Claire Tindle is the Energy Offtake Manager at Flotation Energy, an offshore wind developer headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. Claire is involved in the development of pioneering project, Green Volt, the world’s largest commercial-scale floating offshore windfarm. Developed in collaboration with Vårgrønn, a joint venture (JV) partner, Claire works closely with the team to align strategic objectives and deliver this transformational project. The development, when operational in 2029, will deliver clean energy to homes and businesses across the UK, while decarbonising oil and gas assets in the North Sea by electrifying power systems with wind energy.
“If you want to be part of enabling future living standards for all, energy is a great place to dedicate your working life.”
Before moving to Scotland, I grew up in England with a keen interest in sports, the great outdoors and travelling. My love of earth science drew me to study Geophysics, followed by an MSc in Geology, looking for a job that would grant me the perfect opportunity to use my knowledge and to travel. However, my dad pointed out that volcanologists (geophysicists who study volcanoes) don’t have a long-life expectancy, which is one of the main reasons I steered slightly towards the energy industry!
My background is in oil and gas. Earlier in my career I gained a broad range of experience across subsurface disciplines as a geophysicist (from wildcat exploration to the delivery of wells on mature North Sea assets) with start-ups and supermajors, in staff roles and as a contractor. Later in my career, I also gained asset management and M&A experience.
Today, I work for a floating offshore wind developer, which is very different as I’m no longer using my core subsurface discipline at all. However, I’m drawing on my business development, joint venture (JV), asset management and risk management skillset that was crafted during my time in oil and gas.
The only thing certain in life is death and taxes, but I think in today’s world, you can also add “demand for energy”. Floating offshore wind is a nascent industry, and at Flotation Energy, we are at the forefront of this exciting, new technology. In particular, we are developing two projects, Green Volt and Cenos, which are proving to be innovators in the sector. Green Volt is well on track to become the first commercial-scale floating offshore windfarm in the world, having won a Contract for Difference (CfD) in this year’s AR6 round.
As we progress, we will support the development of new supply chain opportunities, manufacturing capabilities, ports infrastructure, transport, installation, operations and maintenance solutions. In addition, we are seeking to electrify oil and gas assets in the North Sea, decarbonising their production emissions – which is key to the North Sea Transition Deal. It is a very exciting and challenging project, trying to bring together two quite different industries to mutual benefit. It involves working with various governments and regulators to find the right policy and regulatory pathway, to make a real difference in the UK’s energy transition.
Floating offshore wind has the potential to make an enormous contribution to the global energy transition due to its ability to capture faster winds in deeper waters, increasing the production of clean electricity. Beyond the production of more clean energy, these assets can be located far out of sight from land, while acting as a site of multipurpose energy generation and supporting carbon capture projects.
My advice for someone looking to join the industry is – go for it! Energy is the backbone of modern society and demand will not be going down anytime soon. Just a couple of years ago, people predicted that energy demand in Western countries would peak, but the opposite is true. It was always known that energy demand would increase in less developed parts of the world, but with the advancement of AI and technology, demand in developed countries is skyrocketing too. If you want to play a role in improving living standards for all, then energy is a great place to dedicate your working life.
For more information on Flotation Energy or its projects visit: www.flotationenergy.com/projects
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