(Image: AECOM)
Eloise John believes Scotland could become "Britain's energy battery" as the UK accelerates its transition to cleaner energy.
The AECOM energy chief discusses the infrastructure needed to make that happen, the importance of long-term thinking and the opportunities she sees for the sector.
She also talks about parenting teenagers, her dislike of paperwork and the quote from the Mad Hatter that hangs in her home.
What is your business called? Where is it based?
AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting business with teams across the UK and internationally. In Scotland, we have offices at Tanfield in Edinburgh, Bothwell Street in Glasgow, as well as offices in Inverness and Perth.
What does it produce/do? To whom does it sell/work with?
AECOM helps public and private sector clients design and deliver major infrastructure, working with governments, local authorities, utilities, developers, investors and major infrastructure owners.
In energy, our work spans renewables, transmission and distribution, fission and fusion nuclear, battery and pumped storage hydro, heat networks and industrial decarbonisation. We support clients throughout the infrastructure lifecycle, helping turn ambitious plans into projects that make a tangible difference.
At the heart of this is helping create a more sustainable and resilient UK, shifting the dial on what infrastructure can achieve, whether that’s strengthening energy security or delivering infrastructure that creates lasting opportunities for communities.
What attracted you to work for the company?
I’m an electrical engineer by background and have worked in energy for more than two decades. I joined AECOM in 2015 and what has kept me here is the opportunity to help deliver the infrastructure that will drive meaningful change across the UK and it’s exciting to play a part in that.
Can you outline some of the projects the company is currently working on?
There is no doubt Scotland is a powerhouse of the UK’s renewable energy sector, and we’re working on some of the most critically important projects that will determine how that renewable potential is harnessed in the decades ahead. That ranges from major pumped storage hydro (PSH) schemes, including the 900MW Balliemeanoch project in Argyll, to the wider pipeline of large-scale PSH projects that could effectively turn Scotland into Britain’s energy battery. Scotland already has more PSH projects in development than anywhere else in the UK, putting it in a unique position to store renewable electricity at scale and provide reliable power when it is needed.
We’re also supporting National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade, working with our joint venture partner Arup as a design and consenting service partner for the Great Grid Partnership, which is helping deliver the network infrastructure that will allow more of Scotland’s renewable power to be connected and transported across the country.
What do you make of current energy policy under the UK Government?
There are encouraging signs, but the focus now has to be on turning policy ambition into infrastructure delivery.
We can generate more renewable power, but without the network and storage capacity to move and manage it, we cannot make full use of it.
That’s why we need grid investment, planning reform, skills, resilient supply chains and long-term consistency as ultimately infrastructure takes years to deliver, so certainty matters.
Is the UK on the right track in its transition to net zero?
Broadly, yes, although we need to get better at thinking about the energy system as a whole.
There is no single technology that will power the UK, instead we will need a mix of renewables alongside nuclear and small modular reactors, pumped storage hydro, heat networks, geothermal and fusion.
The future is less about picking a winning technology and more about making all these different parts work together.
To what extent are you concerned that climate change is not being taken seriously enough by major governments?
It concerns me when long-term infrastructure decisions become caught in short-term political cycles because the decisions we make now will shape our energy system for decades.
But I also think we need to make the transition tangible for people, it can’t feel like something that is simply being done to meet a target.
In Scotland, major energy projects have the potential to bring investment, jobs, skills and improved infrastructure into communities. If we get that right, the transition becomes about driving economic growth and creating a resilient and secure energy future.
What would you say are the biggest opportunities for the company in the year ahead?
The breadth of the transition presents a significant opportunity. Scotland’s PSH pipeline is a great example. In 2025, more than 10 terawatt-hours of renewable electricity was curtailed in Scotland – enough to power every household in the country for a year. PSH gives us an opportunity to capture far more of that clean electricity and turn Scotland’s natural geography and renewable resources into a strategic asset for the wider UK.
Elsewhere, heat networks are critical because they allow us to make use of energy that would otherwise be wasted and turn it into something useful for communities. We’re already seeing that potential being realised elsewhere in the UK through exciting projects, including in Leeds where the Leeds PIPES network demonstrates how these systems can expand over time to serve more communities.
What are the biggest challenges it faces? What single thing would most help?
Scotland has a very significant pipeline of energy infrastructure coming forward, often at the same time. PSH schemes alone are enormous undertakings, frequently in remote locations and requiring specialist engineering, materials and skills.
The challenge for the sector is making sure those projects are not developed in isolation and that means developers, government and other stakeholders need to work together to look at major energy infrastructure as a coordinated pipeline, so we can plan ahead for the workforce, supply chain and grid capacity needed to deliver it successfully.
That coordination matters for communities too, as early engagement can help locals understand what is changing and have a meaningful opportunity to shape and benefit from it.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?
Effective communication is one of the most important skills you can have, and this includes listening. I am always actively trying to improve this skill.
What do you least enjoy?
Life admin! I have a family, and the life admin list is long.
Where do you find yourself most at ease?
I’m an extrovert and I thrive on learning from others, asking questions and challenging my own thinking, whether that’s with my team or with clients.
If you weren’t in your current role, what job would you most fancy?
Great question! I often say I have the best job in the world, and I feel incredibly fortunate to get paid for something I enjoy doing so much and that continues to challenge, inspire and excite me. That said, when I was younger, I wanted to be a police detective.
What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most?
There are a few that probably aren’t fit for print! However, I do have one framed and hanging in my hallway at home: ‘The secret, Alice, is to surround yourself with people who make your heart smile, it’s then, only then, that you’ll find Wonderland,’ – The Mad Hatter.
What is the best book you have ever read? Why is it the best?
In terms of books that have helped shape my thinking and approach to my career, I would highly recommend You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis.
What has been your most challenging moment in life or business?
Parenting teenagers is certainly a challenge, and one that doesn’t come with a manual! In my career, there is no escaping difficult decisions, many of which need to be made under time pressure. I have certainly had some challenging roles that have stretched me, but they’ve also been the experiences from which I’ve learnt the most.
What do you now know that you wish you had known when starting out in your career?
There is no such thing as a perfect career, and very few follow a straight line. Grab opportunities when they come along, have fun, develop a good network around you, and never stop learning about the world and the people around you.