Focusing on a Net Zero future

The conference plays host to developers, investors and buyers who will be looking to uncover the latest trends and solutions. Delegates at the event in Glasgow can meet with representatives and colleagues from across the industry.

Buyers from sectors such as local government authorities, consultancy services, power suppliers, software developers, OEMs and education will be in attendance, hoping to check out the next big thing in renewable energy solutions.

Tina Abulashvili, event organiser, said: “At All-Energy, we’re proud to collaborate with a group of expert Ambassadors representing five key sectors driving the energy transition: offshore wind, onshore wind, grid and networks, hydrogen, and decarbonisation and sustainability.

“These Ambassadors act as advocates for the events, bringing invaluable insights and ideas from their areas of expertise to help shape the direction of the conference. They’re actively involved in developing content, contributing to conference sessions, and helping us spotlight the issues, innovations and opportunities that matter most.

“From editorial features and articles to on-stage discussions, our Ambassadors are at the heart of our mission—to drive meaningful dialogue and progress across the industry.”

Introducing Clare Foster, All-Energy Ambassador

Clare Foster is Head of Clean Energy at Shepherd and Wedderburn and as a partner in the banking team also leads the Project Finance practice. She has been involved in many high-profile and innovative finance transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

She has been active in the UK energy sector since the late-1990s, advising clients on projects spanning various clean energy technologies (including onshore renewables (wind, hydro, solar, biomass and battery), offshore wind (fixed, floating and tidal), carbon sequestration and decarbonisation).

She is a frequent contributor to the legal and national press on clean energy topics, and was a director on the board of industry body RenewableUK between 2019 and 2022. Clare also leads the Edinburgh Climate Compact, which aims to radically reduce the capital city’s carbon emissions.

Shepherd and Wedderburn as a company realised the importance of clean energy early on and has been invested in the sector for more than three decades. It is now the firm’s largest sector, with 120 lawyers fully engaged in clean energy work . The firm has also been headline sponsor for All-Energy since 2015.

Clare said: “By bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and advocates, All-Energy 2025 aims to catalyse transformative change in the energy sector, paving the way for a greener, more sustainable future. With Shepherd and Wedderburn being headline sponsor of All-Energy for the last 11 years, I am very proud to be attending as an Ambassador this year.

“The pursuit of a clean, affordable and secure power system, which brings with it jobs and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is a key priority for the UK, as reflected in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. The Plan articulates a suite of hugely ambitious, time-critical reforms, all of which are essential when the global picture remains precarious and uncertain. There is enormous opportunity for industry and individuals to engage and help drive progress. We are therefore excited to reaffirm our support for All-Energy 2025, the premier platform dedicated to fostering impactful discussions and collaborations.

“The Prime Minister has recently reinforced his commitment to net zero and the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. So, to be part of that and actually making a difference through the work we do  is hugely rewarding.”

Chairing All-Energy sessions

Clare is often asked to speak at industry events on topics such as onshore and offshore wind, sustainability, ports and finance. At All-Energy 2025 she will be chairing two talks.

Talk 1

The first - UK City Decarbonisation: Transformation in Challenging Times – will take place on the first day of the conference, Wednesday May 14.

Clare said: “City decarbonisation is a key pillar of the UK’s transition to a sustainable future. The current economic climate presents real challenges, but also opportunities and the need to balance decarbonisation goals whilst fostering economic growth has never been greater.

“This panel has been curated to convene those who are well placed to debate the challenges and opportunities, why strong relationships between public and private sectors are an imperative for change on a massive scale, and to explore the building blocks needed to create a resilient, low carbon future which benefits people, planet and the economy.

“In Scotland there are 32 local authorities, each of which have challenges in terms of budget, resource and priorities. When faced with the challenges of decarbonisation of heat and transport during a cost-of-living crisis, it's difficult to reconcile those challenges with the other priorities of local government. The issue is multiplied in England and Wales given the number of local authorities. It's about trying to find the keys to unlock the opportunities and address what is a significant issue for the country.”

Talk 2

The second talk Clare will chair is titled Offshore Wind 2: Are We There Yet? The Long Port Infrastructure Journey and will take place in the afternoon of the first day.

Clare commented: “The first ScotWind projects were awarded seabed option agreements over three years ago in April of 2022, with more projects following quickly behind, including those under the INTOG leasing round.

“Despite knowing for some years that port infrastructure would be critical to the deployment of these offshore projects (and indeed would provide a gateway to many other clean energy projects), progress on port infrastructure simply isn’tas swift as it should be. There are some amazing examples of what success looks like, and we need to recognise the size of the prize, in what could be a time-limited opportunity to leverage the significant economic opportunities around our coastline.

“Some investors are looking for all of the blocks to fall into place before they invest, as opposed to taking that leap and getting first mover advantage. But look at brilliant examples like Ardersier Port where they secured £300 million of equity investment ahead of time . That's the kind of bold strategic investment thinking we need.”

Learn more about All-Energy Conference 2025 and register to attend today.