Clare McDowell

When did you join Natural Power? 

January 2023 

Can you tell us more about your role?  

I work in, and help grow, the energy storage and co-location team. I oversee projects across feasibility, M&A, financing and procurement. While this has been predominantly UK based, we have expanded in the last few years to cover the Nordics, Italy, Poland, Germany and France growing our BESS expertise to almost 100GWh. 

I also work with the wider NP team to develop tools and scope offerings to support our clients across the project lifecycle. Recently we’ve developed tools to assess and optimise co-located assets and reviewing performance of operational assets. 

Why did you want to join the renewable energy industry? 

My route into renewables started with a genuine interest in climate change and sustainability. At school, I joined the environmental club, which made me think more seriously about how I could contribute to a greener future. Maths and physics were my strongest subjects, so renewable energy felt like the perfect way to use those skills in a career with real impact.  

What is the most challenging part of your role? 

Advisory work can move quickly, but we still need to understand what really matters to each client and find innovative ways to support them. As we work across more markets, working in new geographies can also be challenging, but building strong local relationships is essential to providing advice that feels seamless and genuinely tailored to our client’s needs. 

What is your favourite aspect of renewables?  

Aside from working in an industry that directly supports the energy transition, I enjoy that the sector is continually evolving, which creates opportunities to develop new expertise and respond to emerging market needs. As the BESS market matures, for example, we are increasingly supporting operational assets through performance reviews, root cause analysis and optimisation/augmentation advice, helping clients improve asset performance and increasing long-term value of the assets. 

What has been your proudest achievement? 

I briefly worked in the rail industry when I graduated. This included working on the Paddington Crossrail station. I was proud to walk through the station after it had been completed and see the work I had contributed to being used by so many people. But my proudest achievement has been transferring to working in the renewables sector 8 years ago. Over the last 3 years, at Natural Power, I have contributed to 60GWh of renewable projects. While I may not  see people directly using my work, working in a sector that genuinely aligns with my interests and values has been incredibly rewarding. 

Tell us something interesting about yourself (do you have a hidden talent or a quirky fact?)   

I enjoy being outdoors, whether hiking in the mountains, snowboarding, or getting out on the water. I’ve followed that interest by spending time working in the Alps and previously serving as president of my university wakeboarding club.