Charlotte Healey announced as Statkraft’s new Head of Solar in the UK

"I really feel I can shape projects to make the biggest impact and have the freedom to explore the wider environmental opportunities each solar site has"

Charlotte Healey

Head of Solar

Statkraft has a clear commitment to deliver a better kind of power, through developing and building the clean, renewable energy we’ve been pioneering as a company for more than 125 years. So it’s really exciting to be taking on this brand-new role, which I believe demonstrates Statkraft’s commitment to solar in UK and is a statement of our intent to expand.

I’ve been at Statkraft since 2018, joining during the acquisition of Element Power, where I worked as a project director. Since then, I’ve watched our team and our ambitions here in the UK grow dramatically. It’s been admittedly challenging developing solar projects recently, but I wanted to set out a few thoughts about how I’m going to approach my new role in the months and years ahead.

Consistently high support

At Statkraft, my team develops large scale projects known as solar farms, not installations on rooftop or homes. They produce electricity that feeds into the national grid and is distributed to homes and business. Firstly, I want to use my new position to challenge some of the misconceptions and misunderstanding about solar developments. They are quick to deploy – which is important for the environment and our energy security. They also take up such a small proportion of land in the UK – just 0.08% - and the UK Government’s planning guidance is that they are built on ‘moderate quality’ land, so are of low impact to food production. It’s understandable that people may be confused by mixed messages that sometimes come from senior politicians, but let’s not forget that solar enjoys consistently high public support.

However, I’m always mindful that some people may be worried about the impact of developments in their local area and have legitimate concerns about the impact of new projects. Statkraft is very community-oriented and getting out to meetings and consultations in the areas where we’re developing is one of my favourite parts of the job. Explaining our plans, listening to questions, and working closely with communities is the best way to find out what’s important to them.

Wider benefits

Secondly, I think people don’t always realise the significant environmental benefits that solar projects can bring, alongside the obvious cheaper, clean electricity they generate. I’ve always had an interest in conservation and studied for an MSc in Environmental Management earlier in my career. So, it’s important to me that we look at the wider benefits of our projects, and don’t just focus on how much electricity each site produces. That could mean introducing biodiversity improvements, planting trees, and creating habitats for native species.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of working at Statkraft is that I really feel I can shape projects to make the biggest impact and have the freedom to explore the wider benefits and environmental opportunities each solar site has. And each site is different, so of course every development is different. Empowering my team, so they take the same approach and can innovate and be creative, is very important to me. 

Many people are thinking about where our energy comes from, when previously they took it for granted. Rising costs of electricity and the risk of relying on power from overseas has focused people on the need to build cheaper, home-grown sources of power in the UK. Solar is one of the best ways to do that and help mitigate the spiralling costs of consumers’ electricity bills, in an environmentally friendly way. I can’t wait to get out there and make the case for it.