Former Rolls-Royce director joins UK energy storage startup Cheesecake Energy as CEO
UK energy storage startup Cheesecake Energy (CEL) announces its new Chief Executive, Paul Harris, the former Director of Economic Development at Rolls-Royce.
Paul Harris has over 30 years of experience in the aerospace, defence and nuclear industries from his career with Rolls-Royce plc, originating and executing a wide range of international projects including M&A, joint ventures and non-incorporated collaborations as well as serving on a number of industry advisory bodies.
He will take over as Chief Executive at Cheesecake Energy from Michael Simpson, who co-founded the business in 2016. Michael becomes Chief Commercial and Product Officer, leading CEL’s commercial team as it seeks to establish itself as the world’s leader in medium-duration, medium-scale energy storage.
Paul Harris, CEO of Cheesecake Energy.
Michael Simpson said:
“Paul has a wealth of technical and organisational experience from his career at Rolls-Royce; just as importantly he shares our vision and enthusiasm to make Cheesecake Energy a valuable, impactful, and durable solution in the critical and dynamic field of energy storage. I am looking forward to working with Paul as we focus on our product roadmap, develop commercial partnerships and build the team at Cheesecake.”
Commenting on his appointment, Paul Harris said:
“I am delighted to join the CEL team as the new chief executive at this exciting stage of the company’s growth and look forward to contributing to CEL’s important mission. Michael and the CEL team have done a fantastic job in founding and funding the company and building its reputation. I am looking forward to joining the team and helping shape the future of this innovative company.”
Adam Parr, Executive Chairman said:
“CEL is an ambitious company which needs to succeed in a range of commercial, engineering and industrial disciplines. Paul brings crucial experience from across that range as well as a personality which will fit perfectly with our team, strategy and mission. It is also fantastic that Paul is a local resident who will help build a new industrial champion in the East Midlands.”
The Nottingham-based company last year announced a £1M seed investment round led by Imperial College Innovation Fund to power the development of the company’s energy storage system.
CEL’s unique storage technology takes electricity from the grid and stores a part of it as heat and another part as pressurised air. The system uses repurposed truck engines as the power-conversion machine for putting electricity into storage and withdrawing it when needed. The system aims to deliver storage capabilities at half the cost of battery equivalents, while lasting much longer and having a much lower environmental footprint.
Having worked with a number of East Midlands-based industry bodies including the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Paul believes the region holds great potential as a green energy hub:
“The East Midlands is swiftly becoming a hotbed for green innovation with inspiring sustainability programmes in transport, housing and infrastructure. I’m proud to now be working with one of the most innovative organisations in the East Midlands to develop our green energy storage technology and to hopefully, in the future, bring high-value jobs, sustainable employment, training opportunities, growth and prosperity to the region.”
Paul will take up the Chief Executive role at the end of February and will be based at the company’s headquarters in Nottingham.
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About Cheesecake Energy
Cheesecake Energy is developing the world’s greenest energy storage technology, lowering the cost of medium to long-duration energy storage, and turning renewable energy sources like wind and solar into reliable, on-demand power. Its breakthrough system eTanker uses thermal energy storage and compressed air to achieve costs that are 30-40% lower than that of the cheapest batteries currently available, by repurposing long-lasting, proven industrial components from existing automotive, oil and gas equipment supply chains. For more information, visit www.cheesecakeenergy.com.
Press releases provided by Cheesecake Energy.
