prof. Walt Patterson

Walt Patterson is Associate Fellow in the Energy, Environment and Development Programme at Chatham House in London, and Visiting Fellow in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex. Born in Canada, a postgraduate nuclear physicist, he has lived in the UK since 1960. He has been actively involved in energy and environmental issues since the late 1960s.

He has published hundreds of papers, articles and reviews, on topics including nuclear power, coal technology, renewable energy, energy systems, energy policy and electricity. He has been specialist advisor to two Select Committees of the House of Commons, an expert witness at many official hearings in the UK and abroad, a frequent broadcaster and advisor to media, and speaker or chair in conferences around the world. He has been awarded the Melchett Medal of the Energy Institute in London. The Scientific American 50 named him 'energy policy leader' for his advocacy of decentralized electricity.

Patterson just published his thirteenth and latest book, Keeping The Lights On: Towards Sustainable Electricity.