Justin Mason
CAT Student
After working in the energy sector for 30 years with the last 17 in oil and gas, Justin began his studies at CAT in 2020 to facilitate a move into the renewable energy sector, Through his studies, he supplemented his current knowledge and experience of the issues at hand in the energy transition to use this in both UK and global spheres, through his independent electrical engineering consultancy, Trydanol Solutions.
Justin began an MSc in Sustainability in Energy Provision and Demand Management in 2020. Having worked in the energy sector, cement and utilities for 30 years, with the last 17 in oil and gas, the general nature of the course supplemented his current knowledge and experience of electrical engineering and has given him a well-rounded overview of the issues surrounding the energy transition. The course has helped facilitate a more focused move into the renewable energy sector through studying solar, wind, hydroelectric and marine engineering, heat pumps and building energy.
Although he already has a background as a Chartered Engineer and a BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the course has allowed Justin to expand his network and gain openings into consultancy roles that would have otherwise not been available. The variety of modules allowed him to work with the local community and non-governmental organisations on specific applications of heat pumps and smart local energy networks, which gave a real flavour of the issues and application challenges of low carbon technology outside of the corporate world. Through some of the CAT modules and projects, he also gained insight into the analysis of resource opportunities, specifically in solar, wind and hydro.
Following his dissertation, which looks at the decarbonisation of the UK marine fleet, he hopes to continue to focus on renewable energy in both the UK and global spheres, through his independent electrical engineering consultancy, Trydanol Solutions. He is currently engaged in consultancy work with independent organisations, varying from large turbo-machinery manufacturers to small hydroelectric generators and everything in between.
“CAT gives you the space to open your mind to different ideas and perspectives in a friendly and inclusive environment, providing you with the skills and resources to be effective in the changing world. The course gave me the flexibility of when I studied through choosing my part-time pathway and it also gave me a choice about the topics I studied and the subjects of the assignments I worked on. There’s also such a great opportunity to network with like-minded peers and build enduring relationships to use later in life.”
