What we do at the Energy & Sustainability Centre
ESC is a not-for-profit NGO offering research, training and advice to companies, organisations & individuals on sustainability.
Our Role - to act as a pathfinder & intermediary between Government and Industry, sharing ideas and knowledge to promote the development of a secure, reliable & economic transition to low-carbon energy.
Motivation – to maximize the economic benefit of the green transition and to make a positive impact on climate change & the environment.
Mission – to develop ideas & inspiration on decarbonising society and to promote collaboration between the private & public sectors in order to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases.
ESC is supported by a group of local and international companies but operates independently to ensure that advice and recommendations are objective and impartial.
The Centre is closely connected with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), who are at the forefront of research into the energy transition, as well as the Manx Geological Survey, an educational charity with focus on earth science on the Isle of Man.
The objectives of ESC are endorsed by Government leaders and environmental experts including: Hon. Alfred Cannan, MHK (Chief Minister); Hon. Laurence D. Skelly, MLC (President of Tynwald); Professor James Curran (Government adviser); Leigh Morris (Manx Wildlife Trust) and Professor Peter Bridgewater (University of Canberra, Sheffield Hallam University).
ESC was established to help the Isle of Man become a leader amongst small nations along the path to a low-carbon, sustainable future.
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As well as Business Director at ESC, Ralph Peake is Chair of the Isle of Man Business Sustainability Group, a task force within the Chamber of Commerce. As a Member of the House of Keys from 2015-2021, he has been closely involved in Government action on climate change. This led to a historic bill committing the Isle of Man to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Prior to that he ran his own business for 25 years, specialising in energy efficient lighting band controls systems. He is also a Member of the Charted Management Institute.
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Dave Quirk is Research Director at ESC and Chairman of the Manx Geological Survey with a PhD in earth science. He is a specialist in energy and natural resources with the position of Energy Transition Advisor at DTU Offshore, part of the Technical University of Denmark - a world leader in renewable energy technologies. Dave has previously worked in industry, including in oil & gas with Shell and Maersk, and now collaborates with international companies and national authorities on subjects as diverse as energy storage and public engagement. Over the last five years, Dave has carried out research, presented papers and published scientific articles on the implications of climate change and economic ways of achieving net zero emissions.
Adrian Cowin is the former Senior Meteorological Officer in the Isle of Man Government, and has extensive experience as an Operational Meteorologist. He is the Island’s foremost scientist on weather and climate change and has a keen interest on mitigating the impacts. Adrian is Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society and, for 17 years, he has served as a Commissioner for Arbory Parish. He is a keen cyclist and is closely involved with the the Isle of Man Veteran Athletes’ Club.
Tracey Fuller has worked in HR, as a financial adviser and as a vegetarian cook. She has also spent 20 years volunteering for a well-known national emotional support charity with roles as Branch Director for the Isle of Man and Regional Director for Northwest UK. This background has given Tracey an understanding of the issues around change and how it affects people. She has a talent for communication and a passion for environmental issues.
DEFINITIONS
Energy transition - the change from a fossil fuel-powered economy to one where most energy comes from low-carbon sources and the negative impacts of human activities on the climate and the environment are minimized.
Sustainability - where human activities and behaviours neither degrade the environment, nor permanently deplete a natural resource nor cause harm to livelihoods and ecosystems.
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