our team

Whirlwind has professional experience across all the key disciplines required to successfully develop a wind farm.

Tom Surman, Development Director
Tom has a successful background developing and consenting wind energy projects, he previously worked for over four years as a Wind Developer for a large utility’s renewable business in Scotland. He was the Project Manager responsible for consenting three schemes totalling 25MW and part of the team responsible for a recently operational 92MW project.

Thomas Chappell, Development Director
Thomas joined us in January 2009, having spent 5 years working at npower renewables in a number of project-related roles.

As a developer, Thomas was responsible for project-managing 5 onshore wind farms with a total capacity of over 100MW. Across this portfolio, he was responsible for all aspects of pre-construction development including site identification, feasibility study, negotiating and securing land agreements, managing multi-disciplinary teams of consultants to carry out Environmental Impact Assessment, managing stakeholders and guiding projects through the planning process and securing grid connection. He consented Novar II wind farm (32MW). Thomas then moved into a post-consent delivery role, which expanded his expertise to include a knowledge of grid connection issues, financial modelling of project economics, turbine procurement negotiation and other tasks necessary for the delivery of an operational wind farm.

Thomas has a broad and a proven expertise in almost every aspect of the pre-construction phase of wind farm projects.

Jake Surman, Technical Director
Jake has a strong background in wind energy, being involved in projects from site identification, through to determination. 

His technical experience includes: site layout and design, landscape and visual impact assessments, noise assessments and EMI consultations; all of which form part of the planning application.

James Perkins, Legal Director and Company Secretary
James provides all aspects of legal support for Whirlwind, including drafting and negotiating option lease agreements with landowner(s).  In addition, James is responsible for general business management and commercial issues.  

James is a qualified solicitor and spent the previous 6 years working at a leading Manchester commercial practice.

Dr Philip Surman, Non-Executive Director and Chairman
Philip is a leading authority on wind energy with over 40 years’ experience in the electricity supply industry and nearly 20 years specifically in association with renewable energy. He has had a varied career in conventional and renewable power generation, and is now a wind energy adviser to BERR (formerly the DTI).

Philip established The Energy Workshop Limited (TEW) in 1995. TEW is an independent renewable energy consultancy with offices in West Yorkshire and Sussex. It specialises in providing development support and producing environmental reports to wind farm developers of all sizes, with a particular emphasis on small wind energy projects.