Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult names Iberdrola director as chairman

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has named Iberdrola’s offshore managing director Jonathan Cole as chairman of its Industry Advisory Group (IAG).

Cole currently serves as managing director for Iberdrola’s offshore wind business and joined the ORE Catapult’s IAG two weeks ago, to stand alongside other senior representatives from across the offshore renewables sector to provide advice to the ORE Catapult.

In April this year the National Renewable Energy centre (Narec) merged with the ORE Catapult to form a “national champion” for the offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy sectors to “accelerate the design, development and commercialisation of renewable energy technology”, as well as attract overseas investment.

On Cole’s appointment, ORE Catapult chief executive Andrew Jamieson said: “Jonathan’s years of experience in the energy sector will be crucial in helping to grow ORE Catapult’s reputation and in allowing the IAG to continue to drive ORE Catapult’s innovation efforts.”

In his role at Iberdrola Cole is responsible for the West of Duddon Sands and East Anglia One offshore wind projects, as well as the Wikinger project in Germany and Saint Brieuc in France.

Cole also leads the development, supply chain, construction, operation and maintenance of Iberdrola’s worldwide offshore portfolio from its global headquarters in Glasgow.

On being named as chairman, Cole said: “This is a critical time for the development of offshore wind in the UK as we begin the process of developing larger, more challenging projects.

“Across the industry we have seen a great deal of innovation in the development and delivery of offshore wind projects, and this process will continue as we seek to reduce costs and make projects as efficient as possible.”