The talk explores the EAs powers and duties and discusses the apparent mismatch in supporting evidence available, and assertions of harm.  We provide a current update of the process.  This case may have relevance for sites with time-limited licenses which are coming up for renewal too.

Personal Biography:

Chris Elliott has worked in the UK small hydro sector all his career, and has designed and installed many small and micro scale systems, mainly in England, and runs a small business in this sector.  On Stream Energy operates 550kW of hydro plants around Dartmoor, as well as providing engineering and technical support to many more in the Westcountry.  Having negotiated many licenses over the years, he knows well the typical tensions between developer and regulator and is now working on 3 sites where the EA are intending to impose changes on existing licenses of right against the license holder’s will.

William Gallimore

Policy & Advocacy Lead   |  British Hydropower Association Ltd

Title of Conference Talk: Match Fit for Post FIT – preparing hydropower for the next 20 years

As the Feed-in Tariff era comes to an end, run of river and conventional hydropower schemes are entering a more challenging and commercially driven environment. Long-term success will depend on how operators adapt to changing markets, policy reform, and new revenue opportunities.

This session looks at how hydropower can remain commercially resilient and operationally fit for the next twenty years. It will cover the role of the Capacity Market, corporate PPAs, and local energy opportunities, alongside the continuing challenges around business rates, CRPI, as well as wider reforms that the BHA is pushing for to help Hydropower thrive in the future.

Personal Biography:

Will joined us last year as our Policy and Advocacy Lead. Alongside helping design the new BHA website and administering our Social Media channels, Will also advocates BHA policy asks to government, as well as monitoring and reaching out to key political figures. When he is not representing the BHA at industry and political events, Will is replying to government consultations or crafting briefings for our members on specific government policies such as the Capacity Market.

Kate Gilmartin

CEO  |  British Hydropower Association

Title of Conference Talk: TBA

Synopsis of Conference Talk:

TBA

Personal Biography:

Kate is a long-time campaigner and supporter of the hydropower industry, having voluntarily managed the Micro Hydro Association and coordinated the Community Hydro Forum for more than 10 years.

With a BSc in Fuel & Energy and an MSc in Renewable Energy, Kate has experience and expertise across all renewable energy technologies and a passion for delivering net zero. Kate believes that net zero is of strategic importance not only in terms of CO₂ savings and climate change mitigation but also with the increased urgency around the UK’s energy security, added to the pressing requirement to dramatically reduce the cost of energy and alleviate the pressure of current price shocks.

Kate believes the UK is well placed to achieve its ambition for net zero and total energy security in which hydropower, tidal range and pumped storage hydro will all play a large part.