DONG Energy’s (now Orsted) former chair Brent Cheshire and BP’s head of technology David Eyton were among those to receive CBEs, along with former National Energy Action chair Jenny Saunders, while an OBE has been handed to Zero Carbon Futures managing director Colin Herron; former Committee on Climate Change chief executive Matthew Bell; Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) chief executive Julia Evans and Energy4All financial director Annette Heslop.

Since joining DONG in 2004, Cheshire oversaw a rapid expansion of the energy firm’s UK operations from one employee to 850. He oversaw £6bn of investment including funding for the company’s East Coast hub of offshore wind farms, as the firm shifted from “black to green energy”. He retired last June, four months before the Danish firm was renamed as Ørsted.

Fellow CBE recipient Eyton has been BP’s head of technology for more than a decade and is a fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining and Institute of Directors. He recently oversaw the successful trial of blockchain for oil and gas trading, and is currently helping BP trial a battery storage pilot at one of its windfarm projects in South Dakota.

Elsewhere, Saunders was praised for her work in tackling fuel poverty. She stepped down from her role at National Energy Action in December 2017, but continues to sit on the Committee of Fuel Poverty.

Meanwhile, Zero Carbon Futures’ managing director Herron receives an OBE for his outstanding work over the past eight years to the building and renewable energy sectors. Having founded the electric vehicle consultancy in 2010 after working at Nissan for 17 years, he become an expert at plotting technology trajectories.

He joins AECOM associate director Roma Agrawal; Northern Powergrid senior smart grid development engineer Alan Creighton; former IKEA country manager Gillian Drakeford and former Committee on Climate Change boss Matthew Bell on this year’s OBE list.

Bell, who is recognised for his services to combatting climate change, stepped down from the Committee in July 2017 to work as a director at Frontier Economics, advising governments on the development of effective environment policy. He is also the newly-appointed director of the Energy Saving Trust.

Other OBE recipients were Evans for her services to the construction industry, and Heslop, for her contributions to community energy.

Having served as chief executive of the National Federation of Builders for eight years, Evans joined BRISA in 2013 and since then, she has used her position to raise awareness of the importance of energy efficiency in the built environment.

Meanwhile, Heslop manages the Harlock Hill and Haverigg wind farms and conducts the accounting for all 23 of Energy4All’s renewable energy co-ops.

Commenting on her OBE, Heslop said: “I was thrilled to receive the MBE. When the envelope arrived through my door I didn’t quite believe it, what a lovely but totally unexpected surprise.

“During my time working in the community energy sector we have faced many hurdles, but with the involvement of local communities and the wider renewable energy community we have been able to create ground-breaking projects.”

Not to mention… 

Other sustainability and energy professionals to have received honours on the Queen’s official birthday on Saturday (June 9) include:

  • BEIS chief scientific adviser John Loughhead was handed a CBE for his services to research and development in the energy sector
  • Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene got a CBE for services to business and the postal sector
  • The James Hutton Institute’s principal soil scientist Lorna Dawson was given an OBE for her services to soil and forensic science
  • Lancaster Environment Centre land and water science professor Ann Heathwaite was given an CBE for her services to scientific research and scientific advice to government
  • Northumbrian Water Group chief executive Heidi Mottram was awarded a CBE for her services to the water industry and business community
  • University of Plymouth’s school of engineering head Deborah Greaves was handed an OBE for her services to marine renewable energy, equalities and higher education
  • DEFRA head of rural statistics Stephen Hall was granted an OBE for voluntary and charitable service
  • Scottish Wildlife Trust’s former chairman Robin Harper was handed an OBE for services to nature conservation and public life in Scotland
  • Scottish Natural Heritage’s former chief executive Ian Jardine received an OBE for services to the environment
  • Oil and Gas UK chief executive Deirdre Michie was given an OBE for services to the oil and gas industry
  • BEIS head of international climate outreach Afriqnmun Lovejoy got an OBE for services to iiversity and inclusion
  • Solar BIPV director Ray Noble received an OBE for services to renewables
  • Underwater photographer Alexander Mustard was granted an OBE for his services to underwater photography

 

Sarah George

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