Nikki Pillinger – Specialist Connections Manager

“Knows how to make an attractive connection, and the costly pitfalls to avoid” 

Nikki is one of the most respected and well-liked individuals in the connections community.

Since achieving an MSc in Energy Policy from the University of Exeter, Nikki has worked in the energy industry for eight years, with five of those as a grid connection specialist. Most recently she has headed up the grid connections function at GRIDSERVE, where she managed connections for all its EV charging forecourts and utility-scale renewables projects.

Prior to GRIDSERVE, Nikki spent three years at British Solar Renewables – where she headed up the grid team managing its connections for a diverse range of solar and storage installations.

As well as spearheading the origination, safeguarding, de-risking, project-management and energisation of a large number of connections, Nikki has led the grid oversight in a significant volume of both project acquisitions and project sales. She knows how to make an attractive connection, and the costly pitfalls to avoid.

Nikki sits on a number of DNO’s connections steering groups, two Regen working groups (their Grid Connections Working Group, and their Review of Electricity Market Arrangements Working Group) and the Solar Energy UK Grid Steering Group. She uses her considerable influence to promote and disseminate connections best practice, and to bring about incremental improvements in technical and commercial policies that accelerate the deployment of low carbon technologies.

Beyond her grid work, Nikki is a guest lecturer at the Centre for Alternative Technology. This is an organisation that is very close to her heart and she finds teaching and encouraging others into careers in renewable energy incredibly rewarding. She is an advisor to Avalon Community Energy Cooperative in Glastonbury, an organisation specialising in community solar schemes. She also enjoys regularly volunteering for various local conservation and food projects. As a STEM Ambassador she leads workshops on renewable energy for primary and secondary school children, and as a Mentor for the social enterprise Catalyse Change CIC and Regen’s eWire Network, she supports women of various ages to develop sustainability skills and knowledge.

When she does have spare time, after all that lot, Nikki enjoys hiking, horse riding and wild swimming.