You are currently reading Issue 145: International Women in Engineering Day
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Connecting women and opportunity

Womanthology is a digital magazine and professional community powered by female energy and ingenuity.

Connecting women and opportunity

Womanthology is a digital magazine and professional community powered by female energy and ingenuity.

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Female forces of nature in sustainable engineering: Bringing together technology, skills and capital to make the Net Zero difference!

Charlotte Powell, Head of Bioenergy and Carbon Removals at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

Charlotte Powell at Hemswell Cliff

Charlotte Powell is head of bioenergy and carbon removals at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, where she heads up the Bioenergy and Greenhouse Gas Removals themes under the department’s £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. As part of this work, she is currently supervising the investment of £130m into innovation. Charlotte has 30 years’ experience in engineering, anaerobic digestion and business consulting.

Charlotte Powell
Charlotte Powell

“It is fascinating to me that so many women are involved with sustainable engineering compared to other fields and I look forward to the time when engineering is gender balanced so a special day for women in engineering is no longer needed.”

Ode to my aunt

I really struggled with working out what I wanted to do when I left school. I really liked science but I was too squeamish for medicine.

When my best friend suggested engineering (her dad was an engineer), a couple of things aligned to set me on that path. Firstly, my aunt, who was a maths teacher, thought it was a great idea and totally normalised the concept. She has since written a book about women in engineering, and she completely supported me and reinforced the idea that girls could do engineering.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, my headmistress was adamant that engineering was not a suitable career — she initially refused to sign my UCAS forms and then delayed making the registration payment. So, like any self-respecting teenager, I rebelled against her. Engineering was clearly going to be my career route come hell or high water.

Faith well founded

I studied engineering with business studies at Sheffield Hallam University. I was one of only three women on the course and I had done poorly in my A-levels, so, looking back, I was probably a diversity stat. However, their faith in me was well founded as I achieved a 2(ii) at the end of the degree.

Ten years later, I went to the University of Reading to study for an MSc in Renewable Energy and the Environment. I was already a Chartered Engineer by then and I secured a scholarship from the Institute of Electrical Engineers (now the IET). I clearly did better as a mature student because I came out with a distinction.

Working towards Net Zero in the UK

Now, I work for the Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). I head up two themes under the £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio: Bioenergy and Greenhouse Gas Removals. This means that I have over £130m to invest into innovation and so, at the moment, my team and I are creating and contracting programmes to be delivered up to 2025.

I have three technology programmes running: Biomass Feedstocks, Generation of Hydrogen from Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage, and Direct Air Capture and Greenhouse Gas Removals.

Over the next few months, I will be joining meetings to learn more about the proposed innovations as they evolve, and thereafter facilitating their success. In parallel, I support the policy and strategy teams with information for developing the UK’s Net Zero political environment.

A change of tactics and new opportunities presented by COVID home working

When COVID kicked off, I was working all hours as a business consultant, dividing my time between three clients and wishing there were 12 days every week. When lockdown happened, I lost two clients immediately! With so many businesses closed or semi-closed, I eventually realised that I would need to change tactics and look for a salaried role.

Thus, I joined BEIS in January 2021. The twist here is that I would have never applied for a role in London (I live in rural Nottinghamshire) had it not been for the move to home working.

Therefore, COVID actually opened up doors and new opportunities for me. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate because I love what I am doing now, both with technical innovation and the Net Zero focus. It seems a little strange to have anything to thank COVID for.

Engineers converting science into new, reliable, investable and economical technological innovations to increase the UK’s supply of energy

Charlotte Powell on site in South Africa
Charlotte on site in South Africa during her time with GE

There are so many sources of energy, and the current situation is a further driver to both reduce consumption and increase our use of sustainable energy supplies. The recent impact on energy prices has been primarily driven by price increases in fossil fuel gas through both markets and war. However, we already know that we have to stop using fossil fuels.

It is up to the engineers to convert science into the new, reliable, investable, and economical technological innovations that will increase the UK’s supply of energy in all the vectors needed, such as electricity, clean gas, heat, and fuels.

Change is always painful, and the country is feeling that pain, but with everyone in the energy value chain pulling together, this country has the opportunity to make the remarkable change necessary to both reduce supply costs and achieve Net Zero by 2050. Engineers in all disciplines are absolutely crucial in achieving this goal.

Remembering what was achieved at COP26

The UK chaired COP26 last November and retains its presidency for another year. This event brings world nations together in the Conference of Parties to address the issues of climate change. Last year, there was a particular focus on the impact of climate change on islands. A number of resolutions were achieved, and these include:

  • By 2030, 100 countries have committed to reduce their methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels. Methane is more impactful that CO2 so short-term aims are essential to mobilise action;
  • At least 23 countries have made new commitments to phase out coal power, including five of the world’s top 20 coal power-using countries. Additionally, major international banks committed to effectively end all international public financing of new unabated coal power by the end of 2021;
  • By 2023, all UK-listed companies are required to present their low-carbon transition plans in line with the UK’s Net Zero 2050 target.

Working with the planet rather than against it

forestInternational Women in Engineering Day, on 23rd June, is just after the summer solstice. I always take time out at the solstice to appreciate nature and re-affirm my commitment to working with the planet rather than against it.

It is fascinating to me that so many women are involved with sustainable engineering compared to other fields and I look forward to the time when engineering is gender balanced so a special day for women in engineering is no longer needed.

Until then however, I think it is really important to celebrate women in engineering and do as my aunt did for me — show that this is normal, that women are capable of and present in engineering roles, and that we are good at it, we enjoy it, and we are making a difference.

Bringing together technology, skills and capital to make the Net Zero difference!

I am really excited to be working with the next generation of clean technologies. Over the next few years, they will be building demonstrators and pilot plants. Coming from both an engineering and a business consulting background, I know that helping these companies commercialise their solutions is an absolute priority.

As well as the technical programmes, I work with the Clean Growth Fund and lead the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio acceleration support services contract, helping SMEs with business development, marketing, and investor engagement. I am super excited to see how bringing technology, skills and capital together will make the Net Zero difference!

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