Lancaster Environment Centre

Adrian Reed, Altium Capital Ltd

Altium is a leading European investment banking group which provides a full range of investment banking services to corporate clients, private equity firms and public market institutions. The firm also provides equity trading, sales and high-quality institutional research. Altium works with fast growth technology producers, as well as established, mature project developers including major corporates - industrial expertise spans wind, biomass, waste-to-energy, solar, carbon light peaking plants, coal mine methane, carbon capture and storage, cleantech and energy regulation. Altium has strong links with specialist financing and investment partners plus major utilities companies and independent power producers.

Manchester-based Adrian Reed heads up Altium’s cleantech and renewable sector activities in the UK and is a leading figure in Altium’s Europe wide sector team. Adrian has extensive public and private transactional experience, and has advised on a wide range of public mergers and acquisitions, fundraising and disposals. Adrian has also undertaken a wide range of private transactions, including development capital fundraisings, private equity backed management buyouts and a number of disposal processes.

Tony Grimshaw, Energos Ltd

Tony graduated from Nottingham University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He subsequently embarked on a 15 year career in the refinery industry with Esso/Exon, where he worked on projects across Europe and the USA. Tony’s projects included the gasification of heavy fuel oils for the production of syngas and the upgrading of shale oils using novel pyrolysis technologies.

Tony moved on to work for UK based Waste Gas Technology Ltd. Here, Tony developed a proprietary sewage-sludge pyrolysis technology, from concept and pilot plant stage through to fully-functioning demonstration plant.

Tony is currently the Technical Director for ENERGOS, a Norwegian based company owned by ENER-G plc. In this position, Tony is responsible for the installation and commissioning of an ENERGOS gasification plant, located on the Isle of Wight, UK. The plant, which is fuelled by the island’s own waste, is part of Defra’s New Technology Demonstrator Program. The plant has an annual capacity of 30,000 tonnes of refuse derived fuel and can generate up to 2.3MW of electricity for the island.

Tony is a regular speaker on the UK/European conference circuit, and presented at the CIWM’s 2007 & 2008 conferences in Torbay, UK.

Peter McGenity, Independent

Peter McGenity was awarded an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leeds in 1981, and an MBA at Henley Management College in 1993. In 2009, he was elected as a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Prior to becoming involved in renewable engineering with Cargill, Peter worked with Exxon, BICC, GEC, Cerestar and Cargill in Chemicals, Fibre Optic Cables, Copper Rod Rolling, and Food Processing.

His roles have involved Project Engineering, Manufacturing Management, Project Management, General Management, and Technical Management, including four years establishing and running a corn processing plant and coal-fired power plant in North East China.

While with Cargill in 2007, Peter entered the renewable energy industry, managing the planning and technical aspects of a 60MWe biomass plant, fuelled by virgin wood, waste wood, and solid recovered fuel (SRF), which include a 300kT/year waste recycling and fuel recovery plant.

This project achieved planning approval from DECC at the end of 2009, and demolition/construction is due to commence shortly. This has entailed the evaluation and selection of technologies and engineering for a novel fuel mix, including duty specifications, management of FEED studies, and negotiation of EPCM offers (£280m).

With a strategic goal of developing a number of biomass energy plants over five years, Peter is handling the technical, engineering and biomass fuel aspects of the strategy. This involves development of a pipeline of site-specific projects and selecting the appropriate renewable energy technologies (e.g. circulating fluidised bed, moving grate, mechanical biological treatment, mechanical heat treatment, CHP, plasma arc, gasification, pyrolysis, wind, wave, micro-generation, & wood pelleting).

A key driver for these projects is achieving Renewable Obligation Certificates [ROCs] from direct combustion of high quality SRF combined with pure biomass, which places novel technical demands on the processing of waste.

Nick Fellows, Fellows Environmental

Nick graduated from the University of Manchester in 2002 with a combined Honours and Masters degree in Geology. After leaving University Nick worked as a CQA Engineer on numerous landfill sites before accepting a position as Resident Engineer expediting the remaining viable clay from a quarry then converting the site into a landfill. This included installation of all utilities, infrastructure, ground remediation works, drainage design and material movements.

Nick then moved from site to office, acting as a design engineer for the WRG NW contract and was responsible for production of designs, specification, design risk assessment and pre-construction health and safety plans for projects.

Nick then made the decisive move into the sustainable side of waste and energy management taking up a position at Wardell Armstrong developing a new sustainability division at their Manchester office. Nick worked as a project manager of planning and environmental impact assessment works for waste disposal, material recycling and energy from waste facilities. This included technical design of waste from energy facilities and specific component design. Nick also worked developing waste strategies to improve recycling, reduce carbon emissions and promote local energy distribution, and advised on the short, medium and long term considerations with relation to planning, EIA and other project development issues. In addition Nick produced waste flow and financial models for both the feasibility and operation of large and small scale waste to energy plants, waste disposal facilities and entire waste collection and disposal schemes. These projects included a financial model to gain International Bank Funding to develop a full waste collection and disposal scheme for Lumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and an options feasibility model and report for the assessment of a potential underground hazardous waste storage facility used to develop a successful Bank Funding document. He also produced collaborative scenario mapping to assist clients in optimising delivery of projects through the short, medium and long term.

Nick was involved with many waste PFI projects covering ISOS, ISDS and competitive dialogue stages, including project management, WRATE implementation, waste flow modelling, carbon assessment, site layout/master planning, document writing and review and coordination.

Nick has successfully project managed a variety of projects including managing the largest MBT AD application in the UK (200,000 tpa) from feasibility and options appraisal, advising and supporting the client through to defending the project (as lead expert) before the council and ultimately securing planning permission for the project.

Other individual roles within projects have included the design and costing of a biofilter and the review of a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model for a permit for a Clinical Waste Incinerator.

Nick has since taken this success and applied it to starting up Fellows Environmental specialising in waste, energy and resource management.

Andy Jones, Future Industrial Services

Andy graduated from Liverpool University in the 1980s with an honours degree in Chemistry, and has since accumulated over 20 years of experience in the chemical industry. The past 14 years of Andy’s career have seen him involved in the hazardous waste sector, initially in technical sales roles for a number of blue chip waste companies but more recently with Future Industrial Services Ltd whom he joined in 2004.

Andy was appointed to Future as Director of their southern operations, but moved on to become Sales & Commercial Director following the sale of the business to One51 plc in November 2008. Andy’s key achievements at Future include the development of an “Ash Washing Process” for Air Pollution Control (APC) Residues and other ashes that sees these materials recycled into a synthetic gypsum product which has uses in the cement industry. The process has since been patented. Andy has also pioneered the development of new technologies for the treatment of residues from Energy from Waste type facilities, and is currently pursuing new techniques and solutions for the treatment of hazardous wastes generated from the iron and steel industry.

Andrew Swarbrick, Global Renewables

Andrew Swarbrick graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1991 with a BA Honours degree in Landscape Design and a Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture.

In 1992 Andrew joined Environmental consultancy Acer Environmental (Hyder Consulting) as a Landscape Architect providing landscape design and mitigation solutions for highway construction and civil engineering projects. In 1994, Andrew joined environmental regeneration charity Groundwork as a qualified Chartered Landscape Architect and worked on a range of neighbourhood, industrial and community regeneration programmes across Merseyside, including a number of environmental employment initiatives.

After a brief return to the private sector as a landscape designer and contracts manager, Andrew joined Lancashire County Council’s Economic Development Company (LCDL) as Environmental Business Development Manager. At this time Andrew was elected Chair of the Lancashire Community Recycling Network in 2004 and developed several business waste and resource efficiency programmes including a small scale renewable energy scheme for SMEs in Lancashire.

Using a combination of the experience gained at LCDL together with a familiarity with the waste management sector, Andrew secured the position of Waste Reduction and Local Market Development Manager at Global Renewables Lancashire Operations Ltd (GRLOL).

Global Renewables has a patented UR-3R Process (Urban Resource - Reduce, Recover, Recycle), which is able to recover the inorganic recyclable materials from the residual waste stream and return the remains as organic growth material (OGM). Leftover water from the process, which is rich in organic materials, is drained off and sent to digesters where it breaks down to create methane, which is then used to generate green/ renewable electricity to run the plant.

Andrew’s role at Global Renewables is to identify local markets for recyclables and the other recovered resources that the UR-3R® reclaims. Working with localised processors and manufacturers enables the benefit of the waste resource to contribute to the local economy.

Paul Dunn, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority

Paul was appointed Executive Director of Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) in May 2003. GMWDA is responsible for more than one million tonnes of waste each year received by 9 collection authorities in an area which serves 973,000 households.

Paul works closely with the Authority’s elected members (councillors) and other officers of the 9 Local Authorities which comprise the GMWDA. It is important to deliver value for money and high quality services to the public of Greater Manchester, and Paul’s role is to review, monitor, update and, above all support the work of the GMWDA in order to achieve these aims.

Paul has worked on creating a Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy, dealing with the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) and procurement through Private Finance Initiative (PFI) for the 25 year Waste Disposal contract for the Authority, from Outline Business Case (OBC) to appointment of preferred bidder. The procurement is the largest waste contract in Western Europe.

Paul previously worked for Stockport Council for twelve years where he was responsible for the development of waste and recycling services and contracts. He also held responsibility for markets, car parking and town centre management. During this time he took the council to Beacon Status and worked with the Cabinet Office on the review of Waste Strategy 2000. Prior to working in local authorities Paul worked in the private sector for eighteen years and has a rounded knowledge of both private and public sector working practices.

David Taylor, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority

David was appointed as Director of Contract Services for GMWDA in 2007, having spent the previous three years as Technical Director within the PFI procurement team.

In his current role, David is Project Director for the Authority’s £3.8 billion recycling and waste management PFI contract. This contract is recognised as the largest of its kind in Western Europe and brings new waste technologies to Greater Manchester on a scale as yet unseen in the UK.

David has 10 years prior experience within the waste management sector, having commenced his career with British Waterways before moving onto Greater Manchester Waste Limited (GMWL). During his time at GMWL he was the Environmental Services Manager responsible for compliance with environment, quality, health and safety.

Peter Jones, Independent

Peter T Jones was until May 2008 a Director of Biffa Waste Services Limited with specific responsibilities in external affairs and strategy development. He now operates as a freelance Advisor in matters strategic relating to the waste, carbon and materials efficiency Agenda. He is a member of the Chartered Institutes of Marketing, Transport, and Wastes Management, and operates in roles demanding specific skills in the development and management of change processes in sectors undergoing substantial upheaval due to competitive, regulatory, or other pressures. He qualified as an Industrial Economist and in July 2007 received an Honorary Degree from the University of Southampton as a Doctor of the University for work associated with Environmental technologies.

Peter retired as Chair of the DEFRA/DTI Resource Efficiency KTN in Summer 2009 but continues as a Board member of the reformed Resource Efficiency KTN. In 2003 he became a member of the DEFRA New Technologies Demonstrator Programme, their Data Advisory Panel, and the Sustainable Consumption and Production Taskforce (for which he Chaired a subcommittee looking at the issues around distributed energy systems in the UK which reported in 2008). He has given evidence to a range of Parliamentary Select Committees over the years on waste, sustainability, resource efficiency.

Peter has been appointed Chair of a specialist group looking at a Zero Waste economy for Advantage West Midlands (which has resulted in the development of a software tool to support Planning Applications for low carbon waste facilities co-located with large fossil energy using sites utilizing Advanced technologies). As a member of the Zero Waste Scotland Think-tank and the Mayor of London’s Special Advisor on waste on the London Waste Advisory Board he continues to play a role in delivering new capacity as Landfills close. Additionally he is a strategic advisor for a variety of UK Blue Chips examining the issues around Distributed Energy and the impact of low carbon policies. In Summer 2009 he became a non Executive Director of the NNFCC (National Non –Food Crop Centre), a think tank specializing in biogenic material use for fossil carbon displacement and the Combined Heat and Power Association. He is Chairman of Waste2Tricity.

Peter is on the waste and Resources Advisory Panel of Climate Change Capital – one of the largest Venture Capital funds in the Sector with over £1 billion of funding. He also assists other VCs with specific waste related investments.

In the charitable sector, Peter is a Trustee of Waste Watch, a Trustee of Education for All, an Ambassador for both Global Action Plan and Fare Share, as well as being on the Advisory Committee of the Resource Recovery Forum and a member of the WWF-UK Council of Ambassadors. He was instrumental in the creation of the Biffaward Mass Balance Programme which resulted in over £11m of funding to over 60 sectoral, material, and regionally focused studies of materials flow. A synopsis of this work can be accessed at www.massbalance.org.

Peter was appointed OBE in the Birthday Honours list of 2007.

Maria Fernanda Aller, Lancaster University

Dr Maria Fernanda Aller holds a PhD in Environmental Science and has gained 15 years experience in civil engineering and agriculture. Her areas of expertise lie in water, soil and organic waste treatment.

In 1994 she joined the Laboratory of Analysis of Soils and Waters at the Agricultural Engineering College, University of León, Spain. Here, she carried out research into agriculture soil fertility, irrigation, water quality and crop nutrition, progressing to Agriculture Consultant advising on crop nutrition and irrigation systems to farmers.

In 1998 Maria was appointed as Research Associate at the Natural Resource Institute, University of León where she worked on projects funded by the EU, the Spanish Government and private sector organisations concerned with the recycling of organic waste, sewage sludge and manure. Her studies investigated the dynamics of soil nutrients and diffuse pollution, plus the contamination of agricultural soils by heavy metals following waste/biosolid application to agriculture soils. She also worked to develop policy on the use of manure, sewage sludge and organic wastes in soils. Another area she was involved with was the volume reduction of organic wastes and biosolids using intermediate pyrolysis treatment and biochar to clean water with high heavy metal content.

In 2003 she moved to the UK to take up a position with ADAS as an Environmental Soil Scientist. Here, her work focused on ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions from manures and slurry stores. She took part in the DEFRA national ammonia inventory from agriculture sources and several other emissions projects.

In 2006 she joined Hydrogeological group of the University of Birmingham as a Research Associate at the ‘SWITCH’ project (Sustainable Water management Improves Tomorrow’s Cities’ Health). This new position extended her skills in the area of urban water contamination.

Since September 2009 Fernanda’s position has been as Senior Innovation Associate in the UK-China bridge project at Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC), Lancaster University. Her current research includes the use of thermal treatments to reduce organic waste and biosolids to minimize diffuse pollution from agriculture sources, and the generation of energy from organic waste. She is also the coordinator of the Lancaster Biochar Group which directs research in these areas.

Xi Jiang, Lancaster University

Xi Jiang had an academic profile previously developed at Brunel University, Queen Mary University of London, Building Research Establishment, Seoul National University and University of Science and Technology of China over the last 15 years. His research has been focused on Energy & Flow Physics research, particularly on numerical simulation and modelling of fluid flow, turbulence, heat transfer, combustion and aeroacoustics. The physical problems investigated by him covered a broad range of applications, including multiphase and reacting flow problems in combustors and engines. His ongoing research is mainly direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large–eddy simulation (LES) based, including DNS of reacting flows such as hydrogen-enriched fuel (syngas) combustion and gas-liquid two-phase flows and LES of fuel injection and spray combustion. Most of his computational work has been performed on the national high-performance computing (HPC) facilities. He is currently the PI of the EPSRC project “Clean Coal Combustion: Burning Issues of Syngas Burning”, a Co-I and the coordinator of the “multiphase flows” work-package of the UKTC “UK Turbulence Consortium”, and he has also been involved in the EPSRC “Consortium on Computational Combustion for Engineering Applications”.

In his research field of Energy & Flow Physics, he has an international profile with more than 80 journal and conference publications, including top journals in the field such as Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, Combustion and Flame, and Physics of Fluids. He is the leading author of a Taylor & Francis book “Numerical Techniques for Direct and Large-Eddy Simulations”. In addition, he was the winner of the Gaydon Prize (together with Prof KH Luo) for the most significant UK contribution to the 28th Symposium (International) on Combustion by the Combustion Institute (British Section) in 2002. He has been a regular reviewer of several leading journals and he serves as a Subject Editor of the journal International Journal of Computer Mathematics. He was also involved in organizing a few international conferences. Apart from his academic background, Xi has a strong industrial link. He has developed research collaborations with leading companies, who have funded him with PhD/EngD studentships and supported his research. He also carried out consultancy work for a few energy-related industrial companies. His teaching experience covers different thermo-fluids subjects in aerospace, automotive and mechanical engineering.

Upon his appointment as Chair in Mechanical Engineering at Lancaster University in 2009, his research for the next few years will concentrate on solving the critical issues of future energy systems, particularly in Energy Use. The focus will be on hydrogen or hydrogen-enriched combustion for zero-to-low emission combustion and challenging multi-physics, multi-scale and multi-phase problems in future energy systems.

Ahmed Al-Shamma'a, Liverpool John Moores University

Professor Al-Shamma’a is Director of the Research Centre for Built Environment and Sustainable Technologies (BEST), a multi-discipline research centre focused on unique and innovative applied research applications with huge impacts on industry and society. The research centre is one of the largest at Liverpool John Moores University and represents truly multidisciplinary R&D activities in the broad areas of advanced microwaves, environment and renewable energy, water and wastewater, wireless sensors, facility management, healthcare, biofuels, communications, defence, food, and pharmaceuticals. These activities fostered a pool of 10 research assistants and 57 PhD students. The Centre’s research and development outputs are well recognised, with 95% rated as of ‘International Excellence’ and 50% as ‘World Leading’. This work has brought in over £10 million of research funding over the past five years, managed by a group of 10 active research and enterprise academics.

Professor Al-Shamma’a’s track record in research is world class. To date, he has published over 200 journal articles, refereed numerous conference papers and written two books. He has delivered over 30 keynote speeches at national and international conferences. He has won numerous awards and acts as an expert advisor to a range of companies, organizations and institutions. He is also recognised as a ‘Scientist in Energy’ within the European Commission.

His commercial enterprise and technology transfer credentials are equally impressive. He has worked on two successful Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and significant consultancy contracts. In addition, his technologies are at the heart of three LJMU spin-out companies created in August 2008, namely ‘Hot Waves’, ‘Micro Sense’ and ‘Micro Waste’.

In early 2010, he secured a £1.1 Million research grant from the EU community for the production of bioethanol from grass, and £274k from the Carbon Trust for research into high efficiency multifunction emissions reduction.

Arthur Garforth, Manchester University

Dr Arthur Garforth is Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering within the school of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science (CEAS) at Manchester University. In 2006, Arthur took over the role of Director of UG Studies in CEAS. In 2007 Arthur was presented with one of six inaugural ExxonMobil (RAEng) Excellence in Teaching Gold Medals at Claridges, London.

Arthur’s research interests include the recycling of polymer wastes, hydrocracking and heterogeneous catalysts (e.g. zeolites) in hydroisomerisation/hydrocracking and dehydrogenation. Arthur has a wealth of experience in the field of biofuels and liquid fuel generation from plastics, including collaboration with researchers in Japan, Spain and US. Arthur has on-going research interests at the high temperature and pressure facility at SOG Ltd in Runcorn.

Andrew Gilbert, Orchid Environmental

Andrew Gilbert, (M.C.I.E.H; M.C.I.W.M.) began his working life in local government with the City of Salford where he qualified as an Environmental Health Officer in 1974. After 3yrs on general duties and having obtained specialist diplomas in atmospheric pollution control and acoustics he began to specialise in pollution control as well as obtaining the qualifications to become a corporate member of the Institute of Waste Management.

He moved to Halton Borough Council in 1979 to become team leader for the Pollution Control function dealing with the control of emissions from the abundant heavy industries of Runcorn and Widnes. Here was also environmental adviser to the Halton BC Planning Committee.

In 1984 Andrew moved to Warrington Borough Council as Principal EHO in the Chief Environmental Health Officers department which including waste management. He again specialised in pollution control and attended and advised the Council’s Planning Committee. Between 1984 and 2005 he rose through the ranks to become the Chief EHO/Assistant Director in the new Environment and Regeneration Department and following the council being granted Unitary status in 1998, he had direct management responsibility for Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Building Control and Waste Strategy and Disposal. He was a member of the Directorates Management Board which also included the functions of Planning (including waste); Highways; urban regeneration; sustainability.

Andrew played a very active role in the North West regional waste scene and for 5 years (until 2005) chaired the Regional Technical Advisory Body on waste (RTAB) of the then NW Regional Assembly (now 4 NW). During that period he oversaw the preparation of the region’s first waste monitoring report and first waste management strategy. During that time he was also called to the give evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee on Waste and the examination in public of the Regional Strategy.

In 2005 Andrew left Local Government and became an independent waste management Consultant (Project Solutions - Waste Management). His first commission was working with a group of disadvantaged young person’s project managing a feasibility study into setting up a community based recycling service in Halton. He then began advising Orchid Environmental Ltd on waste management strategy and procurement in respect of public sector waste treatment opportunities. In 2006 he was formally engaged by the Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority to project manage the construction and operation of an Orchid Mechanical Heat Treatment waste treatment facility under the Defra New Technologies Waste Demonstrator Programme. This was a very successful project which ran until April 2009. Andrew was instrumental in organising and hosting the several hundred visitors who came to see the facility which was processing MSW at Huyton. The plant has now gone commercial and treats a mixture of commercial and MSW wastes.

Andrew now works almost exclusively for Orchid Environmental as a Business Development Consultant and is active in tendering for new business, preparing planning applications (and public consultation) and environmental permitting for new Orchid facilities, one of which is currently being built at Shotton in North Wales.

Terry Smith, PDM Group

Terry is the Energy Manager for PDM Group. He was awarded a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry in 1975 and subsequently joined CRE (formerly the Coal Research Establishment of British Coal) where he worked as a development scientist and then a process/environmental consultant before joining PDM in 2000.

Initially, Terry was a member of the team which designed and commissioned the fluidised bed combustion plant currently in use at the company’s Widnes site, before taking on a broader role in company-wide energy management.

Terry now has over ten years experience in the rendering industry covering process optimisation & development, energy use, renewable energy plant design & operation, environmental control and regulatory compliance. Terry’s role involves establishing and ensuring compliance with monitoring & targeting systems at each of the company’s five rendering sites plus their Doncaster processing operation, as well as personnel training and project development/management.

Terry is also a key member of PDM’s team responsible for registration and compliance with the Environmental Permitting, Climate Change Levy, EU Emissions Trading, Combined Heat & Power Quality Assurance and Renewables Obligation schemes. This role requires liaison with regulatory departments within DEFRA, DECC, the EA and Ofgem.

Liz Taberer, PDM Group

Liz Taberer is the Environmental Manager for PDM Group, the UK’s largest by-product processing company. Her role is wide and varied and she provides support across five sites in environmental management and compliance, energy and resource efficiency and planning and development.

Liz plays an important role in securing planning and permitting consents for PDM renewable energy projects and works with suppliers, stakeholders and interested parties to achieve this. She is responsible for environmental impact assessments associated with new projects and has successfully gained planning permission for two renewable energy projects at the PDM sites in Cheshire and Warwickshire.

She is also a key member of the PDM contingency team and has worked closely with government bodies to ensure that bio-security procedures are implemented effectively during animal disease outbreak.

She sits on the technical board for the sector association FABRA and is involved in the development and promotion of the industry to ensure good practice and continual improvement. She works closely with the association on animal by-product and waste legislation amendments and reviews. This involves working with regulators to maximise the use of wastes for renewable fuels and recyclable products.

Liz has an Honours Degree in Applied Biology and is an associate member of IEMA.

Mike Matthews, Peak Associates

Mike holds an MSc in Engineering Hydrology from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and a BSc(Hons) in Geophysics from Lancaster University. He is also a Chartered member of CIWEM. Having started work with North West Water’s Research and Development team Mike moved into the regulatory sector in the late 1980s where he was part of the National Rivers Authority’s Pollution Control Team covering the River Mersey.

Mike was the founder of Peak Associates in 1994 and is now the Managing Director of a business that trades from three UK offices. His main duty is managing the business as well as specialist involvement in projects involving; environmental planning issues, waste, flood risk, and pollution prevention studies.

Mike is a member of the Lancaster Environment Centre’s Advisory Management Board, a Former Board member of Groundwork Mersey Valley, and was an elected member of Warrington Borough Council (1994-1997).

In addition to leading the team at Peak Associates, who have put together module 3 of the training course, his other recent project experience includes:

• Discharge of environmental planning conditions for the development of a number of commercial and industrial based developments across the UK.
• Co-ordinating defence and mitigation statements for many clients in the waste sector from matters ranging from Duty of Care offences to charges of disposing of waste without a licence or permit.
• Flood Risk and Flood Consequence Assessments and Flood Risk Studies for a number of residential and commercial clients across the UK in both the private and public sector.

Althea Stewart, Reaseheath College

In 1991 Althea was awarded an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering. She subsequently joined ICI Engineering as a manufacturing systems engineer implementing ‘lean manufacturing’ principles across businesses in the north east of England. This approach involved training and developing multifunctional teams to identify and eliminate non value adding activities. Success resulted in this approach being adopted across many ICI businesses, which gave Althea the rare opportunity of working within a variety of businesses for a sustained period of time early in her career.

While working for ICI, Althea enjoyed a variety of roles; as an internal manufacturing consultant she benchmarked plants for several businesses nationally and internationally and as an operations manager Althea led a large team, which operated the world’s largest brine purification plant (providing the raw material supply for ICI Runcorn) and a high hazard ethylene storage plant.

In 2001 Althea benchmarked the manufacturing and engineering practices at HJ Heinz site in Wigan, the results were then incorporated into a major European ‘Transformations’ project. Later as a management consultant working for Hornagold & Hills and Mouchel, Althea carried out a number of commissions in project and interim management.

Currently, Althea is the Sustainability Specialist in Knowledge & Technology Transfer at the Enterprise Delivery Hub based at Reaseheath College. Althea is passionate about helping businesses find technical and funding solutions to improve their resource efficiency and benefit from low carbon technologies. She has extensive knowledge of renewable energy, micro-generation and anaerobic digestion (AD) on farms. The College is building its own AD bio-digester and will be carrying out a number of R&D projects including spectroscopic analysis of the biogas and the liquid digestate and the economic viability for on farm biogas connection to the gas grid.

Toby Beadle, Stobart Biomass

Toby Beadle is Managing Director of Urban Harvest UK Ltd. (UHL), a company he established in 2000. UHL’s purpose is to provide Toby’s wood fibre sourcing and supply expertise to UK wood producers and consumers.

Trained by the Forestry Commission he has managed nation-wide forest harvesting activities for sawmilling and private sector forestry companies. Whilst he was General Manager of Forest Thinnings Ltd in Scotland, the company built a log and woodchip export trade from UK and Ireland to Scandinavia, for which it was awarded the Queen’s award for Export Achievement. He then set up Forensis Forest Products which managed exports of logs from UK and Ireland to Scandinavia.

Toby became involved in numerous investment feasibility studies which required assessment of the availability of wood raw materials. One feasibility study attracted inward investment to Scotland in the form of the £215m Caledonian Paper Mill. He became Forestry Director for the company and was responsible for sourcing 250,000 tonnes of logs per annum. He was also a Director of Shotton Paper Co., one of UK’s largest users of recycled paper. Both mills operated large heat generating boilers burning a mix of coal and bark. He then became Director of Environmental Affairs at UPM-Kymmene UK Ltd., based in London.

UHL now works closely with clients in the wood producing, wood using and wood recycling sectors. In 2004/5 UHL secured supplies of 3 m. tonnes of biomass fuel to be delivered over 10 years to the Wilton 10 biomass boiler being built for SembCorp Utilities UK Ltd on Teesside.

Much of UHL’s current work is in developing viable supply chains for large scale biomass using plant.

Toby is currently contracted exclusively to Stobart Biomass Products Ltd, a new joint venture between Eddie Stobart Ltd and Alan Jenkinson Forest Products Ltd. Jenkinsons currently supply over 1m tonnes per annum of UK derived biomass to renewable Generators in UK. Contracts are already in place to supply another 750,000 tonnes starting in 2011. Much effort is now devoted to ensuring that biomass supplies are available to support the rapid expansion of UK’s biomass using renewable energy sector.

Toby also serves as Technical Adviser to the Wood Recycling Association.

Ben Herbert, Stopford Energy & Environment

Dr. Ben Herbert was awarded his undergraduate degree in Environmental Chemistry from Lancaster University in 2001. Following the award of his PhD in 2005 he undertook a number of business development roles at the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC), which focused on commercialising activity in the chemicals and environmental technologies sectors. During this period Ben also conducted a number of industrial research projects with clients ranging from regional SMEs to blue-chip multinationals.

Ben joined Stopford Projects Ltd in 2008 and successfully developed a new R&D and environmental consultancy arm of the business, housed within LEC. Ben is now the Research and Environment Director at Stopford, tasked with leading and developing a new subsidiary company - Stopford Energy and Environment Ltd. The new venture specialises in the development and delivery of green technology, waste, energy generation and low carbon projects in the UK and overseas.

Ben is also an Honorary Research Fellow at Lancaster University, an active member of regional and national environmental advisory groups and co-supervises a number of industry led postgraduate research projects at LEC.

Sean Hayward, Stopford Energy & Environment

Dr. Sean Hayward was awarded an Honours degree in Environmental Science in 1995 before going on to complete a masters degree, followed by a PhD in Atmospheric Science at Lancaster University in 2000. Following this, Sean spent a further five years in atmospheric research - initially in the UK but latterly in Arctic Sweden - before spending two years as a Science teacher.

In 2008, Sean joined the hugely important energy sector, taking a post as Project Manager with an energy agency in the South West of England. In this role, Sean worked alongside householders, community groups, schools, SMEs and local authorities, promoting the efficient use of energy and conducting numerous renewable energy feasibility studies. These studies investigated the potential for wind, solar and hydro powered energy generation schemes, and provided assistance with grant-applications and financial modelling. Sean also provided support to local renewable energy installers, offering advice on the practical aspects of the Government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan, including Feed in Tariffs (FITs), the Renewables Obligation Order (ROO), the forthcoming Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the intricacies of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) which aims to raise standards in the industry.

In early 2010, Sean joined Stopford Energy and Environment (SEE) in the role of Energy and Environmental Consultant. Sean is currently on secondment to Lancaster University where his primary task is to manage the development of a new Masters-level training programme entitled ‘PG-Cert in Fuel and Energy Generation from Waste’. The course, which will be delivered at Lancaster University’s Environment Centre (LEC) from March 2011, is being funded by the NW Regional Development Agency (NWDA) via the NW Universities Association (NWUA). It aims to address a skills gap identified by industry, sector skills councils and Government departments in this rapidly growing sector. To date, Sean has brought together expertise from more than 20 leading organisations who have pledged to support to the course by hosting site visits, presenting on the course and by providing materials which will contribute towards the course’s success.

Gavin Colls, Stopford Projects Ltd

Gavin Colls was awarded an Honours degree in Chemical and Bio Process Engineering in 1992 and is a Fellow of The Institution of Chemical Engineers.

Since graduation, Gavin has worked in industry for several design and operating companies including Cargill, Urencom and BNG. Since 2007 Gavin has been Associate Director for Nuclear and Renewables at Stopford Projects Ltd. Amongst his many roles in this position, Gavin is Project Manager for the development of a large scale overseas energy from waste plant which uses gasification. Gavin is responsible for ensuring heat and mass balances add up, as well as reviewing technologies for treating different waste streams.

Debnath Pal, Stopford Projects Ltd

Deb Pal is the Process Director of Stopford Projects and holds a BEng degree in Chemical Engineering. He became a Chartered Chemical Engineer in 1999 and was elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2009. He started his career in the Paper Industry working in a variety of roles from process troubleshooting, Project Management and Technical Management. Deb specialises in the area of energy efficiency on wood pulping and drying processes.

He joined Stopford Projects as the Process Engineering Manager in 1999 and became its Process Director in 2003. One area of Deb’s responsibility is the development of Stopford’s consultancy capabilities, which have extended significantly over the past five years, especially in the area of Process Safety. Deb is an experienced HAZOP Leader, chairing risk assessment meetings for companies such as Avecia, Shanks, GE, Lexmark, Air BP, Anglo American, Shell, Croda, Huntsman and Novartis. He has also carried out extensive consultancy work for various other clients in ensuring that the risks from their processes are As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).

Deb has written and delivered bespoke training courses for clients and several seminars organised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers in the areas of Explosive Atmospheres, Dust Explosions, Process Risk Assessments and the requirements for Safety Instrumented Systems for safety critical systems on process plant.

Mark Jellicoe, Tenmat Ltd

Mark was awarded a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1984. He subsequently joined Film Cooling Towers Ltd where he worked in collaboration with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP) to develop a low-cost non-plume cooling tower technology for major gas-fired power stations. The first design was installed and commissioned at Didcot-B near Oxford.

In 1989 the company was purchased by Norwest Holst, where Mark became regional Director. In this new role, Mark evaluated the best thermal packing for river and estuarine water for all major natural-draft repack programs. In addition, Mark worked with Finland’s leading gasification technologist to develop trials of ceramic syngas-cleaning filtration plant. The plant advances the application of combined boiler technologies to mixed waste products, coal and oil, all combusted within the same power station.

Mark joined Tenmat Ltd as Filtration Technologist and Head of High Temperature, Refractory & Ceramic Material Business Units in 2008. His current projects include: the control of flue-gas filtration arising from the combustion of car-scrappage waste, hospital waste, biomass and sludge; the reduction of emissions of heavy metals; the reduction of emissions of particles below 2.5 micron and increasing energy recovery from combustion processes by 20%.

Andy Wall, United Utilities

Andy has worked for United Utilities and its predecessor organization North West Water since 1984. Although trained and qualified as an Analytical Chemist, Andy has spent the majority of his career in wastewater operations and asset management.

Between 2000 and 2005, Andy was Asset Performance Manager for the Cheshire and Merseyside areas. In this role Andy was responsible for the procurement of 153 consented wastewater treatment works serving a population equivalent to 3.5 million people. During this period, the value of the capital work undertaken is this area was in the order of £450 million.

From July 2006 until 2009 Andy was Wastewater Standards manager (Treatment & Network) for United Utilities, with a remit to improve quality and reliability of assets whilst reducing capital and operating costs. Andy also had responsibility for implementing in-house innovation and process development.

In 2009 Andy took up a role as United Utilities’ Standards and Innovation Manager, managing a team of 12 people who focus on introducing new technologies to the business. Andy directed the company’s research and development interests and developed new processes to support the business drivers of sustainability and carbon reduction.

Since early 2010, Andy has held the role of Head of Standards and Technical Knowledge within United Utility’s engineering directorate. In this capacity he is responsible for a small team that manages the company’s standards specifications and signature designs across all functions. The team also develops systems to share knowledge across the business and manages the interface between innovation and implementation into standards.

Outside of his work for UU Andy is a member of the Chartered Institute of Water & Environment Management (CIWEM), The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). He was also the UK representative to the International Standards Organisation (ISO), working on an international standard for wastewater, and maintains a keen interest in the development of a new ISO standard for asset management.

Steven Entwistle, Viridor

Steven Entwistle has worked in the waste industry for over 30 years, 20 of which have been in an operational role on waste to energy facilities. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of waste Management and involved with working groups from the Environment Services Association.

Steven has gained experience as a Shift Charge Engineer at the original Bolton Incineration plant and he was the manager of the South Manchester and Bredbury Material Recovery facilities which handled over 380,000 tons of mixed municipal waste per year.

In 1998 the project to upgrade the Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility to modern standards (WID) was started and Steven was appointed the Operation Manager to oversee these changes.

In 2000 the plant started and Steven is now responsible for all aspects of the operation of the Thermal Recovery Facility including waste throughput, achieving revenue targets from electricity sales and compliance with and reporting to statutory emissions standards.