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Expert’s energy conservation experience was developed at a steelworks where he introduced an improved energy monitoring approach in the rolling mill and heat treatment areas and was instrumental in the introduction and running of energy committees for both areas. The main focus of attention was reheat furnace combustion optimisation, seals and light-up, maximising the amount of steel charged hot to the reheat furnaces and maximising the amount of heat recovered at the waste heat boilers.

Since his move into energy consultancy, Expert’s energy conservation activities have expanded into the food and drink, foundry and quarrying sectors to name 3, in addition to the high temperature industries. He has also developed considerable expertise in energy and carbon management, having developed energy policy and strategy for around a dozen companies and run around a dozen long term energy management programmes. This latter activity typically features installation of additional energy meters, the introduction of monitoring and targeting (M & T), awareness raising, provision of staff energy training, introduction of accountability for consumption and energy reporting. Such programmes have been delivered in the steel, foundry, food, textile and supermarket sectors.


On leaving university Expert developed his combustion and furnace experience during 11 years in the steel industry where he installed low thermal mass furnace linings and introduced improved furnace door seals. Expert also project managed the re-burnering of several small test furnaces and ovens and the specification, installation and acceptance testing of a high temperature heat treatment plant including 4 recuperative furnaces and quenching plant. He developed a reheat furnace monitoring system and introduced an organised reheat furnace light-up procedure at the start of the week.

Expert then moved to a role as a high temperature applications specialist for BOC Gases, focusing on the glass and minerals industries and looking to find opportunities where furnace performance (product quality or output) could be enhanced by the use of oxygen. He introduced oxygen enrichment on rotary and vertical shaft magnesite kilns working at up to 1,700° C, on a rotary lime kiln working at 1,450°C and on a wet process cement kiln. His major activity however was in the glass industry, where his experience covers all sectors. He evaluated well over 50 glass furnaces and implemented over a dozen oxygen projects. Half of these involved the use of oxygen injection or oxy-fuel burners to improve the performance of old furnaces, and the others were full oxy-fuel conversions, typically for niche situations.

Since 2000 Expert has been in energy consultancy, involved in a wide range of sectors. His experience has seen him assessing combustion and thermal performance of steam boilers, thermal oil boilers, bakery ovens, glass furnaces, steel reheat furnaces, foundry furnaces and ovens, road stone dryers and lime kilns.


Expert has extensive reporting experience developed over 25 years. This started with plant performance reporting in the steel industry. Working for BOC Gases, Expert produced reports of high temperature furnace evaluations often culminating in an oxygen related proposal. Implemented solutions were also reported so that uptake could be expanded into Group companies in other countries. Sometimes these activities were presented at international conferences or articles were written for technical magazines.

Within energy consultancy, Expert produces a report of every survey, and this is sometimes to the client format but more often to his own format. Expert has also completed reports of feasibility studies and technical assessments for private clients and the Carbon Trust (UK Government agency). Expert’s reporting also includes major consultancy projects such as a £75,000 energy management programme at 20 U.K supermarkets and a £500,000 carbon management club featuring 20 companies, run on behalf of a U.K regional development agency. This latter item also included preparation of progress reports every 2 months for the 18 month duration of the project. Expert’s reports are typically for senior management and technical staff.


Expert provided technical, data analysis and energy management support to 10 companies in the aggregates sector as part of the Carbon Trust's dedicated energy programme for the sector. The support provided spanned sand and gravel quarries, limestone quarries, granite quarries, asphalt production, readymix concrete, haulage fleets and energy policy and strategy development. Expert provided a range of support to the Teesside Cast Products integrated steel works over a 2 year period. This included data analysis, energy surveys for the wharf and materials transfer, sinter plant, coke ovens, BOS plant and power station. His work was then expanded to include development of a common energy policy and sepatate energy strategies for the five major operational areas on the site, along with an energy management system for the site. Expert provided support to New Energy Finance in the production of a research note on the impact of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on the European steel industry. This included discussions with suppliers to the European steel industry along with steel manufacturers in the U.K, Germany and Finland. Expert undertook a detailed energy survey of a specialist Doncasters foundry producing precision components for turbo chargers. This included an energy management review; a metering review; a survey of the 3 induction melting furnaces, casting and site services; and a detailed investigation of the sites large number of mould drying furnaces, covering combustion set-up, insulation, heat recovery opportunities, doors and sealing, charging and maintenance practice. Expert undertook research on the use of melting aids in the glass industry on behalf of ETSU. This involved a literature search, meetings with producers of spodumene and calumite and meetings/discussions with several of the U.K's major glass manufacturers. A report documenting the history and future trends was the final product.