Blanboz Limited

Company Ethos

Blanboz is a start-up company in expansion, dedicated to providing technical advisory (TA) support in the renewable energy fields, particularly for BESS and solar PV projects. Our Mission, Vision and Values are the representation of our commitments. Our main focus is to have a sustainable and positive impact on the environment, society, clean-energy development and acceleration to achieve the global net-zero targets. We keep it simple: respect and caring at maximum efficiency.

Mission

To support our clients with deep technical knowledge and years of expertise to accelerate their transition to clean energy and sustainable environment.

Vision

We support companies and communities engaged with transitioning to clean energy and share the same goals of achieving the net-zero targets in the UK and worldwide.

Values

Respect for our employees and clients, the environment, society and its governing laws
Care for the well-being of our employees, environment and society by making a positive impact on what we do
Maximum efficiency; we give our best to accelerating energy transition and achieving the net-zero targets

About me

Andres Blanco

Hi, I am Andres Blanco, a chartered engineer in the UK with extensive experience in BESS and solar PV projects worldwide. I am Venezuelan mechanical engineer with a Master of Science in Renewable Energy Engineering. I have always been passionate about the energy industry, where I have been working for the past 15 years.

I moved to Scotland many years ago. I am in love with this country. I was one of the proudest people in the whole wide world when I saw one of the first 5-MWp solar farms commissioned in Scotland (Wormit, Fife), which I designed and supported through construction.

I am now settled in Glasgow and raising my wee Venezuelan–Nicaraguan–Glasgowean family.

Moving to the technical side of things, I have been involved in different key projects and milestones in my professional career.

Key projects

Project manager for the development of a large portfolio (over 800 MW) of hybrid projects (solar PV + BESS), including transmission-connected projects categorised as National Significant Projects under Development Consent Order in the UK.
Sweihan PV IPP (1.77 GW, COD 2019) and Al-Dhafra (2 GW solar PV + 300 MWh BESS) in the UAE – development engineering support (one of the largest solar PV plants in the world).
Mocuba, Mozambique (40 MW, COD 2019) – commissioning support as TA.
Cuamba, Mozambique (15 MW solar PV + 7 MWh BESS, in construction) Mozambique – development engineering support in conjunction with BESS owner’s engineering support.
Cambridgeshire, UK (50 MW, COD 2020) first large-scale PV commissioned with no government subsidies in the UK – principal technical design engineer.
Wormit, Scotland (5 MW, COD 2017), one of the first solar PV farms commissioned in Scotland – development and construction support. Principal technical design engineer.
One of the first to develop around 500 MWh of BESS projects in the UK. Dealt with over 2.5 GWh worth of grid connections with distribution network operators and national grid (TSO) in the UK back in 2017.
TA for the first batch of BESS installed in the UK, including the largest (11 MW/11 MWh) Tesla battery (11 MWh) commissioned in the UK at the time.
Supported an international developer and electricity provider with the contract negotiations for their first BESS projects in the Republic of Ireland (over 60 MWh).
Niquinohomo, Nicaragua. NGO support providing technical feasibility for using solar PV + second-hand lead-acid (car) batteries to provide means of electricity for basic needs in rural housing (off-grid) in Nicaragua and reduce kerosene use.

Experience

Private developer in the UK – Project Manager (Development)

Supporting an emerging developer by coordinating key milestones in planning, grid and land lease with an ambitious pipeline for solar PV and BESS projects in the UK.

Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd – Senior Consultant (Energy Storage)

I was part of a key consultant group in the UK leading their business expansion in technical advisory services and owner engineers for BESS and solar PV projects.

Wood Plc – Senior Renewable Energy Consultant

I was the technical lead and portfolio manager for battery energy-storage projects for Wood worldwide. A key team member supporting our clients with unique solar PV projects in the world, particularly in the EMEA region.

ScottishPower Renewables (Part-time Secondment) – Project Consultant

I supported ScottishPower Renewables with the technical development of two BESS projects in ROI. Additionally, I was the TA for contract negotiations with integrators and fully wrapped EPC contractors.

Green Hedge Energy UK – Senior Grid Coordinator/Solar PV Engineer

This job opportunity gave me the tools, skills and knowledge to expand my knowledge across different technical and commercial areas, particularly liaising with different DNOs and TSOs across the UK for solar PV and BESS projects.

Emotion Energy Ltd – Project Engineer

This was where everything first started. I was responsible for almost everything: from doing small domestic feasibility solar PV projects to quickly scaling up to managing operation and maintenance (O&M) for different large portfolios for domestic and commercial solar PV rooftop systems. I supported the coordination of almost 2 MW of solar PV roof-tops for a housing association in England.

Education

M815 Project Management – Open University, Distance Learning

MSc Renewable Energy Engineering – Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland

PGdiploma Industrial Plants – Metropolitana University, Caracas, Venezuela

MEng Mechanical Engineering – Metropolitana University, Caracas, Venezuela