Cathy McClay facts for kids

Catherine Isabel McClay is a leading expert in the energy field. She works at the National Grid, helping to plan for the future of energy. Her main focus is on how we can change to cleaner energy and reduce carbon pollution. She was recognized for her important work by being made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2019. In 2021, she received the Order of the British Empire (OBE), a special award from the King.

Early Life and Education

Catherine McClay grew up in Northern Ireland. She went to Limavady_Grammar_School. A teacher suggested she study electrical engineering, which led her to attend Imperial College London.

University Leadership

In 1990, while at Imperial College London, Catherine became the President of the City and Guilds College Union. She was the first woman to hold this important position.

Advanced Studies

Later, she studied at the University of Cambridge. There, she worked on a special project to find ways to make "cage induction motors" work better. These are types of electric motors. After finishing her studies, she returned to Imperial College London to teach.

Career in Energy

Catherine McClay started working in the energy industry in 1999. Her career has involved many important roles.

Early Industry Roles

She first joined Edison Mission Energy. Here, she helped plan business strategies for the company. In 2006, she moved to British Energy. Then, in 2009, she joined EDF Energy. At EDF, she managed different energy projects.

Leading at National Grid

In 2015, Catherine became the Head of Commercial at National Grid. The National Grid is very important because it manages the electricity system for a whole country.

She worked on how the National Grid operates its systems. She focused on future energy markets and how to move towards a "zero carbon" energy system. This means using energy sources that do not produce carbon pollution.

Demand Side Response

Catherine was very interested in something called "demand side response" (DSR). This is a way to provide electricity to people exactly when they need it. She believes DSR can help provide power when clean energy is more available.

Work at Sembcorp

In 2019, Catherine McClay moved to Sembcorp. As Optimisation Director, she focused on making energy systems more flexible in the British market. This helps ensure there's always enough power.

Awards and Honours

Catherine McClay has received several important awards for her work:

• 2016 Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering
• 2019 Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
• 2022 Order of the British Empire