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Follow us for the latest updates on COP26
COP26 is key event that will accelerate us towards a cleaner and more sustainable planet. We'll be sharing content from our industry experts on key topics raised from the conference and what we're doing to be part of the change for a better future. Follow along and explore our coverage on the latest COP26 news.
> COP26 in numbers infographic
> 10 COP26 declarations, pledges and pacts blog
> COP26 Special edition Monthly Industry Briefing and Power Market Update Webinar
> The Informer COP26 Special edition of our newsletter
As part of our commitment towards net-zero, we welcomed industry experts, customers and stakeholders to our Canary Wharf office for a day of net-zero related content ahead of COP26. Speakers from Aviva PLC, Baringa, Cornwall Energy, Grid Edge, JLL and SmartestEnergy shared their thoughts and perspectives on how the UK will meet ambitious net-zero targets over the next decade.
How can businesses leverage Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology?
Speaker: Jim Scott, Chief Product Officer at Grid Edge
Case study: Accelerating net-zero at Aviva
Speaker: Lee Preston, Sustainability Lead, Aviva PLC
Renewable landscape and the value of Corporate PPAs
Speaker: James Constable, Senior Manager, Baringa
Case study: Ratchetting up renewable credentials towards net-zero at JLL
Speaker: David Mead, Utilities Service Line Manager, JLL
What is needed in the business electricity and renewable generation market to achieve net-zero?
Speaker: Robert Buckley, Cornwall Insight
SmartFlex online PPA trading platform
Speakers: Jack Rankin, Senior Originator and Deian Ashworth, Head of Product: CX, SmartestEnergy
Collaborating with I&C businesses on the journey to net-zero
Speaker: Ashley Armitage, Channel Development Manager, SmartestEnergy
Speaker biographies
Jim Scott, Chief Product Officer at Grid Edge
Jim has worked in cleantech and renewable energy technologies for his whole career working across a variety of generation side sectors and on energy efficiency projects for commercial and industrial consumers and for municipal districts. Jim holds a MSc in renewable energy engineering and a PhD in operations research. In 2017 he co-founded Grid Edge Ltd as Chief Product Officer. Grid Edge provides data science and machine learning software to consumers that help them deliver their decarbonisation strategies, from efficiency to flexibility. Jim builds products that empower energy consumers to foresee and act on the opportunities available to them through the energy transition.
Lee Preston, Sustainability Lead, Aviva PLC
Lee is an experienced and passionate environmentalist, with 23 years of industry experience working within large automotive and financial FTSE 100 corporations. At Aviva, Lee has so far helped drive an 76% global carbon emission reduction, versus a 70% target by 2030 through many energy efficiency projects. Lee is also a qualified lead ISO 14001, ESOS and ISO 50001 auditor.
James Constable, Senior Manager, Baringa
James is a Senior Manager at Baringa specialising in strategic and commercial advisory, and operational excellence, with a focus on GB power markets. His work spans both distributed energy developers/operators/investors and large energy users. He has 10 years industry experience, ranging from successful leaderships of energy start-ups, through to senior leadership in a predominant VC-backed energy tech platform, and board level experience within a FTSE 100 utility. Most recently, James has led the commercial structuring of a large scale renewables development, and advised multiple corporates on their renewables and decarbonisation strategies.
David Mead, Utilities Service Line Manager, JLL
David Mead is Service Line Manager for Utilities at JLL and has a background in Environmental Policy. Buying energy for multi-party property portfolios has been a key responsibility throughout his 20 plus years advising clients. David has developed an understanding of how the power market is structured, and how to balance the constraints that creates with clients’ ambitions when it comes to buying renewables. During this time the ability to report to clients and sites on the source of generation has evolved, but still lags behind the expectations of general buyers. David is engaging with suppliers around the next challenges that Net Zero and additionality place on the products available to commercial users. Most recently David been contributing to the UKGBC Renewable Energy and Carbon Offset work group.
Robert Buckley, Cornwall Insight
Robert has nearly 30 years of experience in consulting and advising participants in deregulated energy markets. He started Cornwall Insight’s retail energy market work in 2004 including its market share and third party intermediary (TPI) surveys and has contributed regularly to Cornwall Insight courses and research, including the Energy Spectrum bulletin. From 1992 to 2003 Robert helped establish a leading TPI for medium and larger business consumers and before that graduated in economics at the University of Exeter.
Jack Rankin, Senior Originator, SmartestEnergy
Jack joined SmartestEnergy in 2019 as a Senior Business Development Manager working across the smart generation portfolio. Jack works with some of our strategic renewable trading portfolio and with owners of flexible assets to maximise value through the development of innovative contracts. Prior to joining SmartestEnergy, Jack spent six years working for Centrica in a variety of roles across long-term renewable origination, LNG trading and, mergers and acquisitions. He holds a BSc, MMathPhys (Hons) in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Warwick.
Ashley Armitage, Channel Development Manager, SmartestEnergy
Ashley joined SmartestEnergy in 2018 as a Channel Development Manager. He is responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with key TPIs, to deliver products and services that meet their customers needs. Ashley previously worked in a number of roles at Gazprom Energy which involved people management and leading on some of the largest TPI and Customer portfolios in the market. He also has a BA Hons in Marketing.