One Day With... Sian Ramirez-Bower, Business Development Manager, Hydrogen

Sian’s ten-year plus career with Uniper has closely followed the evolution of energy. From her early years as a graduate civil engineer, responsible for the upkeep, then closure and demolition of what were then ageing fossil fuel assets, to a more recent move, as a Project Manager in the Hydrogen Team, at the forefront of  the company’s energy transition, exploring solutions for a low-carbon future.

Her path to a career in engineering can be traced back to growing up in the Humber industrial region and an influential female maths teacher who had also worked as a civil engineer. Sian found the most engaging parts of those lessons were the real world examples or application of maths. Those real world examples were all in civil engineering and lit a spark in Sian, which is still evident today in the passion she has for her work.

During the last year, Sian has been leading the early stage development of Uniper’s hydrogen production project in the Humber, the Humber Hub. This has involved day to day management of the project and project team, including the project schedule and budget, across eight workstreams - technical, health and safety , land, environment, communications, commercial, site interface and procurement.

The Humber Hub is a proposed blue and green hydrogen production development at Uniper’s Killingholme site, with a capacity of up to 720MW blue hydrogen and up to 100MW green hydrogen production, due to be operational later this decade. The hydrogen produced could be used to decarbonise heavy industry, transport, heating and power throughout the Humber region.

Her role has required liaising with project partners such as with Shell, on the Humber Hub blue hydrogen project, and with Siemens Energy, Toyota Tsusho and Associated British Ports (ABP), for the successful joint funding submission to the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition*. This green hydrogen project, known as ‘Mayflower’ has undertaken a feasibility study to review the technical and economic feasibility of reducing port greenhouse gas emissions. Sian has been closely involved in pulling together the findings of this study and along with her colleagues on project Mayflower, delivering the final feasibility report submission.

For Sian, who originally did her school work experience at Killingholme power station, now being involved in shaping the future of this industrial region and helping to drive the energy transition are hugely rewarding.

“It is really motivating for me to be working in the Hydrogen Team at Uniper and playing an active role in driving the energy transition” Sian explained. “I work with talented individuals who are all equally committed to our decarbonisation goals. Not only is this personally fulfilling, but my children are able to see that I am doing something I really care about and will know that someday they can do the same, whatever that might be.”

In 2022, Sian’s career has evolved again with  a new role, giving a wider remit across all Uniper’s hydrogen projects in the UK, as Business Development Manager, Hydrogen. This involves management of the commercial aspects of hydrogen project development for Uniper in the UK.

In working for Uniper, Sian feels that the company’s strategy – to empower energy evolution - is aligned with her own core values, something that is personally important to her. She is also confident that she is fully supported in her career both as an engineer and as a woman.

_{*The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition launched in March 2021 is funded by the Department for Transport with Innovate UK acting as 'delivery partner'.}