Walt Patterson Keynote Speaker

Associate Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Chatham House
Visiting Fellow, Science Policy Research Unit, Sussex University
Author of 13 books on nuclear power and energy

Walt Patterson's Biography

Walt Patterson is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House for the Energy, Environment and Resources Programme.

A nuclear physicist by training, Walt has been actively involved in energy and environment issues for four decades. He is the author of thirteen books and hundreds of papers, articles and reviews on topics including nuclear power, advanced coal technology, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy policy, and electricity.

Walt has acted as specialist advisor to two Select Committees of the House of Commons, and has served as an expert witness at official hearings in the UK and abroad.

He is a frequent broadcaster and advisor to television and radio, and participates as speaker or chair in many conferences around the world. He has been awarded the Melchett Medal of the Energy Institute. The Scientific American 50 named him ‘energy policy leader’ for his advocacy of decentralized electricity.

He is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a nuclear physicist by training, bringing four decades of authoritative insight on energy, environment and electricity systems to inform policy and corporate decision-making.
He translates complex energy choices, from nuclear power and advanced coal to renewables and efficiency, into clear strategic trade-offs that leaders can use to evaluate options and set credible priorities.
He brings rare policy credibility as a specialist adviser to House of Commons Select Committees and an expert witness at official hearings in the UK and abroad, grounding his analysis in real-world scrutiny.
He draws on a body of work spanning thirteen books and hundreds of publications to help audiences understand how energy policy, technology and markets interact, and what it means for investment and resilience.
His briefings challenge conventional thinking on centralised power systems, informed by recognition from Scientific American and the Energy Institute, helping organisations plan for decentralisation and system change with greater confidence.