2024 is a wrap and even though things have been fast moving both inside and outside of the Opergy Group, luckily we have been keeping notes – so where do we start?
This year, Opergy turned five years old and Opergy Scotland celebrated its second birthday, both already having written plenty of exciting chapters to date, while there were launches for Opergy Celtic Sea and Opergy Ventures, two companies just beginning their stories that will help us grow even bigger and better in the years ahead.
There were seven staff promotions across the group, including Chris Blincoe becoming an Associate Director, and plenty of investment in our people with 10 members of staff undergoing further education and qualifications, coming out with PRINCE2 and APM PMQ Certifications, helping to strengthen their project management capabilities.
Speaking of projects, we have wrapped up 27 and have another 56 that are ongoing and will continue through into 2025, while we have supported 142 businesses this year. This includes 60 through two Fit4 cohorts, 18 being aided by our finance team, and 9 companies through WEST.
We also supported 33 businesses through the Scottish Enterprise Hydrogen Expert Support programme and have just kicked off another programme commissioned by Neath Port Talbot Council, supporting an additional 20 businesses.
Opergy Scotland has been helping Sumitomo with tenders and also been involved alongside BiGGAR Economics to develop a vision for how the energy transition could drive growth in Peterhead, interviewing key stakeholders on a path to building that blueprint for the future.
Opergy Net Zero, meanwhile, delivered the findings of their Net Zero Pathways project and has also been working with businesses in Breckland to build carbon reduction plans – something we will be sharing more on in the new year.
Of course, you can take a closer look at these and more of what we have been up to on our case studies page.
Opergy Net Zero said farewell to Matthew Ellis following his year in industry placement from the University of East Anglia this past year, as well as Ella Craggs for a summer internship placement, while the Opergy Scotland team got all together in person for the very first time too, joining Oceaneering for Girls Aloud in Aberdeen.
The Opergy offices too said hello to two new dogs in Tilly and Cuba, and even welcomed a lamb at one point in 2024 – who knows what visitors we’ll be greeting in 2025?
We have been getting out and about, sharing our expertise, and learning from others, at various events up and down the country – and even further afield than that.
Opergy Scotland’s Isla spoke at All-Energy and Decarbonise 2024 in Glasgow and Global Offshore Wind in London, while Opergy MD Johnathan delivered speeches at EastWind’s AR6 Conference and the Building Harwich’s Innovation Cluster event – another project we’ve been involved in.
Andy presented to CIBSE East Anglia on the developing hydrogen economy, while also, alongside Jonny, delivered Norfolk & Suffolk Teacher CPD presentations once more on the topic of hydrogen.
We have also attended various workshops, including the Opergy Scotland team recently going to Roemex offices and labs for a strategy session, and appeared on podcasts, including the Greater South East Net Zero Hub’s, where Chris joined a discussion on industrial clusters.
It has been great to see the team get recognised for all their hard work too, winning several awards.
At the EEEGR awards, Ella took home Young Person of the Year, with Johnathan winning the Outstanding Contribution to Skills for Energy. Isla was recognised for her contribution to driving forward Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain and other work across the country with the Judges Choice Award at Scottish Renewables Green Energy Awards. Johnathan also picked up Managing Director of the Year from SME News.
Of course, seeing this success and growth at work is great, but it is also satisfying to have seen people’s stories outside of the office too.
A huge congratulations has to go to Amelia, who has welcomed twins, as well as to Aaron and Jonny who both got married this year. There has been an engagement for Chris Ayres, as well as new homes for Aaron, Amelia, Cory and Rachael too. We are now excited to see what 2025 holds for our team members.
Last, but by no means least, there have been some admirable causes with Opergy Group staff managing to raise a collective £2,240 for charities.
Chris Blincoe and his son, Sam, took on the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, climbing Ingelborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent in under 12 hours, raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, while Kim Duffy completed a fundraising walk for Alzheimer’s Society.
The team also did a beach clean and participated with Furthermore Marketing on “Move for Mental Health” in November.
