{{short description|British businessman and engineer (born 1953)}}
{{COI|date=August 2020}} {{use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Andrew Garrad | honorific_suffix = CBE | image = Andrew Garrad.jpg | caption = Garrad in 2023 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|11|08|df=y}} | birth_place = Braunston, England | title = Former President and CEO, GL Garrad Hassan<br>Former President, European Wind Energy Association | years_active = 1971–present }}
'''Andrew Douglas Garrad''' {{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}}} (born 8 November 1953) is an engineer and businessman who co-founded the wind power industry consulting company Garrad Hassan in 1984.
==Early life and education== Andrew Garrad has a BA in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford and received a PhD in theoretical fluid mechanics from the University of Exeter, where he used mathematical modelling to study boundary-layer flow over dolphins.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-fluid-mechanics/article/the-hydrodynamic-stability-of-flow-over-kramer-type-compliant-surfaces-part-1-tollmien-schlichting-instabilities/048DCD8CC7BB6DE822C19933FDB4AC08|title=The hydrodynamic stability of flow over Kramer-type compliant surfaces. Part 1. Tollmien-Schlichting instabilities|first1=P. W.|last1=Carpenter|first2=A. D.|last2=Garrad|date=29 June 1985|journal=Journal of Fluid Mechanics|volume=155|pages=465–510|via=Cambridge Core|doi=10.1017/S0022112085001902|bibcode=1985JFM...155..465C|s2cid=120054765 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> His interest in wind energy was sparked by a lecture by Ernst Schumacher in Oxford, in 1971. That same year, he built his first wind turbine at his parents' home.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
==Career== Garrad has been professionally involved in wind energy since 1979, when he joined the Wind Energy Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/952546/goodbye-british-wind-technology|title=Goodbye to British wind technology|website=Windpowermonthly.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> Mathematical modelling remained his main enthusiasm and Garrad Hassan<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.windsystemsmag.com/article/detail/144/company-profile-gl-garrad-hassan |title=Company Profile: GL Garrad Hassan - Wind Systems Magazine |access-date=9 July 2020 |archive-date=12 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512230239/http://www.windsystemsmag.com/article/detail/144/company-profile-gl-garrad-hassan |url-status=dead }}</ref> was founded to provide mathematical models for various aspects of wind energy. The company mission was to be able to predict the weather, through the turbines and wind farms, the electricity they provided to the grid, and the resulting cash flow.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnvgl.com/services/windfarmer-3766|title=Wind resource assessment | WindFarmer: Analyst|website=Dnvgl.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnvgl.com/services/forecaster-introduction-3848|title=Short-term forecasting|website=Dnvgl.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> In 1984, Garrad wrote the initial version of the wind turbine system aeroelastic code Bladed, which is still used to this day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnvgl.com/services/wind-turbine-design-software-bladed-3775|title=Wind turbine design software | Bladed|website=Dnvgl.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=February 2025|reason=Citation discussed the importance of technology but does not seem to mention the subject by name}} The company produced many other computational tools<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnvgl.com/services/wind-resource-assessment-software-windfarmer-analyst-3766|title=Wind resource assessment | WindFarmer: Analyst|website=Dnvgl.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnvgl.com/services/scada-solutions-3849|title=SCADA solutions|website=Dnvgl.com|access-date=26 October 2021|archive-date=22 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122012534/https://www.dnvgl.com/services/scada-solutions-3849|url-status=dead}}</ref> later adopted by the industry. GH, together with the offshore consultancy Tecnomare, was among the first to conduct floating offshore wind turbine design studies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kundoc.com/pdf-technical-and-economic-aspects-of-a-floating-offshore-wind-farm-.html|title=Technical and economic aspects of a floating offshore wind farm - PDF Free Download|website=kundoc.com}}</ref> Although GH specialized in wind energy, it also provided parallel services in wave and tidal energy, such as with its WaveDyn software for predicting the dynamic behavior of wave energy devices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eti.co.uk/news/eti-project-partner-gl-garrad-hassan-launch-wavedyn|title=ETI Project partner GL Garrad Hassan launch WaveDyn|date=29 July 2020|website=The ETI}}</ref>
Garrad was co-Chair, with the Chinese Minister of Electric Power, of the first Chinese International Wind Energy Conference in Beijing in 1995, at a time when China had yet to develop its wind energy sector. Later on, starting at the turn of the century, GH contributed to the development of the emerging Chinese wind industry through design contracts and strategic advice on offshore wind projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/238701468262478278/pdf/547460ESW0P11310Strategic0Guidance0.pdf|title=World Bank : Asia Sustainable and Alternative Energy Program|website=Documents1.worldbank.org|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref>
Garrad was previously Chairman of the British Wind Energy Association, now Renewable UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.renewableuk.com/default.aspx|title=RenewableUK|website=Renewableuk.com}}</ref> He was President of European Wind Energy Association (EWEA, now Wind Europe)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1173920/ewea-elects-garrad-president|title=EWEA elects Garrad as president|first=James|last=Quilter|website=Windpowermonthly.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> from 2013 to 2014. Garrad chaired Bristol's year as European Green Capital in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/winning-cities/|title=European Green Capital|website=Ec.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bristol2015.co.uk/citywide-review/ |title=Citywide Review | Bristol 2015 - European Green Capital |access-date=9 July 2020 |archive-date=21 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221105439/https://www.bristol2015.co.uk/citywide-review/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bristol.gov.uk/documents/20182/1352057/European+Green+Capital+Review+report/f7ae017a-57b5-4bc0-acdf-a1ed61380a35|title=Review of Bristol 2015 European Green Capital Year|website=Bristol.gov.uk|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref>
Garrad sold Garrad Hassan to Germanischer Lloyd in 2009 and became President of the combined company, GL Garrad Hassan, and hence was responsible for both consultancy and certification. When Garrad retired in 2015, the company had grown to 1,000 staff in 29 countries. In retirement he remains active in wind energy and, in 2019, he was appointed Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor in Renewable Energy by the University of Bristol.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bristol.ac.uk/engineering/news/2019/andrew-garrad.html|title=2019: Andrew Garrad | Faculty of Engineering | University of Bristol|website=Bristol.ac.uk|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> In 2023 Garrad was appointed visiting professor in the Department of Engineering Mathematics. Garrad’s job is to introduce students to the engineering world outside university.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nC_nUVrSY8|title=ReThink Wind Energy: Dr. Andrew Garrad|date=15 April 2020 |access-date=26 October 2021|publisher=YouTube}}</ref> In March 2024 he became Chair of the Severn Estuary Commission whose task was to investigate the feasibility of generating electricity from the Severn Estuary in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.severncommission.co.uk//|title=Severn Estuary Commission report|website=severncommission.co.uk}}</ref>
Garrad has previously donated to the Green Party of England and Wales, and its former leader Carla Denyer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carla Denyer: Registered Interests |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/5102/registeredinterests |website=Parliament.uk |access-date=24 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250524115119/https://members.parliament.uk/member/5102/registeredinterests |archive-date=24 May 2025}}</ref>
==Awards and prizes== Garrad received honorary doctorates of engineering, DEng, from the University of Bristol <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/graduation/honorary-degrees/hondeg09/garrad.html|title=Dr Andrew Douglas Garrad|website=Bristol.ac.uk}}</ref> in 2009 and from the University of Exeter in 2018. He received a DSc, Doctor of Science, from the University of Plymouth in 2024. Garrad was a member of the Council (Governing Body)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/university/governance/bin/biographies/ |title=Council member biographies | About the University | University of Bristol |access-date=9 July 2020 |archive-date=6 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706153108/http://www.bristol.ac.uk/university/governance/bin/biographies/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> of the University of Bristol from 2012 to 2016 and is on the advisory board of the Cabot Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cabot/people/andrew-garrad-bio.html |title=Andrew Garrad | Cabot Institute | University of Bristol |access-date=9 July 2020 |archive-date=30 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130011248/http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cabot/people/andrew-garrad-bio.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Academy of Engineering<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows?fa=g18|title=List of Fellows - Royal Academy of Engineering|website=Raeng.org.uk|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> and an Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/emeritus-honorary-and-wykeham-fellows|title=Emeritus, Honorary and Wykeham Fellows | New College|website=New.ox.ac.uk}}</ref>
Garrad was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) "for services to renewable energy" in the 2017 New Year Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 61803 |date=31 December 2016 |pages=N8 |supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2673632|title=Andrew GARRAD|website=Thegazette.co.uk}}</ref>
The industry magazine Wind Power Monthly has named Garrad one of "the most influential people in the wind energy business" on several occasions. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1151730/30-influential-people-wind-energy-industry|title=The 30 most influential people in the wind energy industry|first=John|last=McKenna|website=Windpowermonthly.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref><ref>[https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1096118/20-influential-people-wind-power-todayhttps://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1096118/20-influential-people-wind-power-today] {{dead link|date=October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/awordaboutwind/docs/top_100_power_people_2013_b65f6c1dfa5d51|title=Top 100 Power People 2013|website=Issuu.com|date=17 December 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1096118/20-influential-people-wind-power-today|title=The 20 most influential people in wind power today|website=Windpowermonthly.com|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> The magazine referred to him on his retirement as "the godfather of wind energy technology."<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Buist |first=Jacki |title=GL Garrad Hassan co-founder Garrad retires |url=https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1154784/gl-garrad-hassan-co-founder-garrad-retires |access-date=26 October 2021 |website=Windpowermonthly.com}}</ref> OGM<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theogm.com/2017/10/15/7-mega-influential-energy-leaders/|title=7 Mega-Influential Energy Leaders|website=Theogm.com|date=15 October 2017}}</ref> named him one of the world's seven most influential energy leaders; Daily Magazine made a similar reference.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailymagazine.news/the-5-most-influential-people-in-new-energy-nid-1398834.html|title=The 5 Most Influential People in New Energy |work=Daily Magazine News |date=2 January 2021 }}</ref>
In 2006, he received the EWEA's Poul la Cour prize for "outstanding achievements in the field of wind energy."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ewea.org/sustainability/poul-la-cour-prize/|title=Poul la Cour Prize| EWEA|website=Ewea.org}}</ref> In 2015 he became the only non-Greek recipient to have ever received the Aeolus prize from the Hellenic Wind Energy Association.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnvgl.com/news/garrad-hassan-founder-honoured-by-greek-wind-industry-18336|title=Garrad Hassan founder honoured by Greek wind industry|website=Dnvgl.com|date=5 February 2015 |access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://eletaen.gr/conclusion-gwd2016/ |title=Ολοκληρώθηκαν με λαμπρότητα οι εκδηλώσεις της Παγκόσμιας Ημέρας του Ανέμου 2016 | Eletaen.gr |access-date=9 July 2020 |archive-date=8 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708065923/http://eletaen.gr/conclusion-gwd2016/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2024, he and Henrik Stiesdal received the global Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering for their work on the development of high performance wind turbines.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://qeprize.org/winners/wind-power |title=Modern Wind Power Technology }}</ref> In 2025 the European Academy of Wind Energy gave him their Scientific Award. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://eawe.eu/awards/eawe-scientific-awards/ |title=EAWE Scientific Award }}</ref>
==Private life== Garrad lives in Bristol, England and is married with four children.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garrad, Andrew}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:People associated with wind power Category:British businesspeople in the energy industry Category:English company founders Category:20th-century British engineers Category:21st-century British engineers Category:Fellows of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Category:Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering Category:People from Braunston Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Green Party of England and Wales donors