The Building Podcast
Mark Wakeford is Chairman of the National Federation of Builders, vice-chair at Constructing Excellence Midlands and a Governor at Construction College, Moulton College. He has run a large regional building contractor and now chairs Evoenergy, one of the UK's foremost renewable companies, bringing low carbon solutions to corporate Britain.
Mark talks to leading experts from across the construction sector to discuss issues facing the built environment. He explores various challenges with his guests, who offer solutions, information and ideas that listeners can apply to their own situations, be it in a company, on a project or studying at college.
The Building Podcast aims to provide CPD on the go. Supporting the sector with easily digestible ideas to support a rapidly changing industry!
The Building Podcast
Mark talks to Alex Desouza
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The Solar Taskforce, an industry / Government collaboration has been in existence since May 2023, working with both Governments to see how solar generation can be rapidly deployed to support the de-carbonisation of the electrical grid and to support the UK’s statutory net-zero target for 2050. I have been privileged to serve on this taskforce with many of the industry’s big hitters as we have identified blockers and solutions, with our partners at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and co-authored the Solar Road Map, which was recently published.
These podcasts are with senior leaders who were on the Taskforce, from both industry and Government and other movers and shakers who influence the sector. The podcasts aim to inform and explain various elements of the Solar Road Map to support its understanding and to provide more context to its recommendations.
Planning, community benefits and communication are all crucial to successful deployment, particularly for large scale ground mount systems. Alex Desouza is the General Counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Lightsource BP, a major developer and operator of large scale solar. Alex is a main board director of the UK’s solar trade body, Solar Energy UK and was the taskforce member with specific responsibility for communications. Given her extensive experiences, both here and overseas, she was heavily involved in the discussions on planning and community benefits that these developments might provide to their local communities.
Alex is hugely optimistic about the benefits that solar can bring the UK and the communities who host these developments. She believes that the industry is looking to partner local communities and to work with them to ensure that all benefit from a successful energy plant. She is also clear that the UK has no option but to decentralise its energy generation to provide resilience, low cost energy and she is proud that her and her organisation play a significant role in achieving net zero within the UK.
Website: https://lightsourcebp.com/uk/