On Tuesday, Jo Wotton, our Associate Director, took part in a panel discussion titled "No Consent, No Project: Designing a Planning System to Double Onshore Wind by 2030." Joining Jo were Keith Grant from ERM, Chris Calvert from Pegasus Group, and Suzie Saunders from ScottishPower Renewables. The panel tackled the challenges of meeting the UK’s ambitious 30GW target by 2030, including Scotland’s goal of 20GW. They explored strategies for overcoming hurdles related to project consents amidst underfunded and understaffed planning systems, and discussed how streamlining processes, sharing resources, and enhancing skills could help expedite progress.

On Wednesday, Sarah Miller, Senior Environmental Planner at LUC, participated in a "day in the life" session with Leanne Meldrum from RWE Renewables UK Limited, Emmanuel Atiba from Nadara, and Elodie Martin from DNV. They engaged with a group of around 28 students, offering insights into the diverse roles involved in onshore wind farm development. The interactive session allowed students to learn about our daily tasks and guess the various professions based on shared stories and insights.