Heat Seminar 2026 Speakers

Megan Amundson

Head of Onshore Wind & Consenting, Scottish Renewables

Megan Amundson is the Head of Onshore Wind and Consenting for Scottish Renewables, the trade body for the renewable industry in Scotland. She works with the UK Government, Scottish Government, and local planning authorities to put policies in place that grow Scotland’s renewables industry and support reaching Scotland’s net-zero targets.

Dr Simon Gill

Independent Energy Consultant, The Energy Landscape

Simon is a senior energy system specialist with over 15 years experience advising government, regulators, and industry on electricity systems and energy policy. His recent work focuses on electricity market reform, whole energy system strategy, and the role of hydrogen in net zero transitions. He previously spent five years at the Scottish Government, working closely with Ministers on the development and delivery of Scottish energy policy, and building effective collaboration between government, regulators and the private sector. He holds a PhD in electrical engineering focusing on the integration of renewables into the power system.

Mark Goudie

Head of Strategic Projects & Optimisation, SP Energy Networks

Mark is the Head of DSO Strategic Projects & Optimisation at SP Energy Networks. He is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and Fellow with broad technical, commercial and management experience across the energy sector. Mark’s role includes leading our Strategic Optimisation & Low Carbon Technology (LCT) Optioneering with Local Authorities and Local, Regional and National Government to support the development of their energy plans, supporting Distribution System Operation (DSO) delivery, and embedding Whole System thinking across SP Energy Networks.

James Hemphill

Head of the Heat Networks, Local Government & Public Sector Policy Unit, Scottish Government

James Hemphill is Unit Head of the Heat Networks, Local Government & Public Sector Policy Unit within the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings programme.

James and his colleagues have supported the production of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) by Scotland’s local authorities, the passage of heat network legislation, and the development of the planned Heat in Buildings Bill.

Sue McGalliard

Associate Heritage Consultant – Heritage, SLR

Sue McGalliard is a historic environment specialist with 15 years of experience working across the UK and internationally on major infrastructure and energy projects. Since moving into consultancy in 2022, she has delivered cultural heritage inputs for large scale transmission and renewable schemes, with experience supporting Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE). As Cultural Heritage Lead within the SPEN framework, Sue managed heritage inputs for overhead lines, substations and grid connections, while advising multidisciplinary teams on heritage constraints and design considerations. She also contributed to the Beauly–Peterhead 400 kV Overhead Line for SSE, assessing impacts on heritage receptors. With a background in commercial archaeology and post excavation, Sue brings deep experience across the full project lifecycle—from fieldwork and ACoW roles to producing EIA/ESIA chapters, baseline studies and technical assessments. A Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (MCIfA), she is committed to high professional standards and building strong relationships that support project success.

Drew Murphy

RESP Strategic Lead – Scotland, NESO

Drew is a Strategic Lead in the Regional Energy Strategic Planning (RESP) Scotland team at the National Energy System Operator (NESO). He has a focus on how the energy transition can enable heat and transport decarbonisation, as well as supporting partnership working with Local Government. He previously led the development of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) policy at the Scottish Government and has over 15 years of experience in the energy sector delivering heat decarbonisation, renewable energy and fuel poverty related policy and projects.

Dr Chris Smith

Head of Grid Services, Natural Power

Chris is strategic energy leader who has undertaken his own energy transition from traditional steam-turbine generation into shaping the future of renewables, interconnection, and HVDC-enabled energy systems. With over 25 years’ experience influencing the direction of the energy transition. As Sector Lead for Grid he supports Natural Power’s clients across the asset lifecycle from project origination through to operations.