PEC (Community Benefit Society)

Lee Richards

Lee is a Senior Research Manager at the University of Plymouth. He has previously worked as Regen SW’s onshore renewables lead and managed work within the large-scale onshore renewables, micro-generation and built environment sectors.

He has over 9 years’ experience in the renewables industry and has developed the capabilities of businesses and communities to deploy more renewable and energy efficiency technologies. He has extensive knowledge of sustainable energy and low carbon policy, legislation, supply chain and technical development and deployment. Lee helped to develop and manage the £6.3M Ready for Retrofit programme, one of the UK’s largest European Regional Development Fund business support programmes, installing over 1700 domestic energy efficiency technologies.

Lee is from Plymouth and as keen advocate of developing the low carbon economy he wants the city to lead in community led renewable energy initiatives.

He was voted to the PEC Board in 2017 and was co-opted to the PEC Renewables Board in 2015. He is also the Chair of Ernesettle Community Solar Ltd.

Zoe Sydenham

Zoe is Plymouth City Council's Natural Infrastructure Projects and Partnerships Manager and leads work to drive innovation in the management of natural spaces, and in how it engages citizens and social enterprises within them.

Her previous roles included managing the Community Team at Groundwork East London and running the Youth European Volunteer Programme for the United Nations Association Exchange in Wales.

Zoe has a strong interest in the interface of personal well-being and the environment, and am currently studying for a Master’s degree in Public Health. She is passionate about engaging communities about their local environments and supports the board of Plymouth Energy Community in its new business planning work.

Zoe was elected to the PEC Board at the 2019 AGM.

Chris Penberthy

Councillor Chris Penberthy (Labour and Co-operative, St Peter and the Waterfront) was a member of Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet from 2012-2016 and again from 2017- present. His portfolio has included housing, social enterprise development and support, community safety, neighbourhood working, child poverty, welfare policy and financial inclusion. Chris has spent most of his working life in charities including as Chief Executive of Volunteer Development England. He was awarded a fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition of his contribution to the voluntary and community sector.

Chris has held a variety of trusteeships and directorships in charities and social enterprises. He currently holds the Chair Plymouth Fairtrade Network, Millfields Inspired and the South West Council of the Cooperative Party. He has previously been appointed by Plymouth City Council to the Boards of the Millfields Community Economic Development Trust CIC, and Plymouth Municipal Charities. Chris is a Governor of Plymouth College of Art and is also Vice Chair of the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network and Chair of its Values and Principles Board.

Chris has been an elected member Director of PEC Renewables since 2014 and became a Director of Ernesettle Community Solar Ltd in 2015.

Sabine Pahl

Sabine is an academic at the University of Plymouth. She specialises in perception and behaviour change and has been involved in applied research on energy for many years. She lead on the energy visualisation project “eViz”, running field studies with the Eden Project, DECC, PEC and Plymouth City Council, demonstrating using thermal imaging as a method of communicating heat loss to home owners leads to real carbon savings. She is also working on an on-going European H2020 project investigating the use of a `serious game’ for engaging social housing tenants with energy issues. As part of that, the link between fuel poverty and health and well-being is being investigated.

Sabine brings this knowledge and experience in social and behavioural processes to PEC to maximise ‘people power’ in order to reduce energy bills, improve energy efficiency and have more green, sustainable energy in Plymouth.

Sabine was voted to the Board in 2017.

Dave Pearce

Dave is the Managing Director of Actuate Marketing, a successful and growing communications agency based in Plymouth. Actuate specialises in marketing strategy, research and digital media, all skills they brought to the table when helping PEC during their initial set-up through to continuing to support PEC currently. Through this process, Dave has gained a thorough understanding of what members want from the organisation, the challenges PEC faced and how they could be addressed.

He has lived in Plymouth for over 20 years and has over 30 years of experience in commercial and marketing roles at senior and director levels.

Dave is passionate about and committed to supporting the values and ethos of PEC and the transformation it can bring to the city and its residents. “PEC has started to make a real mark in the community and sustainable energy market with their award-winning approach: the future looks bright for the people of Plymouth.”

Dave was elected to the PEC Board at the 2014 AGM, served on PEC Renewables Board and was elected to the PEC Trust Board at the 2019 AGM. He is a co-opted Director of PEC.