Wave Hub Appoints New Commercial Director (UK)

Wave Hub, the offshore renewable energy test facility in Cornwall, has recruited one of the industry’s leading commercial managers to help spearhead its future growth.

Stuart Herbert has been appointed as Wave Hub’s commercial director to lead negotiations with companies planning to use the test site and identify new business opportunities.

Stuart is joining Wave Hub from SGS UK, an inspection, verification, testing and certification company, where he has worked as commercial and operational manager of the company’s UK renewable energy services division for the last 18 months.

Stuart, previously worked as business development manager for the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) in the North East of England for two years until 2011, focusing on marine energy device and wind turbine testing.

Wave Hub managing director Claire Gibson said: “We are delighted to have appointed Stuart Herbert as our new commercial director. Stuart has extensive experience of working in the renewable energy sector, as well as a proven track record of managing commercial business development, and he will be a valuable addition to the Wave Hub team.”

Stuart said: “Having worked in the renewable energy industry for many years, I have established an international network of senior wave and offshore wind energy technical and commercial contacts. Wave Hub is a critical component of the UK’s marine energy infrastructure and I am looking forward to working closely with our customers and potential customers in the future.”

Stuart trained in the Royal Naval Engineering College in Plymouth and the Royal Naval Officer’s College in Dartmouth. He served in the Navy for 14 years, ending his service career as a Royal Naval Lieutenant managing a large helicopter maintenance facility.

Stuart went on to enjoy a successful career in engineering and business development in the private sector before working for some of the leading renewable energy organisations.

Wave Hub is expecting to see the deployment of its first wave energy device in 2014 and has recently applied for consent to install and operate a floating wind platform demonstrator, designed by US-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm The Glosten Associates in partnership with Alstom and supported by the Energy Technologies Institute.

The 6MW PelaStar tension leg platform prototype is planned for installation at Wave Hub in 2015 and would be the UK’s first floating offshore wind turbine.

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Press release, October 1, 2013; Image: eti