Smart Grid Ireland 2025 Innovation Conference Speakers
Ajay Kumar Sutrakar - Manager - Biomethane Development Office
Ajay Kumar Sutrakar serves as the Manager of the Biomethane Development Office (BDO) under the "Biomethane for Carbon and Community" (BCC) initiative. Co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the EU Just Transition Fund (2021-2027), the BCC project collaborates with the Tipperary County Council, the Technological University of the Shannon, the Irish Bioeconomy Foundation, and the Tipperary Energy Agency. This initiative positions Ireland at the forefront of biomethane development, decarbonization, and community-focused energy solutions, specifically targeting the Tipperary Decarbonising Zone (DZ) and the wider Just Transition Fund region.
With nearly two decades of expertise in project management and a commitment to advancing the energy transition, Ajay brings substantial experience in bioeconomy, circular economy, and renewable energy innovations. His academic credentials include a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Government Engineering College, Rewa, an M.Tech in Design Engineering from IIT Delhi, and an MBA from Trinity Business School, Dublin. Previously, he led the Hydrogen, Biomass, Waste to Energy, and Combustion Division at NETRA (NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance) at NTPC Limited, India’s largest energy conglomerate.
Andrew Doyle - Policy Lead for Microgeneration and Smart Energy Services - Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Bio to Follow
Bob Barbour - CEO - Centre for Competitiveness
Brendan Kelly - Head of Commercial - Bord na Móna Renewable Energy
Brendan is the Head of Commercial at BnM Renewable Energy and is responsible for developing commercial strategies and full commercialisation of BnM 3GW+ development pipeline. He is also leading the diversification strategy for the company specifically in the areas of Offshore Wind, Energy Parks, Power to X, and Flextech.
Brendan has over 13 years’ experience in the Utility and Energy sector. Prior to joining BnM, Brendan held several senior management positions with Smart Wires, an Energy Technology company, based out of the Bay Area in California. Brendan also previously held senior engineering roles at EirGrid, most notably leading the design of Grid Connections for over 2GW of wind generators to the Irish system
Brendan has an Electrical Engineering background having received his Bachelors and Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from University College Dublin.
Darren Kinsella - BDM New Energy Landscapes - Schneider Electric
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Fergus O Toole - Manager - Active Customers and Smart Metering - Commission for Regulation of Utilities(CRU)
Fergus O’Toole is the Manager for Active Customers and Smart Metering at the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Fergus is responsible for the implementation of aspects of EU Directives in relation to Active Customers and Energy Communities as well as new market services, including energy sharing. Fergus has over 15 years’ experience in retail energy markets, managing customer protection frameworks and competition as well as having spent four years as Deputy Director for Consumer Protection in the CCPC.
Gerry Noone - Manager - ESB
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Gillian Baker - Programme Manager - SEAI
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Gloria Callinan - Project Support Officer Sustainable Energy Skills - Technological University of the Shannon
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Dr. James Young - Decarbonisation & Sustainability Engineer - NI CforC
James graduated from Queens University, Belfast with a First Class Honours with Masters in Chemical Engineering (2015), before completing a PhD on a part-time basis (2020) alongside a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funded by Innovate UK for 3 years (2015 – 2018).
James’ area of specialisation is associated with the valorisation of waste from agricultural and the agri-food sector. As part of this work James has researched, designed, installed and managed processes within existing businesses and built new businesses, treating these waste streams to produce nutraceutical products for human consumption on a global scale. This has widened to include the utilisation of waste from other sectors and understanding how these can be re-purposed by a safe and feasible method.
With the onset of net zero targets and the need for decarbonisation, James has focused his work towards the decarbonisation and emission reduction of agriculture and how energy can be produced from agricultural waste streams with recovery of other co-products. His goal is to demonstrate that sustainability and decarbonisation is possible through interlinking of activities on a cross-sectoral approach, which he is in the process of proving as technical lead within the first Zero Carbon Co-operative (ZCC) in the UK and Ireland.
During his career to date James has worked with local and global companies in sectors such as accounting, manufacturing and engineering. He has engaged and lobbied government locally and nationally and has published research in renowned peer-reviewed journals.
Kent Narvhus Oksdøl - Data Platform Sales Leader - GE Vernova
Kent Narvhus Oksdøl leads EMEA sales for GE Vernova’s GridOS Data Fabric, the first data platform built for full grid orchestration. He works closely with utilities to modernize their data infrastructure, enabling flexibility, resilience, and faster progress toward decarbonization. With a strong track record of turning complex technology into business value, Kent brings deep expertise in digital platforms and data strategy. His mission is to help grid operators leverage data as a strategic asset in the energy transition.
Mark McGranaghan - EPRI Fellow - EPRI Europe
Mark McGranaghan is a Fellow at EPRI, located at the EPRI Europe office in Dublin. He received his BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toledo (Ohio) in 1977 and 1978, respectively. He has authored more than 70 technical papers and articles on topics ranging from power quality to insulation coordination. Mark has been a leader in the areas of power quality, development of the smart grid, and distributed resource integration for over 20 years. He is an IEEE Fellow and in 2014 received the Charles Proteus Steinmetz Award for his expertise and dedication to power engineering standards development.
Peter Glover - Future Networks Manager - NIE Networks
Peter Glover is currently the Future Networks Manager at NIE Networks. In this role, Peter leads a team of engineers responsible for implementing Innovation Projects. These projects involve integrating new technologies and techniques into the Business as Usual (BaU) operations in Northern Ireland.
With over 20 years of experience in the Utility and Energy sector, Peter brings a wealth of knowledge to his current position. Prior to joining NIE, he served as the Applications Engineering Manager at Qualitrol. In that role, he specialised in substation and asset monitoring technology, including Fault Recorders, Fault Locators, PMUs (Phasor Measurement Units), and Power Quality Monitors. During this role, he travelled extensively, working in substations on six continents.
Sarah O'Suilleabhain - Dalkey Hillside SEC
Sarah is a climate activist and has recently completed a masters in climate change at DCU. Her research titled "Irish Communities Owning Energy: What's Stopping Them?" explored the barriers facing communities hoping to develop community owned renewable energy projects. She leads a number of climate action projects in her local community, including Dalkey Hillside Sustainable Energy Community, and has spent 6 years on the board of Friends of the Earth Ireland.
