Energy Unplugged
Energy Unplugged brought together industry professionals for a day of practical energy and sustainability insights at Albert Hall, Manchester.
Energy Unplugged, Inspired’s headline event
Industry professionals connected and gained practical energy and sustainability cost-saving tips at our exclusive event.
Date: Thursday 11th June 2026
Location: Albert Hall, Manchester, M2 5QR
Highlights of the day
- Tim Peake, renowned British astronaut and keynote speaker, shared his unique perspective on innovation and resilience.
- Ed Gillespie, a veteran environmentalist, activist and futurist, delivered a fast-paced, thought-provoking session that challenged assumptions and sparked new thinking.
- Attendees uncovered new commercial and cost-saving opportunities.
- Delegates gained insight into emerging regulation and policy changes impacting their business.
- Practical, sector-specific insights were shared across the energy value chain.
- Attendees connected with Inspired’s experts and peers from across the industry.
Keep scrolling for the full event programme.
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Event Programme
| Timings | Agenda |
|---|---|
| 9:30am | Delegates arrived for the 10:00am start |
| 10:00am | Turn down the noise Compere Nathan Parker opened Energy Unplugged by setting the rhythm for the day, cutting through the noise, complexity and competing narratives around energy and sustainability. Nathan framed the challenge facing UK organisations and spoke about moving from overwhelm to clarity, and from intention to action. |
| 10:10am | Soundcheck – Power to change: The UK’s decarbonisation journey Ed Gillespie delivered a fast-paced, thought-provoking session that challenged assumptions and sparked new thinking. With a sharp update on the latest climate context, Ed explored the UK’s decarbonisation journey and cut through common energy myths. Moving beyond the idea of simply “going green,” he highlighted the economic and resilience case for change, showing why reducing energy, cutting costs and lowering carbon is a clear, practical opportunity. |
| 10:40am | Exclusive talk from Headline Sponsor – EDF Energy What’s really driving your energy costs – and why non-commodity charges matter more than ever This session explored what’s really driving energy costs. It broke down the key policy changes and reforms shaping the market, what makes up non-commodity charges, and why they are becoming a bigger and less predictable part of your bill. As the energy landscape evolves, so does the challenge of staying in control of your spend. We shared practical insight into how you can better understand these changes and work more effectively with your supplier or consultant to plan ahead. |
| 10:55am | Finding the right frequency: Making energy & sustainability decisions pay In an era of ongoing price volatility, tightening budgets and rising sustainability expectations, organisations are under pressure to control energy costs today while still delivering long-term carbon reduction. This session reframed energy and sustainability as interconnected commercial priorities, showing how better consumption management, smarter buying and clearer decision-making can protect budgets and accelerate decarbonisation. Rather than treating cost control and sustainability as competing agendas, the session explored how leading organisations are aligning the two to drive resilience, confidence and measurable results. |
| 11:30am | From reactive to resilient: What practical energy leadership looks like – panel discussion With representation from manufacturing, retail, education, social housing and healthcare, the panel explored how organisations are moving beyond short-term reactions to build long-term resilience. The session focused on sector-specific energy and sustainability challenges and how practical leadership can help businesses embed energy and sustainability into everyday decisions. |
| 12.15pm | Lunch |
| 1.00pm | Breaking down the drivers of change – rotating seminars – AI & Emerging Technologies – Energy Risk & Markets – ESG – Decarbonisation |
| 3.00pm | Coffee Break |
| 3.15pm | Tim Peake, British Astronaut Drawing on his extraordinary experiences in space, Tim Peake offered a powerful perspective on innovation and resilience. His keynote challenged audiences to think differently about risk, responsibility and long-term thinking, followed by an audience Q&A. |
| 4.00pm | Encore and next moves Nathan Parker closed the day by weaving together key insights, shared challenges and moments of inspiration into a spoken-word summary, leaving delegates with clarity, momentum and a sense of shared purpose. |
| 4.20pm | Unwind Attendees wound down with drinks, canapés and music as the event drew to a close. |
| 6:00pm | Curfew |
Sponsors
Speakers
Tim Peake CMG, a British astronaut, Keynote Speaker
Drawing on his extraordinary experiences in space, Tim Peake offers a powerful perspective on innovation and resilience.
His keynote challenged audiences to think differently about risk, responsibility and long-term thinking, followed by an audience Q&A.
British astronaut, Keynote Speaker
Professor Sara Walker is an expert on the future of renewables, hydrogen, storage, and decarbonisation, from the perspective of the wider energy system.
As the Director of Hub on Hydrogen Integration for Accelerated Energy Transitions (HI-ACT) and Co-Director, Energy Demand Research Centre (EDRC), she is highly knowledgeable in her field.
Director: Birmingham Energy Institute
Daniel Paterson is Director of Policy and Government Affairs for Electrify Industry.
Powered by Make UK, Electrify Industry was formed by industrial organisations following the 2024 UK General Election, with a mandate to campaign for a level playing field in industrial energy costs, ensuring that industrial business have a true choice in energy options as they seek to modernise, and put British industry at the heart of the conversation and thinking around strategic energy issues.
Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Electrify Industry- Make UK
United Learning is a group of independent schools and academies operating in England, and they have committed to having a positive impact on their local communities, on the national education system and on the wider world.
As an educational establishment, they have already taken some important steps to reduce their carbon impact
Energy & Sustainability Manager, United Learning
Lucy is an award-winning clinical leader with a passion to enabling and leading sustainable change in healthcare.
Head of Sustainability, Circle Health Group
Ed Gillespie is a veteran environmentalist, activist and futurist who for almost half his life has spent the last 25 years at the edge of change as a pioneering sustainability consultant, a Director of Greenpeace UK, a facilitator in responsible leadership with the Forward Institute and as a Director, mentor or investor in a dozen or so ethical start-up businesses.
He co-hosts two leading podcasts, circumnavigated the globe without flying, is a writer and poet, and as a self-styled ‘Insultant’ brings playfulness to his provocations.
Environmental Entrepreneur and Author
Rashid has worked at Anchor Hanover Group for 9 years, solely in the procurement team and moved to the senior role last July.
His background is financial services, within the banking and insurance sector specifically.
Senior Procurement Category Manager, Anchor
Paul Lockwood is Head of Procurement and Net Zero at OurCoop, with more than 25 years’ experience across the private, public and co-operative sectors.
A specialist in procurement transformation, sustainability and supplier management, he has led major change programmes delivering significant cost savings and operational improvements.
Paul also heads up the ISM Energy and Procurement Consortium, which includes the largest regional retail co-ops in the UK, achieving around £30 million in annual savings for Independent Society Member (ISM) co-operatives over the past three years.
Head of Procurement & Net Zero, OurCoop
Raghav joined EDF in 2008 following four years at HSBC Investment Bank. At EDF, Raghav has fulfilled roles in Sales Planning & Analysis, Strategy & Proposition Development and Low Carbon Energy trading.
Raghav was appointed Senior Manager of Large Business in 2018 and is now Business Supply Director, with overall responsibility for EDF’s major industrial and commercial customers and public sector frameworks, both directly and through channel partners.
Raghav is excited to be chairing this event.
Business Supply Director, EDF Business & Wholesale
Got any questions?
Whether you want to explore an idea further or continue the conversation, the Inspired team are happy to chat.