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| GL Garrad Hassan | |
|---|---|
| Name | GL Garrad Hassan |
| Industry | Renewable energy consultancy |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Fate | Acquired by DNV in 2011 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Key people | Gordon Lindhurst; Matthew Bennett; David Howells |
| Products | Wind resource assessment; turbine certification; asset management |
GL Garrad Hassan was a multinational consultancy specializing in wind power and renewable energy services, providing technical advisory, certification, and asset management across onshore and offshore projects. The firm operated globally with offices in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Australia, and played roles in landmark projects, partnerships, and standards developments before its acquisition by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) in 2011. Its work intersected with major developers, manufacturers, financiers, insurers, and regulatory bodies across the energy sector.
Founded in the 1990s amid rapid expansion of wind farm deployment in Europe, the company emerged from the consolidation of specialists in wind resource assessment and turbine technology. During the 2000s it expanded into emerging markets in China, India, Brazil, United States, and South Africa, and established collaborations with manufacturers such as Vestas, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and GE Renewable Energy. Its trajectory included participation in international fora such as the International Energy Agency and the Global Wind Energy Council, and it navigated industry shifts driven by policies like the Renewable Obligation (UK) and incentive regimes in Germany and Spain. In 2011 the company was acquired by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), integrating its services into a larger classification and risk management organization.
The firm provided a suite of technical services including wind resource assessment, energy yield forecasting, site suitability studies, environmental baseline surveys, structural analysis, and turbine performance modelling. It offered certification and type approval activities for manufacturers and asset owners, collaborating with testing bodies such as TÜV SÜD and Lloyd's Register. Its consultancy spanned feasibility studies for developers like Mainstream Renewable Power and Iberdrola Renovables, due diligence for financiers including Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, and insurance risk assessments for underwriters including Munich Re and Swiss Re. The company also advised grid connection planning involving operators such as National Grid (UK) and Terna (Italy), and engaged with offshore stakeholders including Centrica and Dong Energy.
GL Garrad Hassan worked on high-profile projects across continents, contributing to wind farms such as Hornsea Project-style developments, large onshore arrays in Texas and Inner Mongolia, and hybrid renewable projects combining solar and storage in California and Australia. Key clients included turbine manufacturers Goldwind, Enercon, and Acciona Energia; developers such as EDF Renewables and E.ON Climate & Renewables; and institutional investors like BlackRock and Macquarie Group. The consultancy supported grid-scale projects connected to transmission systems operated by California ISO, PJM Interconnection, and ENTSO-E member operators, and provided advisory to multilateral agencies including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
Before its acquisition, the company maintained a matrix organization with regional offices reporting to technical divisions covering wind resource, electrical engineering, structural engineering, environmental science, and certification services. Leadership included directors with backgrounds from academic institutions such as Imperial College London, TU Delft, and Cranfield University, and industry veterans with experience at manufacturers and utilities. Post-acquisition, its operations were integrated into DNV’s energy division, aligning with DNV’s risk management, classification, and advisory services and coordinating with teams responsible for offshore classification, marine operations, and renewable certification.
The consultancy participated in the development and application of technical standards and certification schemes for wind turbines, supporting conformity assessment against standards such as IEC 61400-1, IEC 61400-12-1, and type certification protocols used by Lloyd's Register and DNV GL. It contributed technical input to standardization committees and worked with certification bodies on power curve verification, structural load assessment, and safety systems testing. Its services supported compliance with regional permitting regimes tied to agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (United States) and national authorities in Denmark, Spain, and Germany.
The company produced white papers, technical reports, and peer-reviewed studies on resource assessment methodologies, wake modelling, remote sensing with LiDAR and SoDAR, and long-term energy yield uncertainty. It collaborated with universities and research consortia including CENER, Fraunhofer IWES, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and presented findings at conferences such as WindEurope Conference & Exhibition and the AWEA WINDPOWER Conference. Publications addressed topics like mesoscale modelling, blade aerodynamics, fatigue life prediction, and integration of wind with storage technologies.
Like other consultancies in the sector, the firm faced scrutiny over conflicts of interest in work for manufacturers, developers, and financiers simultaneously, and over the accuracy of long-term energy yield estimates under changing climate conditions. Some clients and critics referenced disagreements over measurement uncertainty in LiDAR deployments and differing interpretations of power curve verification results. Post-acquisition integration with DNV prompted discussion among stakeholders about consolidation in certification services and implications for market competition.
Category:Renewable energy companies