May 12 and 13 2014 saw the 7th annual Glennmont Partners clean energy seminar coupled with the AGMs for Glennmont’s two clean energy funds. This year the venue was situated close to the Sleaford straw-fired biomass plant which is in the final stages of commissioning. Speakers this year were selected to present their view of the place for clean energy in a volatile global energy market. The events in Ukraine have served to underscore the energy security statements made so clearly by Ambassador Jones of the International Energy Agency in the 2013 seminar. Also a series of extreme climatic events have brought climate change abruptly back onto the political agenda. The various drivers for clean energy investments have never been so clearly seen as they are this year. Our speakers this year included Tom Burke of E3G, Angus McCrone of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Daniel McCormick of Windsor Energy, Stephanie Watkins of HSB Insurance and Boja Escalada of Vectorcuatro.
On the second day delegates had the chance to visit the 38.5 MWe Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant, now approaching completion and commercial operations. Staff from BWSC, the Operations and Maintenance contractor, and ECO2, the Asset Manager and fuel coordinator, conducted tours of the plant and demonstrated the fuel management, Boiler Island, power plant, hygiene plant and the control room.
