Biography:

Bruce Allan is a professional civil engineer with over 25 years of construction experience covering large multi disciplined civil engineering, building and nuclear projects.

Bruce joined Wind Prospect shortly after its conception having spent the previous year and a half working with founders Euan Cameron and Colin Palmer project managing the construction of the Siddick and Oldside wind farms in West Cumbria and the Crockahenny project in Co. Donegal in Ireland.

Bruce became directly involved in the operation management and construction of Wind Prospect projects in UK and Ireland. In 1999 he became Construction and Operations Director building teams in Cumbria and Ireland in order to service an ever increasing work load and client base.

Biography:

Richard Barker joined Wind Prospect in 2000 having previously worked with Geco-Prakla (part of the Schlumberger Group) as a geophysical data processor, both onshore and offshore on a number of the company's marine vessels. On deciding to become more environmentally focussed, Richard embarked on the Renewable Energy Systems MSc course at Loughborough University in 1998, graduating the following year.

Since joining Wind Prospect, Richard began working in the Fens, securing sites and following them through the planning permitting process. On securing planning permissions, he continued to work on the sites along with the construction team, through to financial close.

Based in Bristol, Richard currently oversee the UK's onshore wind energy portfolio on behalf of Wind Prospect Developments Ltd. (a joint venture between Wind Prospect Group and EdF Energies Nouvelles).

Biography:

John Brereton joined Wind Prospect in 2002 having worked with ESBi (consulting side of Irish utility ESB) in their wind energy section since 2001. 

Previously John worked with building materials group CRH as a mechanical engineer in a number of cement factories in Ireland and Poland.

John is a director of the Group with specific responsibilities for the management of the Irish business.

Wind Prospect's Ireland business undertakes a large amount of engineering and project management of wind farm projects.

Biography:

Helen Browne has been heading up Wind Prospect’s North American business since 2006 when she first arrived on the shores of Nova Scotia. Wind Prospect Inc is now actively developing wind energy projects in the Atlantic Provinces, Ontario and British Columbia as well as offering wind energy services throughout North America.

Helen joined the UK development team of the Wind Prospect Group in 2001 after completing a Masters Degree in Renewable Energy and Systems Technology at Loughborough University. While in the UK she was responsible for the development of six wind farms, four of which are in operation and two of which are currently being constructed.

Prior to entering the Renewable Energy industry she worked for Intel Corporation in Phoenix, USA and Dublin, Ireland. Helen has an Honors degree in Materials Engineering from Leeds University.

Biography:

Before joining Wind Prospect in 2003, David spent several years with the renewable energy team at E.On (prev. Powergen), overseeing the construction of Askam, Tursillagh and Deucheran Hill windfarms and managing the development of others. Prior to working in the renewable energy team David spent two years developing combined heat and power projects for Powergen.

David established WP’s European Advisory Services business in 2004, and led the establishment of the company’s French subsidiary in 2007 to undertake advisory work across France. As General Manager of the Advisory Services team, David is continuing to expand the business across Europe and also acts as expert advisor to external clients, most recently providing contract and procurement advice for the 347.5MW Fantanele windfarm, one of the largest windfarms in Europe which is now under construction.

In 2009 David negotiated a contract with GE Energy to provide development services in Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and Sweden, and is leading Wind Prospect’s expansion into Turkey.

Biography:

Yazhou Lei joined Wind Prospect as electrical engineering manager, bringing decade of power system planning and wind farm electrical engineering experience. He holds a Bachelor, a Master and a Ph.D. degree all in electrical power system engineering discipline.

Prior to that, Dr Lei worked with ESB International as chief engineer in a Bahrain 2008 ~ 2011 transmission system planning project, after a few years with Airtricity (now subsidiary of SSE) as senior electrical engineer. Before joining Airtricity, he worked with EirGrid on a wind farm dynamic simulation project as consultant. Prior to that, he worked with UCC as post-doc research fellow on a wind turbine PSSE modelling project.

Before coming to Ireland, Dr Lei worked in a grid connection feasibility study project for the 22.5GW Three Gorges Hydro Plant, at China Electric Power Research Institute, where he obtained his PhD for a power system planning study considering large scale wind power integration.

Dr Lei specialises in the power system planning studies, wind turbine PSSE modelling, and wind farm electrical engineering works.

Biography:

Chris established and managed PowerGen Renewables (now E.ON UK Renewables) as General Manager from 1995 to 2003. Notably, he led E.On to develop and open up the UK’s offshore wind energy market.

When Chris joined Wind Prospect in 2003 he pioneered the commercial development of their specialist on-site electricity generation concept, Wind Direct, and secured funding from Hg Capital. Since then, Chris has supported Wind Prospect’s rapid expansion into new markets (China, Canada, France, New Zealand), new service areas (advisory services) and new technologies (Pelamis on the UK’s ‘WaveHub’).

Chris has over 30 years’ technical and commercial experience in the electricity supply industry.

Committees:

Chris was appointed for a three terms, serving 6 years on the UK Government’s Renewables Advisory Board (RAB) and chaired the Planning Working Group sub-committee. He is a member of Loughborough University’s Centre for Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies advisory committee and was the founding chair of the World Energy Council’s Renewables Committee (WREC).

Biography:

In 2008 Keith emigrated from South Africa to Australia with his family, and now lives in the seaside town of Victor Harbor in South Australia. Before coming to Australia Keith was Financial Director of a well known tyre tread manufacturer and distributor. Prior to joining Wind Prospect, he was Financial Controller of a leisure management company with interests in both Australia and New Zealand.

A Chartered Accountant by training, Keith finds his time consumed by the activities of his 14 year old daughter, manages to get in only the occasional round of golf, and enjoys seeing South Africa winning at cricket when playing Australia, and rugby when playing New Zealand.

Biography:

Adrian Oakey provides a range of technical and administrative tasks for Wind Prospect.

On the technical side Adrian has been developing the global wind resource consultancy side of the business, doing wind and energy reports and developing analytical process; as well as teaching and training others in the same, wind and wind turbine due diligence for China, UK and Ireland and anybody else that needs it.

On the administrative side Adrian is involved in the 1SO9001 process development for Australia.

For the last two years Adrian has been building straw-bale sustainable houses in the Aldinga Arts Eco Village. Adrian is now enjoying the fruits of labor and is living in the eco-village.

Biography:

Euan Cameron and Colin Palmer founded Wind Prospect in 1997 after a number years of working together in the wind industry. Colin was mainly responsible for the development activities, which included getting into the Fens and and achieving a first offshore project. Colin was Development Director for Wind Prospect until 2004.

Colin is now a non-executive director of the group and focuses on leading the Group into new technologies, the latest of which is solar energy.

As well as new technology, Colin focuses on developing the company culture by maintaining and nurturing what is special, particularly how we "stay small but grow big", keeping the sense of individual identity while at the same time increasing our global reach. This is leading us to an increasingly federal structure, which enables individuals to build their own careers and businesses under the overall Wind Prospect brand.

Colin is an engineer by training, and in addition to wind energy, has worked in the hovercraft industry, marketing, overseas development and was involved in the original UK wave energy programme back in the 70s.

Biography:

Chris Porter joined the renewables industry in 2002 after 16 years in capital equipment manufacturing, developing business in the UK and internationally.

In 2005, Chris became a Director of Wind Direct and takes a leading role in bridging the gap between industry and on site wind generation opportunities.

Biography:

Barthelemy Rouer became head of Wind Prospect France in June 2008 and is now in charge of consolidating the existing clients portfolio, growing the advisory and engineering businesses and establishing WP?s reputation in France.

Based in Paris, Wind Prospect France are primarily focusing on short-term due-diligence and valuation targets as well as more long-term construction and operation contracts.

Barthelemy is a Mechanical Engineer, with onshore and offshore wind development experience, with track records in France, UK, China, Spain, US, the Caribbean, Italy and Greece.

Barthelemy has worked for Vergnet, enXco, Shell WindEnergy and UPC Renewables before joining Wind Prospect.

Prior to Wind Prospect Barth has also done some freelance wind consultancy jobs.

Biography:

Wind Prospect’s Managing Director, Michael Vawser, has extensive experience in the wind energy industry: beginning with a Masters in Electrical Engineering (researching the grid connection impacts of renewable energy) from 1993 to 1996; and then onto a career with Wind Prospect in the UK from 1997.

He carried out the role of Engineering Manager, which entailed not only the development of wind energy sites both onshore and offshore, but also a project management role in the construction and operation of several wind farms both in the UK and Ireland. While in the UK, Michael carried out considerable research into the wind energy potential in Australia, and after several productive trips back and forth to Australia, established Wind Prospect in Australia in 2000, for which he was appointed Managing Director.

Michael has overseen the achievement of over 850 MW of council approvals for wind farms in South Australia, of which 510 MW has been built or are under construction. Michael has also overseen the establishment of subsidiary wind energy companies / branch offices in Brisbane, Newcastle (Aus), Melbourne, Hong Kong, Beijing and Wanaka (NZ), as well as a sustainable property development company in Adelaide.

Michael’s hobbies are sustainable living, playing the saxophone (more like dreaming of playing), keeping fit and surfing!

Biography:

Dan Woodman joined Wind Prospect International in May 2008 to undertake Business Development in the USA.

Dan is a graduate mechanical engineer by qualifications and spent 7 years working in the UK developing the renewable energy interests for ODE (Offshore Design Engineering) in engineering support and project management.

Prior to this Dan worked within the oil and gas industry as an Engineering Manager in various business development roles. His energy industry background began in California where he worked for 10 years before moving back to the UK.