JUDGES

Alan Midwinter is a degree-qualified engineer who has worked within the gas industry for over 39 years, in both operational and senior management roles. During his career, Alan has gained a broad depth of knowledge within the gas sector.

Alan has led many award-winning projects and was IGEM’s Gas Industry’s Engineer of the year in 2015.

He has been at the forefront of developing the biomethane industry within the UK since its inception in 2009 and is now considered one of the country’s leading experts. A member of the Institute of Engineering Technology, Alan is also panel member on the Biomethane technical working group at the Energy Network Association (ENA) and sits on the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association’s (ADBA) advisory board.

Dr Amaya Arias Garcia is an anaerobic digestion expert with over 20 years’ experience in process engineering, design, project management and plant operations working with agricultural residues, municipal food waste and industrial effluents.  She has worked in many countries and different plant capacities always keeping an eye on new technical developments and innovative solutions to maximise and optimise the products of AD. She recently moved to Spain after more than two decades based in the UK to help Nortegas Green energy Solutions realise their strategic goal of replacing natural gas by renewable gases.

Chris Maloney is a senior executive with over 35 years of global corporate management experience in the energy, renewables, water and waste management sectors.  He currently serves as CEO of Entsorga Inc., the North American division of the Entsorga Group, one of the world’s leading providers of solid waste treatment technologies for the production of renewable natural gas, solid engineered biofuel and organic fertiliser. Mr. Maloney also serves as President of the Integrated Biogas Alliance, a global confederation of leading technology, engineering, construction and service companies in the organic waste to renewable natural gas sector.

Previously, Mr. Maloney served as Global Head of Zenviro Tech’s Renewables business, Chief Executive Officer of The Capernaum Group, Chief Operating Officer of Digested Organics and Chairman & CEO of Amandla International in South Africa.

Mr. Maloney holds a BS in Engineering from the University of Illinois serves on several boards including Entsorga Inc., the World Biogas Association and Prime Quoin and recently represented the waste to energy and biogas industries speaking at COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Dr Keith Simons is an Industrial Chemist by training, and experienced in innovation management in sustainable energy and carbon abatement technologies. A key aspect of his role is to advance the scientific base for producing fuels for SHV Energy’s group of companies  through the development of a global collaborative Research and Development programme, identifying and developing technologies to support the ambitious corporate goal to ensure that 100% of SHV Energy’s products will be low carbon and renewably sourced by 2040.

Keith is also Chair of the World Biogas Association Policy, Innovation and Technical Committee