ScottishPower’s Gillian Noble appointed to lead SOWEC Developer Group

• Gillian Noble, Managing Director for Offshore Renewables Development and Operations UK and Ireland for ScottishPower Renewables, has been appointed to lead the SOWEC Developer Group
• The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) is a partnership between the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry, and is coordinating discussions between offshore wind developers and Scottish ports to maximise opportunities for strategic investment
• Its Developer Group plays a critical role in bringing all Scottish offshore wind developers together to identify and work on how to overcome shared barriers and deliver the world-leading Scottish offshore wind pipeline
• Gillian’s appointment ensures that the Developer Group can play a leading role in driving offshore wind forward in Scotland while addressing challenges faced by the sector.

The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council has appointed industry leader Gillian Noble – who heads up ScottishPower’s offshore development and operations – as Chair of its vital Developer Group.

SOWEC plays an important role supporting growth of the offshore wind sector in Scotland, and works through a number of groups to drive action. Its Developer Group plays an important role in bringing offshore wind developers together to work with the Scottish Government on shared challenges.

In leading this work, Gillian brings over 20 years of experience in energy, and as Managing Director for Offshore Renewables Development and Operations at ScottishPower Renewables, leads the company’s work on offshore wind projects across the UK and Ireland. This includes ScottishPower Renewables’ three ScotWind projects, as well as a wider portfolio of projects across the UK and Ireland.

Gillian commented: “The Scottish offshore wind pipeline is a critical part of UK and Scottish efforts to decarbonise and grow our economy and strengthen the UK’s energy security. The opportunities that offshore wind offers Scotland are vast and incredibly exciting, but there are a number of challenges and issues to consider such as grid, planning and growing our supply chain.

“These are issues facing all of us in offshore wind, so having the platform for developers to come together as an industry to work in partnership with the Scottish Government is not just welcome, but essential and it’s great that SOWEC is driving this forward.

“I look forward to working with colleagues on the Developer Group to ensure that, as an industry and a country, we do everything we can to make the most of this unprecedented offshore wind pipeline and deliver the clean energy future we all want.”

Brian McFarlane, Industry Co-Chair of SOWEC commented, “It’s great to have Gillian’s expertise and drive to help SOWEC in its work to push ScotWind and the overall Scottish offshore wind pipeline forwards. SOWEC works through partnership, and Gillian is a great person to have on board to help bring industry and government together to secure the opportunity offshore wind offers to Scotland.”

The role of SOWEC’s Developer Group is to focus on key issues to enable the SOWEC Vision and Goals by identifying challenges unique to Scotland, resolving issues and optimising shared objectives. It will seek to resolve any issues through project specific endeavors. To do this it works across other groups looking at barriers such as grid and planning, Skills and Supply Chain to ensure that the views of developers are understood and that they can support wider action to overcome sector challenges.

The membership of the Group comes from senior representatives from all active developers in Scottish waters as well as Scottish Renewables and Scottish Government representatives. The group has a Project Manager to support its work.

Editors Notes

• Gillian was appointed in August 2022 to the role of Managing Director for Offshore Renewables Development and Operations across the UK and Ireland at ScottishPower Renewables (SPR). Gillian has been with ScottishPower since 2000 and, in her most recent role as Sales Director in the Retail business, led the delivery of core energy customer acquisition targets, Power Purchase Agreements and Smart Solutions customer sales. In addition, she has led strategic activities in the development and delivery of the company’s key energy efficiency and fuel poverty government obligations. In her current role, Gillian provides leadership to SPR’s UK offshore activities, focused on SPR’s existing UK operationaloffshore windfarms at East Anglia ONE and West of Duddon Sands, while continually growing the company’s portfolio in the global offshore market. This includes development of SPR’s three Scotwind projects and three Irish projects and securing new sites in future seabed leasing in the UK.
• The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) is a collaboration between the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry. SOWEC has a clear vision and goals which is focused on growing the sector, ensuring the Scottish offshore wind industry is more sustainable, competitive, and commercially-attractive, both domestically and in the global offshore wind market.
• SOWEC has committed to implementing the outcomes of the Strategic Investment Appraisal which includes supporting the Working Group of the Collaborative Framework that could help underpin the business case to maximise opportunities for strategic investment for a Scottish offshore wind cluster.
• SOWEC’s mission is to coordinate and grow the sector, ensuring the Scottish offshore wind industry is more sustainable, competitive, and commercially-attractive, both domestically and in the global offshore wind market.