Kaitlyn Confer
When did you join Natural Power?
I joined Natural Power in October 2022. It's been an incredible journey so far, and I'm thrilled to be part of a team that's making a positive impact on our environment every day.
What does your day typically consist of?
My days are a dynamic mix of supporting our advisory and analytics teams. A significant portion of my time goes into pre-construction energy yield assessments. This involves various tasks such as quality checking wind data, modelling wakes, and estimating losses for both onshore and offshore wind projects. I also enjoy contributing to our R&D team on exciting projects like validating large-eddy simulations for offshore wind resource assessments using lidar and buoy data. It's a role that keeps me on my toes!
What is the most challenging part of your role?
The most challenging part of my job is staying at the forefront of our rapidly evolving industry, both in the renewable energy sector and the constantly evolving field of climate science. It's a challenge I embrace with enthusiasm because it's essential to ensure we provide our clients with the most up-to-date and accurate information.
What is the most interesting type of work you have done and why?
One of the most fascinating projects I've been a part of is the development of Natural Power's new Climate Risk Assessment. This innovative tool helps our clients prepare for and safeguard their assets from the impacts of climate change. I had the opportunity to delve into the intricacies of the EU Taxonomy, a classification system that helps companies and investors identify environmentally sustainable and economic investment decisions, which was not only interesting but also incredibly enlightening. Coming from a background in climate research, it's immensely satisfying to apply the skills I developed in academia to my current role at Natural Power, where we're making a real difference in addressing climate challenges.
Provide a hidden talent or quirky fact about yourself!?
Well, one not-so-hidden talent of mine is photography! I have a deep passion for traveling and capturing the world through my camera lens, but what truly fascinates me are the stories of people. There's something magical about the way a photograph can tell a person's story, and I love to explore this art form whenever I can. In fact, I recently had the privilege of accompanying my team to the Wild Horse wind farm and had the opportunity to take some incredible photographs for Natural Power, combining my love for renewable energy with my passion for photography. You can see Kaitlyn photo’s from Wild Horse Wind Farm on our Instagram.