Lee Richards

Lee is a Senior Research Manager at the University of Plymouth. He has previously worked as Regen SW’s onshore renewables lead and managed work within the large-scale onshore renewables, microgeneration and built environment sectors.
He has over 9 years’ experience in the renewables industry and has developed the capabilities of businesses and communities to deploy more renewable and energy efficiency technologies. He has extensive knowledge of sustainable energy and low carbon policy, legislation, supply chain and technical development and deployment. Lee helped to develop and manage the £6.3M Ready for Retrofit programme, one of the UK’s largest European Regional Development Fund business support programmes, installing over 1700 domestic energy efficiency technologies.
Lee is from Plymouth and as keen advocate of developing the low carbon economy he wants the city to lead in community led renewable energy initiatives.

He was co-opted to the PEC Renewables Board in 2015, voted to the PEC Board in 2017 and is also a Director of Ernesettle Community Solar Ltd.

Sarah Lee

Sarah is a Chartered Architect with over 20 years of experience within many sectors of the construction industry across the South West, working from the Plymouth office of a large national multi-disciplinary commercial practice, Stride Treglown. This employee-owned company has recently become a BCorp and declared itself Carbon Neutral, actively putting sustainability, social value and the planet at the heart of everything it does: “using business as a force for good”.

Sarah has personally developed skills in managing architectural projects of many different types through all stages of work, providing the role of ‘trusted advisor’ to the client with excellent levels of communication, and confidently navigating the complex processes of statutory approvals for developments, to deliver successful projects that often exceed the client’s initial needs.

Sarah excels in developing and maintaining collaborative relationships and recently founded Future Plymouth 2030; a joint educational initiative with city partners exploring carbon reduction in the built environment and construction industry, for which she has initially been masterminding a webinar series since the Climate Declarations were made at the end of 2019. The webinar series was nominated for a few awards last year and is the first non-building project to win an Abercrombie Award.

Sarah was the joint Chair of the Plymouth branch of the RIBA from 2016-2020 and has more recently become the RIBA SW Chair since September 2021, a role which she will hold for 2 years, representing fellow architect members across Devon and Cornwall within the national professional institute.

Sarah is also actively involved in many local construction-related groups such as Building Plymouth, South West Women in Construction (SWWIC) and Constructing Excellence.

Sarah hopes to use all the connections and contacts that she has built up over the years to help improve awareness of action that needs to be taken to reduce carbon in our city, county, country and wider world to help lessen the effects of climate change to manageable levels.”

Chris Penberthy

Councillor Chris Penberthy (Labour and Co-operative, St Peter and the Waterfront) was a member of Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet from 2012-2016 and again from 2017- present. His portfolio has included housing, social enterprise development and support, community safety, neighbourhood working, child poverty, welfare policy and financial inclusion. Chris has spent most of his working life in charities including as Chief Executive of Volunteer Development England. He was awarded a fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of his contribution to the voluntary and community sector.

Chris has held a variety of trusteeships and directorships in charities and social enterprises. He currently holds the Chair Plymouth Fairtrade Network, Millfields Inspired and the South West Council of the Cooperative Party. He has previously been appointed by Plymouth City Council to the Boards of the Millfields Community Economic Development Trust CIC, and Plymouth Municipal Charities. Chris is a Governor of Plymouth College of Art and is also Vice Chair of the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network and Chair of its Values and Principles Board.

Chris has been an elected member Director of PEC Renewables since 2014 and became a Director of Ernesettle Community Solar Ltd in 2015.

David Madge

David retired from HSBC Bank plc in 2014 after a career of over 40 years in banking. He has worked in locations throughout Devon and Cornwall and in his final role was a Relationship Manager based in the Commercial Centre in Plymouth. His responsibilities included the management of a portfolio of businesses with an annual sales turnover of up to £30 million. David is a Trustee and Governor of Ivybridge Academy Trust and currently chairs the Finance Committee.

David was co-opted to the PEC Renewables Board in 2015 and also became a Director of Ernesettle Community Solar the same year.

Simon Nicholls

For many years Simon has been advising on and delivering power generation projects that reduce both emissions and costs for clients. He is managing director of the Devon Power Group of companies. Among this group Devon Power Ltd is a specialist renewable energy developer with projects across the Southwest of England and beyond. Through Devon Power Simon has enabled clients to realize the potential of their property and assets in generating and utilising renewable power or improving energy efficiency.

Simon has wide experience providing strategic legal and commercial advice for energy projects. This includes systems ranging from 10 kW up to 10MW across a range of technologies in the UK and abroad. He is also well placed to access and advise on innovative funding models tailored to specific project circumstances. His work has assisted both public and private sector organisations.

With decades of experience in development, delivery and operation of energy projects Simon has a wealth of skills and connections of benefit to PEC along with a passion for their objectives. He is motivated to contribute to the development of new opportunities that will benefit people in the community and wider society.

Simon was elected to PEC’s board of directors in 2017. He also represents PEC on the PEC Renewables Board.

Ian Johnston

Ian is from Torpoint and has been working in Plymouth for over 8 years. He is a Lead Management Accountant for Manufacturing Services Ltd & Energy Subsidiaries at Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) and acts as representative for Plymouth Community Homes and as an elected member Director on the PEC Renewables Board.

Ian has a strong background in financial and business management skills and is currently completing his Chartered Institute of Management (CIMA) qualification. His strengths include project management work and ensuring financial compliance and oversight in all areas.

Ian is passionate about supporting community energy projects and being able to help those in Plymouth who require additional support. Through his work at PCH he has supported numerous social enterprises and is passionate about giving back to those in need across the city.

Kieran van Bussel

Kieran is a motivated and passionate participant in the energy sector, in his professional role as a solicitor advising a wide range of clients in the energy sector (from institutional investors to community groups) and in also in his capacity as a director of Tamar Energy Community. He has experience working with charities and other non-for-profit organisations, having served as chair of the Devon and Somerset Junior Lawyers Division of the Law Society and as company secretary on the board of a charitable company.

Kieran has experience dealing with project development and financing of a wide range of energy projects across most current technologies, from a legal perspective.

The pressures of climate change are increasing, and Kieran joined the PEC Trust Board to utilise his skills and experience to assist with green and low carbon initiatives and help to deliver change in his home city.

Kieran was elected to the PEC Trust Board at the 2019 AGM. He is the PEC Trust representative on the PEC Renewables Board.