
A group of 10 Scottish green energy ‘young stars’ have been honoured at a recent industry awards event.
Winners included James Williamson, who won the Engineer Award for saving employer SSE over £250,000 by suggesting a refurbishment rather than replacing a damaged valve at Quoich Dam in the Highlands.
He produce a 3D model of the part – cutting costs and ensuring the 63-year-old scheme continued producing green energy.
When built in 1955 by the Hydro Board, the Loch Quoich dam was the largest of its kind, at 125-ft high and 1,050-ft long.
Before the controversial Highland Clearances, the shores of Loch Quoich were fringed with settlements and good grazing land. Edwin Landseer was among many fashionable sportsmen who visited in the 19th century, and his best known paintings – which include ‘Monarch of The Glen’ were inspired by the red deer of Glen Quoich.
Also honoured were John Freeburn, a serviceman turned wind turbine technician who won the Apprentice Award for working with Windhoist’s cranes and Sarah Cochetel, who won a project manager award for delivering more than 100 solar PV projects at Aberdeen-based oil-to-renewables Wood Group.
Hannah Greening of EDF Renewables won a special award for her management of the Corriemoillie Wind Farm Blanket Mire restoration project. Other winners included:
- Merlinda Andoni, Heriot-Watt University
- James Shearer, SP Energy Networks
- Fred Pullar, Renewable Parts Ltd
- Lorna Archer, Bright Green Hydrogen
- James Williamson, SSE
- Ross Tierney, SP Energy Networks
- Marc Costa-Ros, Wood, and
- Gavin Kitching, SP Energy Networks
31 May 2018