Over the course of this year, B&P has expanded our work to explore and deliver more and more international projects. As a key area of growth for us, this week we’re heading to one of the biggest international conferences for the energy industry, ADIPEC.
ADIPEC is an annual conference and exhibition in Abu Dhabi bringing together over 200,000 energy professionals and thought leaders from around the world.
It’s a chance to make connections and hear about innovative solutions and technologies.
For us at B&P it’s an opportunity to meet new and existing contacts face to face and share what we can and are doing in our work both in the UK and internationally.
Representing the team will be Phil Mellor, Director of Land Information and GIS, and Tommy Finn, Director of our Marine and Fisheries Services.
Phil and Tommy will be using this opportunity to talk about projects they have completed or have underway in Iraq, USA and Malaysia using our excellent geospatial services, and innovative and internationally proven approach to Marine/Fisheries stakeholder engagement, and vessel procurement/management.
The Middle East is a key area for B&P with more exciting news which we’ll be sharing soon.
We’re excited and hugely grateful to be teaming up with Energy Industry Council (EIC) and Scottish Development International (SDI) who have been great champions of our and other Scottish/UK energy businesses in the area.
If you’re going to be at ADIPEC please say hello to our guys. And if you can’t make it but are curious to see what opportunities we can offer in the Middle East, don’t worry we’ll be sharing more very soon. Watch this space!
At Blackhall and Powis we’re extremely proud of our Scottish roots and the impact we’ve made in the energy and renewables sector in Scotland, but our sights have always been firmly set on the bigger picture. With our rapid business growth in recent years, our strategic goal of expansion into the sector in England and Wales is already well on its way and will be cemented further over the coming months.
Super charging our operations in England and Wales, we now have B&P offices in York, Bury St Edmunds and Tunbridge Wells, with our newest office opening in Manchester in a matter of weeks. Not forgetting our Agricultural Liaison Team firmly embedded on the ground in the Norfolk Offshore Wind Project.
Next up and completing our network of teams across the UK will be a new office in the South West of England, which we aim to have open before the end of the current financial year.
The expansion of our operations across the UK is a natural progression from the major projects we’re already supporting in England, including Norfolk and the Morven offshore wind project, and reflects the increasing number of opportunities emerging for B&P. Most recently we’ve joined the UK Power Networks Framework and have a few other exciting projects and collaborations still to be revealed.
As our business has grown from a team of just two when we began in 2017 to a team of over 100 and counting this year, our services and expertise have grown exponentially too. Our commitment to bringing in the very best talent, experience and innovation transfers into the excellent quality of services we offer our clients.
We now have the capability, resources and infrastructure to successfully deliver all of our core services and functions – from onshore and offshore renewables to land referencing and GIS, Networks, Marine and Fisheries – across the whole of the UK and beyond. We’re excited to share this new chapter with you!
Get in touch for a chat to find out more Info@blackhallpowis.com
Rick Campbell, Director of Director of Development Services
For a change, we elected not to have a stand at the SR Onshore Conference, so our team got to enjoy the event a little more from the shop floor. The conference was excellent with useful insights from formal speakers and informal catch ups, as well as the chance to discuss business opportunities and meet colleagues old and new.
I’d intended to provide reflections on the conference after the first day but unfortunately the increasingly traditional, joint B&P-Gael Energy drinks (as pictured) got in the way.
Five big takeaways
So, my five big takeaways from the overall event are:
1. A project reshuffle is on the cards
My favourite subject at the moment – the fallout of the grid queue reform will impact portfolios everywhere. It’s important to be alive to this and keep options open as the winners emerge.
2. TNUoS cost increases – an unwelcome burden.
The industry broadly welcomed the Government’s rejection of Zonal Pricing, a clear example of industry speaking and Government listening which should be applauded. However, rejection of one system does not mean approval of another. TNUoS has undermined the business case for projects which otherwise would have gone ahead for a generation. Making it worse doesn’t help anyone. More work is needed here.
3. Repowering is the talk of town
We’ve known this was coming for a while, but repowering sites (together with its close sisters: decommissioning and redeployment) were the main topics of conversation at the event. Lots of practical and positive ideas being discussed. As ever, communication and collaboration will be key to delivering this important work.
4. England and Wales are just getting warmed up
The hotly anticipated establishment of development pipeline in England and Wales is well underway. Again, industry-wide challenges are present, not least making sure regulators are familiar with onshore wind challenges, and ensuring developers understand (and are not overly scared by) DCO processes. (As anyone who I’ve already bored on the subject will attest, I’m a big believer that the DCO process is an excellent consent pathway and should not be as off-putting as it appears to be).
5. As an industry, we need to get moving
Political headwinds against renewables will only be changed by one thing – demonstrable investment in jobs and infrastructure. 2025 has been a necessary step change for the industry, but now is the time to get on and start delivering.
All in all, a really successful event. The enthusiasm and keenness to invest was palpable. Lots of opportunities and a sense that things are moving in the right direction.
Want to keep the conversation going? Get in touch for a chat Info@blackhallpowis.com
Find out more about the services we offer to support onshore renewables.
At Blackhall and Powis we’re not known to shy away from a challenge, or a bit of fun. It’s also important to us that we give back to our sector when we can so the RSABI charity, who provide valuable practical, financial and emotional support to the agricultural industry across Scotland, is close to our hearts.
We were delighted to take part in this year’s Great Scone Palace challenge held in the grounds of Scone Palace, Perth. Starting with a lovely welcome party held at Perth Racecourse the night before which included a celebrity racetrack run, auction and raffle, before the main event kicked off the next day.
We were among 17 teams entered into the event which consisted of four challenges:
- The Great Bale Obstacle Course – rolling a straw bale 100metres across a field then moving onto a variety of stacked bale heights to jump/clamber over and crawling on all fours beneath a net.
- The Palace Pathfinders Quest – solving riddles, decoding puzzles and following a trail of hidden clues all within the gardens and maze of the palace
- Tractor Pull – basically a tug of war against a tractor, but thankfully the tractor doesn’t pull back.
- Laser Clay Challenge – using laser shotguns to hit the clay as quickly and accurately as possible to build up points.
The challenges encouraged teamwork, determination, thought and agility. The weather changed in the afternoon with some heavy downpours but to all the team’s credit everyone soldiered on, and it gradually eased. Despite being a man short, our team overcame the odds to pull off a victory against some tough competition. It should be noted that we were able to rely on a friendly competitor to fill in for the clay challenge and a willing member of RSABI to help with the tractor pull. Collaboration at its finest!
The day was rounded off by an evening black tie ball within Scone Palace where we enjoyed a meal in the Long Gallery, the longest room in any private Scottish home. The celebrations continued with the team venturing out into Perth city centre until the small hours. Thankfully dancing was not part of the event challenges as we would have definitely finished in last place!
The trophy now sits proudly in our head office in Glasgow, and we’re already looking forward to defending our title next year.
