Will Gardiner

Join Will on DO Radio, It's Not About Trees with John Lunn 03 to 09 August

Will Gardiner is the Chief Executive Officer of Drax Group, one of the UK’s leading renewable energy companies. Since becoming CEO in 2020, he has led the company’s evolution from a traditional power generator into a business focused on renewable generation, flexible energy systems and supporting the UK’s transition to a lower-carbon electricity network.

Before joining Drax, Will spent much of his career in the technology sector, including senior leadership roles at CSR plc, a global semiconductor company specialising in wireless connectivity. His background in technology, strategy and finance has shaped his approach to leading complex business transformation during a period of rapid change in the energy sector.

Today, Will’s work focuses on helping build a more resilient and flexible energy system through renewable generation, battery storage, intelligent optimisation and new approaches to balancing electricity supply and demand. He is a strong advocate for long-term thinking, arguing that affordable, secure and sustainable energy will be fundamental to the UK’s future economic competitiveness and energy security.

Do Radio Show Notes

In this episode, John Lunn speaks with Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax Group, about the energy transition and what it takes to move from today’s power system to the one the future demands.

Will reflects on his journey from the technology sector into energy, joining Drax as it transformed from a single coal-fired power station into a business helping to build a more flexible, renewable electricity system. The conversation explores the scale of change taking place across the energy sector, driven by renewables, battery storage, artificial intelligence and rapidly growing electricity demand.

A central theme is the challenge of managing the shift from what John describes as “System A” to “System B”. While renewable energy is becoming the lowest-cost form of new generation, Will argues that success depends on building the infrastructure, flexibility and market design needed to support it. Technology alone is not enough; regulation, investment and long-term policy all have a critical role to play.

The discussion also explores the growing importance of intelligence within the energy system. As supply becomes more variable and demand increases through AI, data centres and electrification, businesses like Drax are investing in battery storage, flexible generation and digital optimisation to balance the grid more efficiently.

Despite the complexity of the transition, Will remains optimistic. He believes renewable energy offers not only environmental benefits, but greater energy security, lower long-term costs and increased resilience. His message is that the UK must hold its nerve, continue investing in the transition and recognise that reliable, affordable energy underpins almost every aspect of modern life.