| Chair | |
| Sir Bernard Ingham | Former Chief Press Secretary to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher |
| Speakers | |
| Kieron McFadyen | Vice President Technical - Europe, Shell Exploration & Production |
| Dr Robert Hawley | Past Managing Director CA Parsons & NEI plc, and CEO Nuclear Electric & British Energy and Chairman Taylor Woodrow plc |
| Dr Malcolm Kennedy | Past Chairman of Parsons Brinckerhoff. Non-Executive Director of the New and Renewable Energy Centre |
Kieron McFadyen
Robert Hawley
Malcolm Kennedy
Synopsis
Audience
The UK is facing a crisis in energy supply and this seminar informed engineers and public alike. It reviewed the present position regarding current and alternative sources of energy. The speakers outlined the potential of oil and gas, the work being done on renewable sources of electricity and explained how some other countries are solving the problem by extending their nuclear power provision. Many of the constraints and issues faced by industry were considered and in particular, the need for skilled engineers, scientists and technologists without whom no progress can be made.
Panel
Key topics included: – Global future demands for energy and resultant challenges for the UK – now dependent on imports. Development of new sources for oil and gas. The position re nuclear provision – economics, waste disposal, safety, proliferation, and risks to supply as existing stations close. The economic, political, sociological, and technical drivers impacting on the electricity supply industry. Needs for the future – infrastructure, renewables and security of supply.
In all scenarios the urgent need for top class engineers scientists and technologists was emphasised.
Malcolm Wicks, Energy Minister, has subsequently written to EEESTA and asked for assistance. Everyone is encouraged to contribute further to the Review.
“As part of the Energy Review we are currently undertaking a public consultation exercise and have published a document ‘Our Energy Challenge: Securing clean, affordable energy for the long-term’. There is an Energy Review web site on the main DTI Internet site that can be accessed at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/review/index.shtml. I would encourage you and your members to submit responses to this consultation.”
(Subsequent to receiving the letter, the twelve week consultation period for the Energy Review closed on 14th April 2006. However the “Energy Review” page leads to other useful information.)
Photographs on this page by Will Dennehy Photography.