Vicky is a Senior envrionmental consultant at SgurrEnergy. She works on environmental and planning/permitting aspects of renewable energy projects relating to onshore wind farms and solar projects in the UK and overseas. She manages and co-ordiantes environmental impact assessment (EIA) projects and the discharge of planning conditions for consented renewable projects, monitors construction and ensures environmental and social due diligence for projects.
Whislt studying a post-graduate envrionmental science degree at Lancaster University, Vicky became particuarly interested in the envrionmetnal assessment and renewable energy elements of the cours. She completed her research dissertation for a local entrepreneaur on the potential environmental impacts of a tidal energy barrage across the Solway Firth. This led her to her first position at Jacobs Engineering, completing their graduate scheme and gaining key skills in project management, leadership and report writing. Keen to develop her carreer in renewables, she moved on to SgurrEnergy two years ago.
"In my current role, I am fortunate to be able to get involved with a diverse and exciting range of projects in the UK and overseas
Vicky believes the best aspects of her job includes the opportunity to be involved with a diverse range of projects, within numerous different countries and working with their associated challenges. She relishes the steep learning curve invovled believing this is what makes it all the more interesting. In addition, being able to escape the office on occasion to get out and about on site, whether visiting a potential solar farm in the south of England or venturing further afield, is also a bonus!
During 2012 / 13, she provided environmental support for Salkhit wind farm, Mongolia. Salkhit wind farm is situated deep in the Mongolian Steppe, around 70km south of the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. Her team's role was to ensure compliance with the Equator Principles (a credit risk management framework used finance institutions to determine, assess and manage environmental and social risk in project finance transactions), International Finance Corporation (IFC) performance standards and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) performance requirements.
"The site visits were definitely an exciting element of the work. Staying in a ger (a type of dwelling) was an interesting experience, with their slightly musty smell and presence of various insects! ...The project was particularly interesting to be involved with as it is the first wind farm in the country. Mongolia is currently undergoing rapid economic and energy development and the Salkhit wind farm will help to ease the country’s reliance on external energy sources and offset current coal-fired generation."
Vicky recently became a Chartered Envrionmentalist with the IES. She chose the IES via the popular CEnv-in-a-day workshop route.
"I found [the workshop] hugely helpful in gaining chartered status in terms of the advice and support from the institute and other members taking part. Following on from this, I hope to apply for chartered scientist, which is supported through the IES"
Building on her chartered status, Vicky intends to continue in her professional development and extend her expereience and skills, and aims to achieve chartered scientist designation in the next year. She believes it is an interesting time for the furture of renewables and looks forward to being involved in new and up and coming projects and the opportunites they present.
