eHeat Ireland 2023 Conference Speakers
Alannah O’Neill - Electrical & Sustainability Engineer - DePuy Synthes
Bio to Follow
Alexa Toomey - Head of Sustainability - Enterprise Ireland
Prior to taking up her current role, Alexa worked in several positions across Enterprise Ireland’s Food Division, where she worked with some of our leading Irish and multinational companies supporting them to grow and innovate sustainably from Ireland.
Alexa has 15 years’ experience in strategy development having worked across a variety of industrial policy areas during her time in Enterprise Ireland and has represented the agency on a range of national and European working groups.
She is a graduate in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and holds an MA in Economics from University College Cork.
Brian Ó Gallachóir - Principal Investigator - MaREI Director
Brian Ó Gallachóir is Director of MaREI and Professor of Energy Engineering at UCC. He leads MaREI’s research on building and using energy systems models that have underpinned Irish and EU energy and climate mitigation policies and energy company strategies. He is also MaREI’s Education and Public Engagement Champion and received the Science Foundation Ireland Best International Engagement Award 2020. Brian is elected Chair of International Energy Agency Technology Collaboration Programme on energy systems modelling (IEA-ETSAP) and an elected Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering. Brian has published extensively (over 110 journal papers and h-index of 42), has a B.Sc. from TCD and a PhD from UCC.
Minister Eamon Ryan - Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport
Eamon Ryan is the Minister for Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport. He was elected to represent Dublin Bay South in the 2016 and 2020 General Elections.
He was born in Dublin and raised in Dundrum and Dartry. He studied commerce in UCD before taking a job managing a marketing course in the university’s School of Business. He went on to found a cycling tourism company, Irish Cycling Safaris, in the late 1980s and in 1996 won the Ernst & Young Tourism Enterprise Award. The business still trades successfully as Cycling Safaris.
He was the founding chairperson of the Dublin Cycling Campaign and began his political career as a Dublin City Councillor for the Rathgar – Rathmines ward. He then went on to serve both as a TD for Dublin South and as a Government Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
In recent years, Eamon has worked for a European climate organisation and chaired the digital policy group in the Institute of International and European Affairs (www.iiea.com). He is leader of the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas (www.greenparty.ie).
Ellen Diskin - Head of the National Network, Local Connections Programme - ESB Networks
Dr. Ellen Diskin is responsible for leading ESB Networks’ National Network, Local Connections Programme, and ESB Networks’ newly established Distribution Markets & System Operation Design function. Her team are responsible for transforming role ESB Networks as DSO and implementing Ireland’s Energy Demand Strategy to drive Ireland’s national target of 15-20% demand flexibility by 2025. The programme will introduce new flexible demand products and services to increase system security, renewables’ penetration, community, and market participation in Ireland.
In 2022, the team Ellen leads was tasked by the Commission of Regulation of Utilities to deliver a suite of flexible demand initiatives to support Ireland’s security of supply. These initiatives – ESB Networks’ Beat The Peak – deliver flexible demand across domestic and commercial customers through a range of behavioural and commercial flexible demand initiatives, as well as dynamic voltage management on the network.
Previously, Ellen was responsible for leading the development of ESB Networks’ investment plans for 2021-2025 (“PR5”), for approval by the CRU. She has approaching 15 years’ experience in the energy industry, working in operations, R&D, regulation, and investment planning. Prior to this, Ellen worked in the telecommunications sector. Ellen has recently completed a PhD on ‘The Value Proposition of Smart Distribution System Investment’ at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland.
Fergus Sharkey - Head of Business Supports - SEAI
Fergus Sharkey is a chartered engineer and experienced leader in the sustainable energy sector. Fergus’ current role is Head of Business Supports and Transport in Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland where he leads of department providing a range of supports to help business transition to clean energy, as well as supports for electric vehicles and charging.
Dr.-Ing. Gregor Schumm - Head of Process Engineering - Piller Blowers & Compressors GmbH
Piller Blowers & Compressors is a global player producing customized high-speed blowers and compressors. Our customers come from areas such as petrochemical and chemical industries, general plant and industrial furnace engineering, power plants as well as wastewater treatment. PILLER Blowers are operating in diverse applications e.g. mechanical vapor recompression, platforming and hot-gas circulation. Solutions MADE BY PILLER are exclusively fabricated in accordance with the customers’ requirements – from development to project planning, design and manufacturing up to comprehensive services. We also care about energy efficiency in all aspects: the R&D team is constantly working on new, innovative products and solutions. For excellent performance, highest efficiency – and your success.
James Browne - Environment & Energy Manager - Irish Distillers Limited
James is an experienced engineering professional in the Environmental and Energy sector. He currently works as Environmental and Energy manager with Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard.
John Hanley - Managing Director - FDT Consulting Engineers and Project Managers
John Hanley is the Managing Director of FDT Consulting Engineers and Project Managers. He is a chartered mechanical engineer and graduated from Technological University of Dublin with a degree in mechanical engineering, a master of philosophy in manufacturing engineering, and a PhD in manufacturing engineering. He has extensive experience in technical project engineering across process and utilities plants in the manufacturing sector, most notably in the brewing industry. He has fulfilled the role of Energy Efficient Design Expert across several large projects in the pharmaceutical, brewing, distilling, packaging, freight, dairy, data centre, and medical device sectors in Europe, Central America and Africa and has provided expert mentoring services in Energy Efficient Design to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
Karol Landziak - Energy Lead - Janssen Sciences Ireland
Karol Landziak is the Energy Lead at Janssen Sciences Ireland with years of experience managing energy and sustainability programs in the life sciences industry. With a strong background in engineering and a passion for sustainability, Karol has played a pivotal role in driving innovative energy and decarbonisation solutions. His expertise in project management, coupled with deep understanding of energy management, energy efficiency and renewable energy integration has led to the successful execution of numerous projects that have significantly reduced carbon footprints and energy costs. Karol's experience is complimented by his qualifications in BEng in Energy Engineering, MEngSc in IT in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) from UCC, Diploma in Green Sustainable Organisations from Trinity College and CEM Certification.
Keith Whiriskey - Senior Executive - Enterprise Ireland
Keith has fifteen years of experience in European climate policy, industrial decarbonisation, and the delivery of large low carbon projects. In 2022, Keith joined Enterprise Irelands Sustainability, Renewable Energy & Agritech department providing planning and investment supports to help business reduce emissions and increase competitiveness.
Liam Morris - Site Energy Lead - Janssen Pharmaceutical Sciences
Liam is an Energy Engineer with a strong commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. He recently completed a Masters of Engineering Science in Energy Engineering from University College Cork, where his research focused on data-driven modelling of energy consumption. He had the honour of having his findings presented at several academic conferences, further deepening his expertise in this field.
Currently, he is in the role of Site Energy Lead at Janssen Pharmaceutical Sciences, Little Island, Cork, where he has been instrumental in driving energy performance improvement and supporting decarbonisation initiatives. Leveraging the skills and knowledge acquired during his research, he applies data-driven approaches to optimise energy consumption and implement sustainable practices. His passion for sustainability and energy efficiency permeates every aspect of his work, and he is dedicated to making a positive impact in his role.
Marcell Zambo - Strategy & Business Development Lead, Europe - Rondo Energy
Marcell is responsible for Rondo’s European strategy and business development. He has led the successful business development efforts of Rondo in Ireland. Marcell is a serial entrepreneur, with a background in high impact startup investing, consulting. He has a mathematics and finance background and holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Paul Burke - Environment & Sustainability Manager - PM Group
Paul Burke is PM Groups Environment & Sustainability Department Manager for Cork, he is a charted Building Services Engineer with over 20 years of consultancy design experience across all sectors; commercial, retail, healthcare, pharmaceutical, advanced manufacturing and mission critical.
Ronan Coffey - Global energy Manager - Boston Scientific
Bio to Follow
Sergio Contreras - Senior Energy Engineer - Boston Scientific
Sergio Contreras is a Senior Engineer at Boston Scientific Corporation, where he is responsible for leading the decarbonisation efforts within the company's real estate. This involves implementing the company's energy strategy C3: Cut energy use, Convert to renewable sources, and Compensate for unavoidable carbon emissions. Sergio is a Certified Energy Manager accredited by the Association of Energy Engineers and has prior experience working with pharmaceutical companies in Ireland, as well as Oil & Gas engineering and construction firms in Europe and South America. He holds a Master's degree in Energy Systems Engineering from the University of Galway and a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the National University of Colombia.
Shona Madden - -
Bio to Follow
Sten Snellman - Owner - Fresh Servant Oy Ab
Bio to Follow
Tom Marren - CEO - Astatine Ltd
Over 25 years experience as MD and owner of multiple companies in the energy efficiency and renewable energy sector. These different companies had operations in Ireland, UK, Australia, Saudi Arabia. These companies delivered hundreds of carbon reduction projects utilising CHP, ORC, Solar and high efficiency chillers, boilers and lighting.
Tristan McCallum - Technologist for Engineering and the Green Economy - IDA Ireland
Working as a member of the Engineering & Green Economy; Tristan is responsible for providing critical technical expertise to IDA client companies and supporting their research and innovation agendas.
Tristan is the key interface with Irish research centres relevant to the Engineering & Green Economy space and promotes transformational R&D and adoption of disruptive technology by IDA Ireland client companies.
