Smart Green Shipping's Diane Gilpin: 'Take a leaf out of nature's book – never give up'

BusinessGreen: What does winning these awards mean to you personally and professionally?

Diane Gilpin: Shipping's a vast, globally interconnected, complex system produces three per cent of the world's emissions but remains quite niche. The sector's been behind the curve on embracing green development opportunities, but the slumbering giant is stirring, becoming aware of the huge commercial potential and my business Smart Green Shipping is a beneficiary.

Smart Green Shipping has designed, developed, built, tested and proven a unique wind-as-a-service product for global shipping, We've been recognised in maritime circles for our pioneering work.

BusinessGreen has been my go-to news source for developments in sustainability, innovation, climate science. The women in my team persuaded me to enter the Awards, I was confident there would be no chance of winning but it's great that women's fantastic work in this space is being recognised. I was happy to be in the room.  

To be named as the Transport Professional of the Year was a huge surprise, I was thrilled. Last year was pivotal for us. With investment from MOL, the world's second largest shipowner, from Drax, the UK's largest renewable energy producer, from the UK and Scottish governments we tested the circular design FastRig on land for safety and robustness, then corroborated our digital prediction tools with the University of Southampton with real world sea trials.  

My plus one at the Awards Dinner was Dr Jenifer Baxter. As chief engineer at IMechE she'd sponsored SGS to conduct an InnovateUK feasibility analysis that really launched our journey. After I'd collected the Award we were reflecting on the highs and lows we'd shared along the way. (AKA chatting!)

So, to be honest I wasn't really paying proper attention when my name was called for Entrepreneur of the Year. That was quite bonkers. Amongst all of those brilliant women, developing so many world-changing solutions in so many important sectors – I was, still am, in a state of disbelief. I am genuinely proud. But it's not a solo race, I've been supported by literally hundreds of people to get here, in recognition I name checked them on the FastRig prototype.

Professionally being honoured by BusinessGreen is proving to be very valuable. At an event in Athens the week later a key contact introduced me to an important senior leader as "Entrepreneur of the Year" – I hadn't told him anything about the nominations, or the Awards so, clearly, the Women in Green Business Awards have a powerful international reach.

How did it feel to be part of celebration?

It was fantastic to be in a room full of such powerful, inspiring green business leaders. That it was women holding the space was such a refreshing change. It's synergistic. You can feel the winds of change!  There is so much work to do to affect a rapid and effective green transition in the face of powerful headwinds we need all the talent we can. There was a lot of that green energy in the room last week.

The following day I saw a green innovation ‘manel' on LinkedIn it made me both furious and weary. I pointed the event organisers to the Women in Green Business Awards to find panellists for any and every event they might organise in the future.

How would you sum up the Women in Green Business Awards night?

The buzz was extraordinary. I met wonderful women at the reception and on our table. Conversation was informed, passionate and hilariously irreverent in equal measure.

What advice would you give to someone looking to enter the Women in Green Business Awards?

Just do it! You'll feel energised.

What are your priorities for the year ahead? 

Our clear objectives for the year ahead, are to raise £10m in Series A funding to scale up globally and complete our first commercial installations.

What aspect of the green economy are you most excited about? 

Greening shipping, without a doubt. It's a brilliantly diverse and interconnected global system. The co-dependency between shipping and big fossil fuel producers delays meaningful climate policy. But I love a challenge. Through deep collaboration across racing, renewables, space, deep tech and shipping; by looking at new materials, aerodynamics, high value manufacturing and marine engineering; bringing in climate, data scientists; engaging with lawyers, insurers, financiers, and crucially shipowners and cargo owners together we've overcome technical, commercial, regulatory and operational barriers.

We've created a unique new business model, designed in the circular economy, that de-risks adoption of FastRigs. They can reduce a ships emissions – and fuel costs - by up to 40 per cent a year. De-risking access to the hardware accelerates uptake and reduces emissions faster, whilst making two-and-a-half times the returns for investors. 

What would your green superpower be?

Take a leaf out of nature's book – never give up. Always be regenerating. 

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