AEE Ireland Conference 2024 Speakers
Alan Walsh
Atlantic Technological University (ATU)
Speaker Bio & Presentation Topic to follow...
Alexandra Hamilton
South East Energy Agency
The ambitious targets set in the Climate Action Plans for 2030, the pathway to reach Carbon neutrality by 2050, often raises many questions; Can we reach the targets? How can we reach the targets? What difference will it make and why should I make changes when China is burning so much Coal? This presentation will outline the progress needed across the South East of Ireland, and outline steps that every one of us can take to make a difference to reduce our Carbon Footprint.
Brendan Kelly
Head of Commercial
Bord na Móna Renewable Energy
Brendan is the Head of Commercial at Bord Na Móna Renewable Energy and is responsible for developing commercial strategies and full commercialisation of Bord No Móna’s 2GW+ development pipeline. He is also leading the diversification strategy for the company specifically in the areas of Offshore Wind, Green Hydrogen, Power to X, and Flextech.
Brendan has over 13 years’ experience in the Utility and Energy sector. Prior to joining Bord Na Móna, Brendan held several senior management positions with Smart Wires, an Energy Technology company, based out of the Bay Area in California. At Smart Wires, Brendan was responsible for development of the EMEA business and subsequently led the company’s business expansion into the Canadian market. Brendan also previously held senior engineering roles at EirGrid, the Irish TSO, most notably leading the design of Grid Connections for over 2GW of wind generators and the initial tranche of Data Centres to the to the Irish system.
Brendan has an Electrical Engineering background having received his Bachelors and Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from University College Dublin.
Cristina Coffey
Chief Strategy Officer
EpiSensor
Cristina Coffey is the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at EpiSensor, driving the global sustainable energy transition with advanced IoT solutions. Cristina has an extensive background in business and engineering. She has a particular interest in the energy sector and holds a Research Master’s in Energy Simulation and Production Management, as well as degrees in software engineering, and international marketing.
Cristina began her career by founding companies and a start-up accelerator, where she invested over €6 million in start-ups across the EU. She was the Founder and CEO of ThoughtBox, an award-winning mobile educational games company and held roles such as Head of Operations and Head of Innovation in tech companies like SinglePoint (acquired by Version 1) and Befinitive.
Currently, as the CSO at EpiSensor, Cristina’s strategic vision is driving global demand response and energy management programmes with market leaders such as Enel X, CoolPlanet, and EnergyCAP.
Conor Molloy
Trainer, auditor, advisor, Energy & TransportTrainer, auditor, advisor, Energy & Transport
AEMS ECOfleet
Bio to Follow
Fiona Lavin
SEAI Programme Executive
Fiona Lavin is a SEAI Programme Executive, working on the Large Industry Energy Network (LIEN) Programme. Fiona qualified from University College Galway with a BE (Industrial Engineering) and later an MSc (Biomedical Science). She has experience in various manufacturing industries including wafer fabrication and data storage, fibre optics, wound care, medical device and advanced research and training with laser processing. In her current role Fiona focuses on supporting LIEN members to improve their energy performance through the SEAI ongoing engagement supports, including advisory, training, events, site visits, and briefings.
Frank Cooney
Director
Cooney Architects
Project Management, proven track record of thought
leadership in sustainable design going back to the 1990's, innovative response to cost
effective deep retrofit, evidence based post retrofit energy performance evaluation,
embodied carbon studies, embodied energy studies, red list & sustainable material
studies, developing appropriate retrofit details & testing using WUFI & Therm (with Andy
Lundburg), evidence based simulation & deep retrofit of historic properties/conservation
projects using breathable, healthy materials
Ian Boylan
ISO Baseline
Ian will deliver a Workshop discussing ISO50001.
Jason Herbert
Policy Analyst
Electricity Association of Ireland (EAI)
Topic: Bridging the Gap: Achieving Ireland's Article 8 Energy Efficiency Directive Targets (Learn More)
Jason Herbert is a Policy Analyst with the Electricity Association of Ireland (EAI). He works closely with industry participants in the energy sector to monitor and advise on EU and national policy developments, with a particular focus on retail electricity markets, energy poverty and energy efficiency.
With a Bachelor of Law and a postgraduate degree in Sustainability in Enterprise from UCC, Jason’s work focuses on creating policies which support the deployment of low carbon technologies, the electrification of heat and transport and the effective implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive.
Joanne Sheahan
Enterprise Ireland
John O'Leary
CTO - Action Zero
John will discuss "Successful Application of Heat Pumps in Industry".
Kedar Apte
Energy & Sustainability Engineer
AbbVie
Results-driven Renewable Energy Engineer with a solid background in project & energy management and a passion for sustainable solutions. Experienced in leading cross-functional teams, overseeing capital and energy projects, and ensuring successful implementation from concept to completion. Proficient in energy analysis, feasibility studies, and technical evaluations. Committed to advancing renewable energy technologies and driving the transition to a low-carbon future.
Kevin Donovan
Energy Manager
Roadstone Ltd
Kevin Donovan, Energy Manager Roadstone Ltd, CRH, began working in the Quarrying Industry in 1999. Initially as Clogrennane Lime Environmental Manager, Kevin developed the Environmental Management System in accordance with the IPPC Licence at the facility. In 2004 Kevin became the Environmental Manager for Roadstone Ltd, implementing ISO 14001 in Locations throughout Ireland. In 2007 Kevin developed with the SEAI a strategy for implementation of I.S. 393 at Roadstone. Roadstone has now accreditation to ISO 50001 at 23 Locations throughout the country and the Transport Division. Kevin Donovan also Lectures the module Energy Management Principles and Practice at TU Dublin, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Kevin Donovan is a Certified Energy Manager and lifetime membership at the AEE.
Leon Callan (Sustainability Advisor)
Business in the Community Ireland.
Topic: Decarbonising to become more energy efficient, the opportunities and challenges faced in this process.
Leon Callan is part of the Advisory Services team in BITCI. Before his current role Leon was an experienced electronic engineer with over 15 years in IT, specialising in enterprise-level data centre solutions at both EMC and Dell Technologies. With a solid educational background, including a BS in Electronic Engineering, a HDip in Business Innovation & Digital Transformation, a HDip Sustainability in Enterprise and most recently A Cert in Renewable Technology Leon transitioned into a Sustainability Advisor role at BITCI, driven by a genuine passion for climate action. His focus extends to areas such as Circular Economy, Carbon Accounting, Biodiversity, and Responsible Technology. With a commitment to sustainability, Leon is not just an engineer; he's a catalyst for positive change in the world.
Lisa Mitchel De Melo
EnerPower
Speaker Bio & Presentation Topic to follow...
Lorna McDowell
Xenergie
Lorna McDowell, founder and CEO of Xenergie, brings over 30 years experience in transforming and inspiring leaders for new times, notably within multinational/global organisations, and with C-Suite leaders both within Ireland and globally. As such, she and the team at Xenergie have developed the category of “Social Energy”, harnessing the power of human connection within and between organisations to deliver competitive advantage and future-fit culture.
The Xenergie team have won a number of awards internationally, and played a key part in influencing thinking and behaviours that have game-changed situations and capabilities, helping leaders and their teams respond purposefully, authentically and inclusively to what is called of them in these complex, changing times, with stakeholder-driven strategies and deeper awareness of their impacts and responsibilities. Paths forward in such times call for enhanced skills to manage complexity, anxieties, dualities and ignite the imagination to find new ambition and energy to propel new kinds of organisational movement.
Before founding Xenergie 24 years ago, Lorna spent many years in the technology sector in international marketing and corporate communications with Brodeur Worldwide (now Ketchum) and in-house with Plaut GmbH, Micrografx France, and Tektronix Europe, as well as on the associate leadership development staff for Korn Ferry, Lore International Institute and McKinsey. She holds a Masters degree in Organisational Psycho-dynamic Analysis & Leadership from the Grubb Institute of Behavioural Studies and a range of coaching, supervision and assessment qualifications. She is also a mother of two young adults and lives between London and Galway, Ireland, balancing a dual-passion for the energy of the outdoors and for city life.
Marcos Byrne
Policy Manager - Wind Energy Ireland
Marcos Byrne is a Policy Manager with focus on Grids and Markets at Wind Energy Ireland. His current role with Wind Energy Ireland sees him working on policy development in markets and grids, working towards a net zero energy system for Ireland. Marcos comes from a background in innovative grid technologies with SuperNode where he worked on Markets Analysis and future market trends, product development for innovative superconducting cable solutions, and working towards policy changes for the future energy system. He also has experience developing renewable energy projects with Mainstream Renewable Power, where he gained experience in onshore wind, offshore wind, and solar. Marcos also worked developing a future 2050 energy model for Europe and forecasting future global electricity demand.
Peter Moran
Global Energy and Sustainability Program Manager
AbbVie
Peter has extensive engineering, management and energy management experience gained over 25 years working in blue-chip FDI industries. Peter has been with AbbVie for 10 years, where he leads AbbVie’s Global Energy Management Program. The Energy Management Program is responsible for driving energy performance improvement, decarbonization and adoption of renewable energy across AbbVie globally. The Energy Management Program drives the delivery of AbbVie’s 2025 and 2035 Energy and Environmental Sustainability Targets, and in adopting a Science-Based Target.
Peter holds an MBA (ATU), a BEng in Mechanical Engineering (UL), and energy management qualifications including Certified Energy Manager (CEM).
Raoul Empey
Director
Sustineo
Raoul is director of Sustineo, a leading Irish sustainability consultancy that provides solutions for businesses to reduce the impact they have on the environment. Sustineo does sustainability in 3 steps (measure, optimise, restore), aiming to help businesses increase profitability while doing something good for society and the living world. Sustineo specialises in climate action, carbon and energy management, and also assists businesses with restorative projects such as planting native woodlands in Ireland. See www.ClimateAction.ie for Sustineo’s latest “Climate Action Certificate” course in conjunction with the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).
As a certified trainer, Raoul has designed, developed and delivered highly successful courses such as Energy Basics and Carbon Basics on behalf of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Ireland’s national energy authority, and various masterclasses and leaders programmes for the Climate Ready Academy. He also delivers Climate Action workshops and webinars on topics such as net zero targets and carbon offsets. Raoul is actively involved in creating Ireland’s first Woodland Carbon Code, authored Bord Bia’s (Ireland’s food marketing agency) guidance document “Pathways to Net Zero” for the food and beverage manufacturing sector, and was a contributor to the International Organization for Standardization’s Net Zero Guiding Principles which was launched at COP27 in Egypt this November (ISO IWA 42).
Raoul is a Climate Reality Leader, having been personally trained by former US Vice President Al Gore in the communication of climate change. He is also a Certified Energy Manager with the Association of Energy Engineers (CEM) and a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland (CEng). Since 2012, he has acted as energy advisor and trainer for various SEAI panels including its Public Sector, SME, Large Industry Energy Network (LIEN), and Sustainable Energy Community programmes. When not working on energy management and sustainability, Raoul enjoys performing with his cellist and songwriting wife, Vyvienne Long, and assisting with her tours.
