Leading Scottish law firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (WJM) and Irwin Mitchell Scotland recently co-hosted their 10^th annual Renewables Seminar, as the best and brightest of the UK’s green energy sector descended on Glasgow.

The seminar, titled ‘Achieving Alignment: The Realities of Delivering Net Zero’ featured a host of distinguished speakers, including Geum Howatson from Locogen, Kate Dooley from RES, the NESO’s Neil Copeland, Irwin Mitchell’s Claire Petricca-Riding and WJM Managing Partner Fraser Gillies.

Chaired by WJM Partner Esme Macfarlane, she opened proceedings at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall with a reminder of the challenge facing everyone when it comes to meeting Net Zero targets, insisting while it is “complicated and challenging,” the aims remain “achievable”.

Esme also pointed to the optimism in the industry due to the recent change in the UK Government and policy at Westminster – something which became a cornerstone theme of the afternoon.

Fraser Gillies started the speakers’ slots with his annual planning update, stating that WJM remain busy on a multitude of renewables projects, while also touching on the topics being brought to the table by the rest of the panel – biodiversity enhancement and net gain, aviation lighting, politics and policy and grid.

Reflecting on the event, he said: “Once again, and on our tenth year of delivering it, our Renewables Seminar was a huge hit.

“With informative talks from our guest speakers and a lively question and answer session to finish, we are confident that all who attended left with a better grasp of the current state of the sector.”

Claire Petricca-Riding, Head of Irwin Mitchell’s Planning and Environment Team, based in Manchester, got discussions going in earnest as she discussed the latest developments in biodiversity enhancement and net gain. Her appearance marks the first Renewables Seminar since WJM joined the IM family.

Claire insisted it’s “never been more important to understand our impact on biodiversity, halt climate change and achieve net zero targets” as she laid bare the struggles we’re experiencing, with a biodiversity loss of 69 per cent in the last 50 years.

Geum Howatson, of Locogen, continued the conversation, as she touched on the subject of aviation lighting and the role she plays steering the Aviation Lighting Working Group.

With the group set to publish guidance imminently, Geum lifted the lid on their focus and the challenges surrounding aviation safety when coming into close proximity with renewable energy infrastructure.

The conference then delved back into politics and policy as Kate Dooley of RES took to the stage to discuss the latest policy developments from a developer’s perspective.

She spoke of the “positive challenge” ahead to double on and offshore wind technology, and triple solar output, in the UK over the next five years, touching on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan and REMA.

While Kate briefly mentioned it, the final speaker, Neil Copeland from the NESO, turned his focus to the grid, specifically the Government’s Clean Power Plan 2030 and the NESO report published only a few days earlier.

Following on from the week’s news that nearly 620 miles of new power lines need to be built to meet the government’s clean energy plans, Neil’s talk was one which captured the 120-strong audience’s attention.

Explaining how NESO are trying to achieve strategic alignment with the Government’s plans, Neil outlined the changes needed to achieve the 2030 goals, while also laying out a pathway to 2035.

The speakers were followed by an engaging and thought-provoking panel Q&A session and, finally, with a networking opportunity to end the day’s business.

Fraser continued: “There are huge challenges ahead, make no mistake, but continuing to talk and collaborate in this manner can only aid our path to achieving Net Zero and ensuring a greener, cleaner and safer future for all.”