Howard Johns has spent more than two decades doing exactly one thing: putting clean energy in the hands of people. POP is the natural culmination of that work.

Following a degree in Energy and Environmental Technology, his journey began in the 90s as an activist and protestor - trying to stop a coal mine in South Wales and various roads across the UK. Realising you can’t solve the problem by saying no he set about building solutions; building his first solar PV system in 1999. His journey transformed in 2002 when he founded Southern Solar, growing it from a one-man operation into one of the UK’s leading solar development and installation businesses — 120 employees, eight offices, and thousands of projects delivered across homes, councils, commercial organisations and for investors.

He helped build the industry too, serving as Chairman of the Solar Trade Association for five years, leading the campaign to protect the Feed-in Tariff and becoming the sector’s most prominent public voice at the time.

But Howard has always known that solar on rooftops is only the beginning. In 2007, he founded Ovesco CIC — a pioneering community-owned energy company that delivered the UK’s first community-funded solar power station and won an Ashden Award.

For the last decade Howard has focused on large scale renewables developing and managing over 900MW of solar and wind assets worth £1.5bn as CEO of Bluefield Services, and developing two new companies whilst there, an O&M business which grew to 650MWs under management and a development business. And alongside all of this he has been delivering solar projects in Africa, and authored Energy Revolution, written to inspire communities worldwide to take ownership of their energy.

Howard understands the technology, the finance, the policy and the human story behind the energy transition, and POP is his latest attempt to build a company that puts people at the centre of the energy transition.

About POP Energy:

People Owned Power empowers communities to install, generate, store and share their own renewable energy, street by street, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Bills go down, energy security goes up, and power flows to where it belongs: in the hands of people.

We are retrofitting the energy system from the bottom up: focusing on generating and storing energy where it’s used, in homes and businesses. We take a consultative approach to proposing a full renewables system for customers that meets their needs and goals, and suits their budget and property. This can be any combination of solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, insulation and electric vehicle chargers.

Each system we install reduces a household’s reliance on the grid whilst increasing local renewable energy generation, cutting emissions linked to fossil fuels. On average, households reduce their grid reliance by 80%, with others generating up to 120% of their energy needs, with the excess clean energy exported back to the grid. Some of our fully-electrified homes have reached ‘zero bills.’ Energy generated and used locally is 3 to 5 times more effective than centralised systems, therefore these systems deliver an outsized impact. Many households report that producing their own power has changed how they think about and use energy, reducing consumption even further.

Moreover, we support communities to take back the power over their resources. Keeping money flowing locally, instead of to fossil fuel companies. By reducing demand, and building local generation and storage, we can, collectively, meet a high proportion of our energy needs. To advance this mission, we are developing financial and digital tools to help households profit from the abundant renewable power on their roof through the flexibility aggregation markets. The first step on this journey is launching locally owned financing mechanisms where local people can invest in their community's en

About our Guest

Chris is a commercial Energy and Mobility lawyer, with nearly 20 years' experience in the sustainability sphere. With specialist knowledge of battery storage, solar, EV infrastructure and wind, Chris regularly advises funders, asset owners, developers and contractors on renewable energy projects and the trading and procurement of renewable power. From PPAs and optimisation agreements to commercial frameworks for energy and EV developments, Chris has worked on some of the most exciting UK and international energy and mobility developments.

Chris also takes an active role in the development of energy policy, and was a steering group member of the Government's Energy Data Task Force as well as chairing the Electricity Storage Networks Markets and Revenues Group.

He was also included in The Lawyer's HOT 100 for his pioneering work in battery storage and EV Charging.

About Shoosmiths:

Shoosmiths works with developers, investors, and funders across clean energy and infrastructure; from onshore wind and solar to energy storage, hydrogen, and PPAs.

The energy transition is creating both opportunity and complexity. New technologies and data are opening up better ways to build and operate assets, but navigating regulation, risk, and investor expectations isn’t straightforward.

What stands out is a pragmatic approach. Not just spotting issues, but helping clients decide where to push forward and where to be cautious.

The team brings deep sector experience and advises across the full lifecycle of projects; supporting everything from development and construction through to financing and long-term operation, both in the UK and internationally.

Connect with Chris Pritchett and Shoosmiths

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-pritchett-66553511/
• Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shoosmiths/
• Website: https://www.shoosmiths.com/sectors/energy-and-infrastructure/clean-energy-development

About the Host

David Hunt

David Hunt is a cleantech thought leader, podcast host, and former executive search and solar EPC founder. As Non-Executive Chair and a long-time advisor to growth-stage and scaling businesses, he brings deep insight into leadership, energy transition, and the future of climate-focused industries. David supports businesse as a NED and Advisor via Stoa Advisory, and through his podcast and writing, David explores the people, ideas, and innovations shaping a more sustainable world.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hunt-cleantech/

Substack: https://davidhuntcleantech.substack.com/

About the Podcast

Leaders in Cleantech explores the people, ideas, and decisions shaping the energy transition. Through in-depth conversations with founders, CEOs, investors, and industry leaders, the podcast focuses on leadership, scaling companies, and the realities of building in a complex and rapidly evolving sector.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leaders-in-cleantech-podcast/
• Website: https://leadersincleantech.com/

🎧 Sponsored by Hyperion Search

Hyperion Search is a specialist executive search firm focused on the cleantech sector.

The firm partners with startups, scaleups, investors, and corporates to build leadership team

About our Guest

Dr. Pete Armstrong:

Dr.Pete Armstrong is the CEO/CTO and co-founder of Mixergy, a smart hot water technology company reshaping how we heat and store energy. After completing his PhD on intelligent hot water systems at Oxford University with co-founder Ren Kang, Pete helped pioneer Mixergy’s technology that makes hot water smart and a connected energy asset. Today, Mixergy leads the shift to smart, connected hot water systems across social housing, new build and commercial developments, setting a new standard for the industry.

About Mixergy:

Mixergy transforms hot water from a passive utility into an intelligent, connected energy asset. By placing hot water at the heart of energy management, we help create smarter homes, more efficient buildings, and a more flexible grid. This lowers bills, improves comfort, and enable greater use of renewables.

Our patented technologies power an intelligent operating system built into next-generation hot water storage for new build, social housing and commercial buildings. This system gives users and providers greater control over energy use, enables seamless grid connectivity, and optimises performance, without compromising on comfort.

Connect with Pete Armstrong and Mixergy

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-armstrong-45039136/
• Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mixergy-ltd/about/
• Website: https://www.mixergy.co.uk/

About the Host

David Hunt

David Hunt is a cleantech thought leader, podcast host, and former executive search and solar EPC founder. As Non-Executive Chair and a long-time advisor to growth-stage and scaling businesses, he brings deep insight into leadership, energy transition, and the future of climate-focused industries. David supports businesse as a NED and Advisor via Stoa Advisory, and through his podcast and writing, David explores the people, ideas, and innovations shaping a more sustainable world.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hunt-cleantech/

About the Podcast

Leaders in Cleantech explores the people, ideas, and decisions shaping the energy transition. Through in-depth conversations with founders, CEOs, investors, and industry leaders, the podcast focuses on leadership, scaling companies, and the realities of building in a complex and rapidly evolving sector.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leaders-in-cleantech-podcast/
• Website: https://leadersincleantech.com/

🎧 Sponsored by Hyperion Search

Hyperion Search is a specialist executive search firm focused on the cleantech sector.

The firm partners with startups, scaleups, investors, and corporates to build leadership teams and boards across clean energy, mobility, and infrastructure.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hyperion-search-ltd
• Website: www.hyperionsearch.com

Feedback & Community

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