Martin Wright

Background

About Martin Wright

See my latest Business Green interview: The full potential of renewables http://ow.ly/WXll303eThj I am Managing Director of Aurora Ventures Limited, Chairman of Gravitricity Limited and the REA - The Association for Renewable Energy & Clean Technology and a past Chairman of the Ocean Energy Group. Currently, I am also involved in two new ventures, Gravitricity, an Energy Storage company, which has secured initial EIS investment and grant funding, and Fraenkel Wright, where together with Peter Fraenkel, we are doing consultancy specialising in Energy Policy, Energy Technology as well as pursuing a number of new ideas related to Renewable Energy. Previously, I was one of the founders of Marine Current Turbines Limited, which is a leading tidal technology company. Prior to its acquisition by Siemens, the company developed and installed the ‘SeaGen’ 1.2MW tidal turbine which is operating in Strangford Narrows in Northern Ireland. Whilst at MCT, I was responsible for raising over £38m of grant and equity funding. I also served on the Marine Energy Programme Board to formulate government policy and develop the market commercially and legislatively. This involved giving evidence to Select Committees and briefing various Energy Ministers and their shadows over an extended period of years. I have also broadcast on marine energy, and more broadly on renewable energy both in the Uk and abroad. I have an M.A.(Hons) in Economics from Edinburgh, and an M.Eng in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt. I started my career as an Officer in the Royal Navy, and then worked for nine years as a Venture Capitalist, where I was involved in a wide spectrum of industries and served as a director with a number of investee companies. Aside from work, life revolves around family, sailing and skiing. I am a keen sailor, and more often than not to be found onboard my boat!