Lorna Bennet is a Chartered, Senior Engineer – Sustainability for the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.
Lorna joined ORE Catapult in June 2016 in the Development and Operations Directorate. With a background in mechanical design engineering and project management, she has been involved in both research and design across a wide variety of exciting projects in wind, wave and tidal power. She engages with SMEs, organisations and academic institutions to address industry challenges through technology innovation, research and testing. Also working with companies on areas of energy transition, diversifying and transferring their technology offering to the wind, wave and tidal industries.
With a broad range of skills and a depth of experience in marine renewable energy development, Lorna leads the development and delivery of projects relating to Sustainability and Circular Economy. The Circular Economy for the Wind Sector (CEWS) joint industry programme aims to transform the energy sector, accelerating the UK’s transition to net-zero and ensuring a sustainable, reliable and secure source of power for the future.
Lorna has also been responsible for STEM engagement across ORE Catapult’s Scottish sites. In 2018 she won a Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Public Engagement Award to develop a plan of engagement with local schools in collaboration with local and national organisations and charities. She has driven community engagement, promoting STEM careers and the importance of renewable energy and sustainability across the country. This led to Lorna being awarded the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Women’s Engineering Society (WES) Prize in December 2018, recognised as a WATC Rising Star 2019 in Science & Engineering, as a finalist for the Contribution to Skills Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards in December 2019 and winning the STEM Inspiration Outstanding STEM Ambassador in Scotland Award in 2022.