Energy Consultancy launches new Scotland office with two senior appointments

22/09/2020
Steven Cowan Technical Director and David ODonnell principle engineer at Padd Energy

PADD Energy, a specialist energy engineering consultancy, has launched a new Glasgow office and made two senior appointments as part of its strategy to meet rising demand from organisations looking to decarbonise and make net-zero a reality.


Steven Cowan and David O’Donnell join Padd Energy’s Scotland office as Technical Director and Principal Engineer, respectively.

Steven previously worked with global engineering consultancy Atkins, leading its decentralised energy business. He has delivered major decarbonisation and net zero initiatives across both public and private sectors for clients including EDF Energy, AstraZeneca, Nestle, University Institutions and the Scottish Government. Internationally, Steven has delivered low carbon projects and Due Diligence commissions throughout Europe/Scandinavia and in 2018 spent 6-months based in Canada developing a city-wide district heating & cooling scheme in Ottawa.

David, who also joined from Atkins, is a highly respected technical authority in the energy sector, with a reputation for innovative and robust delivery. He has led major district heating projects, net zero studies and commissions throughout the UK and Europe. His experience also includes significant district cooling projects in the Middle East, working with Clients such as Dubai Airport.


Scotland is a strategic location for Padd Energy’s future growth due to its world-leading climate change aspiration of having net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2045, and the ambitions of Scottish organisations to reach net zero. The Harrogate-headquartered consultancy chose Glasgow as the focus of its growth strategy due to the city’s world-leading renewable energy industry, target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and its hosting of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, in November 2021.

Padd Energy’s growth in Scotland follows recent project wins and extensions, including the delivery of a new biomass gasification plant in Scotland. These successful projects demonstrate the firm’s deep technical expertise, through a dedicated team of hands-on, straight-talking senior consultants, with an ethical approach to business, which help to make carbon net zero a possibility for a range of private and public organisations.

Chris Paddey, Managing Director of Padd Energy, said: “Scotland’s progressive approach to future low carbon energy solutions makes it an important location for the energy sector and the natural next step for our business. 

“The world is changing rapidly and there is great demand in Glasgow, Scotland and internationally for organisations to make strategic investment to reduce their impacts on the environment, as well as reducing energy costs.

“While organisations know they have obligations to meet, net zero is often still a concept to them. We specialise in making that concept a reality by forming a tailored action plan. Steven and David join a team of highly skilled specialists that understand that customers need an organisation that will provide clear guidance on what their business physically needs to do and clear guidance through delivery to reach net zero.

“We have ambitious plans to expand our business in 2021 by focusing on our strengths of delivering high quality engineering excellence, coupled with a personal approach delivered by senior experts for our clients across the public and private sectors.”

Padd Energy, established in 2013, is a niche energy consultancy with a wealth of expertise on energy plant design and is used by power companies, financial institutions, public sector and large corporates alike. It designs highly complex power plants and net zero strategies that utilise cutting-edge technologies to generate heat and power from biomass and various waste products. Some of its key clients in include Arla, E. ON, Carbon Trust and the University of York. It has offices in Harrogate, London and now Glasgow, employing six consultants with a total of 130 years of energy engineering experience. 

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