Meet the Team: Liam Greenhalgh | OWC South Africa
At OWC, our teams are constantly expanding, into more locations, in expertise and in sectors of influence, so that our people can truly drive safety and sustainability across our energy and oceans.
Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we invite you to get to know our team members so you can meet the energy behind change.
This week, we speak to Liam Greenhalgh – a Graduate Consultant based in our Cape Town office.
Position: Graduate Consultant
Office: OWC Cape Town, South Africa
Hobbies: Musician, surfing, hiking, running, travelling, fitness!
Favourite Movie/TV Show: Friends or How I Met Your Mother. (or any Disney Movie!)
What does your day-to-day look like at OWC?
My day-to-day comprises of interacting with my international onshore renewables team, undertaking various technical project work, project management, business development, training, and if I’m lucky I’ll get to go on a site visit.
What inspired you to join the industry?
I have always had a passion for innovative technology and sustainable development. With this combination of passions and being a solution-orientated person, renewable energy was by far the most attractive industry to enter as I believe it is the long-term solution for both sustaining our global energy demands and mitigating the impacts of climate change. This industry is the most relevant, exciting, and fast-paced environment to be in. Working in this industry allows me to work toward my penultimate aspiration of being able to contribute to both the global energy transition and the complete electrification of the African continent.
Can you tell us about something exciting you are working on right now?
I am currently working on energy performance analysis, layout optimisation design, and other owner’s engineering services for various clients that are submitting solar PV and wind projects to the South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme’s (REIPPPP) seventh bid window.
It is incredibly fulfilling to be able to contribute directly to South Africa’s energy transition away from fossil fuels and additionally address the country’s energy crisis.
What does the future look like in energy and oceans in South Africa?
Energy in South Africa looks promising. Although we will need to rely on fossil fuels longer than the international community would prefer (in order to develop our economy equitably), there is an abundance of solar and wind resources ready to be captured.
The energy market in South Africa will need to overcome various complex challenges that are unique to our developing economy. These challenges revolve around policy, socioeconomics, and limited electrical infrastructure capacity. The future of energy in South Africa remains promising as the private sector is gaining traction with assisting the government with developing grid infrastructure and increasing generation capacity.
What do you enjoy most about working as part of the ABL Group in South Africa?
Being part of one of the smaller entities within the global company, it is a lot easier to connect with the local team and get to know them outside of work.
The Cape Town office is located very close to the beautiful Constantia wine farms, where we thoroughly enjoy connecting over team and birthday lunches
