Heartland Community Wind was set up by members of the core team who had already established 2 community-owned medium scale wind projects in Scotland (Dingwall Wind Co-op and Wester Derry Wind Co-op). As with those Societies, Heartland is 100% owned by its members who elect their own Board.
The Founding Board were:
Jeremy Thorp -Director
Jeremy is an energy expert working with Sharenergy on community renewable energy projects across the UK including Chase Community Solar, Ludlow Hydro and may others. He started in the sector by leading on a community project in Newtown Powys to develop a 100kW hydro generator. Jeremy previously worked as an energy advisor with Marches Energy Agency and the Household Energy Service. Prior to this, Jeremy spent several years working in the electricity industry, mainly on computer modelling of the transmission system. His qualifications include a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University, followed by modules in energy sustainability and environmental science through the Open University, and qualifications in domestic energy assessment through the NAEA. Jeremy’s voluntary work was recognised in 2010 when he was awarded “Green Volunteer of the Year” by the WCVA. He is also a keen electric cyclist and built his own energy efficient house. He is a councillor in Newtown Town Council.
Mark Jennison – Director
Mark is RM Energy’s Operations Director and a professional renewables specialist having spent the last 15 years working in various areas of the industry throughout Scotland and the UK. This has included working on both sides of the regulatory fence, and as both a project developer and providing development support services and advice. Mark’s experience has a particular focus on both community renewables and FiT scale wind projects, particularly in the development stages up to and including planning and financial close. Mark previously worked for both Energy4All and Highland and Islands Enterprise on community energy projects.
Jon Halle – Director and Company Secretary
Jon is a founder Director of Sharenergy Co-operative. A lifelong environmentalist, he has worked setting up renewable energy co-operatives for the last 10 years, notably with Goldenfuels in Oxfordshire and Energy4All in the West Midlands. He is also Company Secretary of several other successful renewable energy co-operatives and Societies including Dingwall Wind Co-op. He previously worked with Goldenfuels Co-operative producing biodiesel from waste oil, and before that had a career in IT, as CTO of Citipages Ltd and as a freelance programmer working for a wide range of third-sector and commercial clients. Jon is a former Level 2 Unltd Award winner and winner of the RSA Onians Fellowship.
The Co-op has been developed in partnership with Sharenergy. Sharenergy is a co-operative which helps to set up renewable energy co-operatives. It is a spin-off from Energy4All which has established larger wind co-operatives across the UK and itself owes its origin to Baywind, the UK’s first renewable energy co-operative founded in 1997.