Q: Tell us your background and when you first became interested in energy?
A: I grew up in a family with scientists and engineers, who inspired my interest in technology and its application. Visits to Oxfordshire as a young child drew my attention to Didcot Power Station – whose cooling towers and immense size had me in awe. Following completion of my mechanical engineering study, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to step into the energy industry feet first based at Didcot – and enjoyed a graduate training programme opportunity that took me across the UK and Europe.

Specifically, I worked as a boiler engineer during a major outage at Didcot A, one of several rotation placements to gain experience before full time work in operations at Innogy (a subsidiary of RWE), working as shift team leader at Didcot B for two years, then moving on to increasingly senior roles at Pembroke and Aberthaw power stations in Wales, before moving to the United Arab Emirates.

Q: How did you first hear about the Energy Institute and what motivated you to join?
A: Since my engineering discipline is mechanical, for me initially the Institution of Mechanical Engineers was my natural home. I was originally chartered with them, and having a mechanical engineering degree, I felt it appropriate to keep.

As I worked longer in the power generation industry, I was recommended the Energy Institute from a colleague who suggested the close alignment with interests. I soon found myself joining regional events and contributing to the EI. I found the EI gave me the opportunity to network effectively outside of my organisation, as well as keep up to date with the industry more closely.

That was particularly true when I was working in South Wales between 2009 and 2016, and I joined the Committee to help organise events. I particularly liked the events that were visits to different sites, or presentations. I recall one on the Swansea Bay Tidal Power project for example. Such events provided the opportunity to meet people and get up to date. I've also attended a few in London like this.

I’ve been with the EI since 2009 and have been an FEI since 2014. I supported the South Wales/South-West Branch for many years, as well as in the Middle East, and was a member of the Human and Organisational Factors Committee. That latter role was in 2014–2016. I represented RWE. I participated in committee meetings and reviewed potential work and new publications. During that time, one piece of work was expanding the Briefing Note series, another was about control room situational awareness. As my experience was operational, I was able to bring that to the table to help make the documents more useful to industry. It was rewarding to contribute to industry wider than within my company.

Q: Tell us about your current job and industry, and how your work is contributing towards a just transition to net zero?
A: I have the pleasure of managing companies that own two gas-fired power stations in the Kingdom of Bahrain, one of which also has a large desalination plant. The responsibilities include ensuring safety and environmental compliance are achieved, and that the plants are operated and maintained in an optimum way. I very much enjoy delivering results from infrastructure that benefits society. I get to work with talented and experienced people and interact with a number of expert shareholders, suppliers and supportive stakeholders. Throughout my career to date in the power industry I’ve been able to contribute to a number of sites in the UK, Europe and in the Middle East, and experienced assets at every stage of their lifecycle with all the joys and challenges that brings – it’s certainly delivered on the promise that Didcot Power Station hinted at me as a child.

Existing gas-fired power stations, across the globe, have a vital role to play in supporting the energy transition whilst the world moves to renewable energy supply. Maintaining existing plants, ensuring their availability when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing is critical, and developing abatement options will reduce emissions further. Working in the power industry I can directly influence this future through the assets I’m involved with and the other professionals I interface with, including through the Energy Institute. The opportunity is that there is a lot of knowledge and capability out there, the challenge is bringing everyone together and utilising the knowhow to accelerate the energy transition. The Energy Institute and its members are well placed to help achieve this.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author only and are not necessarily given or endorsed by or on behalf of the Energy Institute.

If you’re keen to follow in John’s footsteps, click to find more about how to become a Fellow of the Energy Institute (FEI) and/or Chartered Engineer (CEng).