Frequently
Asked Questions

Cobalt Energy provides advice, support and services across the project lifecycle. Our consulting and engineering teams deliver consultancy projects ranging from Due Diligence, Market Advice, and Technical Advisor roles, through to package design and delivery for engineering projects. Our project delivery teams deliver site-based projects ranging from small skid mounted systems to providing a full EPC wrap for process plant. Our operations teams take on the day-to-day operation of any process plant making use of our expertise in running energy from waste and biomass facilities in the UK.

We work primarily in the low-carbon and renewable energy sectors including Energy from Waste, Anaerobic Digestion, Biomass, Biofuels, Battery Energy Storage Systems and we can offer support to most process industries.

Cobalt Energy’s head office is in Buxton which is centrally located for the UK. We have projects around the country and operational bases wherever we need to be to serve our clients needs.

Cobalt Energy was formed in 2009 as an engineering consultancy and we have grown significantly in size and scope since our start, building on the expertise of our staff to deliver results for our clients.

The team can be contacted via the details provided on our contact us page. We are always happy to hear about new projects and to help our clients solve their problems. 

☑ Due Diligence services for new projects and technologies
☑ Technology selection and application
☑ Project Feasibility Studies
☑ Technical Advisor Services for Project Developers
☑ Project Management, Owner’s Engineer (OE) forSPV Client / Investor
☑ Procurement, Tender and Contract Support
☑ Safety and Engineering Studies
☑ Engineering Services for EPC contracts
☑ EPCM project execution
☑ EPC project execution
☑ CDM Services
☑ Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Services
☑ OSA (Operational Service Agreement) and MSA (Management Services Agreement)
☑ Advice and support for any other queries – please get in touch to discuss your project
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Yes. We have a wide range of technical experts within the company with knowledge of mechanical, process and electrical engineering and experienced consultants who can help with commercial studies including market assessment, site search and the role of critical friend.

We work with our contacts within the industry to build a picture of the market which can inform your decisions about the scale and location of new facilities. We can provide feedstock studies for projects in Energy from Waste, Biomass and other related industries. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Yes. Our experience of operating energy from waste and biomass plants means that we are in a unique position to apply that lived experience to any regulatory or compliance needs of our clients.

EPC contracts are Engineer – Procure – Construct contracts which means that the EPC contractor manages the design and build process from start to finish, taking care of all other contractors required in the process. An EPC Contract typically provides guarantees to the client on the delivery and performance of the project and is low risk to the client. EPCM is a similar type of contract where the EPCM contractor manages the process however individual subcontracts are let by the Client. This moves some risk from the EPC to the client but can result in lower costs of delivery. Cobalt Energy have delivered projects under both contract models and are happy to discuss any future projects with you.

 A feed study is an early-phase engineering assessment that defines technical requirements, costs, and risks before full project execution.
A FEED: 
• Reduces uncertainties (risk) & optimizes design·     
• Improves cost and schedule accuracy·       
• Minimizes costly changes later·       
• Supports approvals and financing·       
• A strong FEED ensures project viability before major investment.

Cobalt Energy are experts in risk management and have in -house HAZOP expertise. We undertake HAZOPs on as a matter of course on projects which require them. We can offer our HAZOP expertise to clients to assist in the identification and management of risks in projects with complicated process design.

Yes. We have considerable experience in the design and operation of process plants including Energy from Waste, Biomass, Anaerobic Digestion and other supporting technologies such as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). We have provided advice and support into the development of projects from an early stage and also in the refit and refurbishment of older assets.

Cobalt Energy acts as Owners/Lenders Engineer for projects which require ongoing scrutiny of the contractors’ performance. This means ensuring that EPC (or other) contractors meet their milestones for payments and provide evidence to back up their claims. Cobalt works in a proactive manner to facilitate the delivery of projects as delays can be severely detrimental to a projects success.

Our O&M services are tailored to the needs of the project but typically include the full management of the Operations and Maintenance on site including all Staff, Equipment and Consumables required for the delivery of the service. We aim to maximise value and longevity on projects and manage assets so that they deliver optimal returns over the term of the contract.

Facility management forms part of the O&M service we offer to clients. We manage all the day to day operations of a site including consumables, feedstock management and staffing.

Management of risk in operations is fundamental to the service we offer. We assess the risks associated with all operations and ensure that we operate each plant in a safe and sustainable manner.

Yes. A core function of our business is the mobilisation of teams onto site to deliver O&M services. This can include the transfer of staff from a different organisation into our employment and can also include the requirement and retention of suitable staff.

Cobalt Energy is committed to reducing its carbon footprint through continuous improvement. Since 2022, our trained sustainability team has driven emissions reductions via carbon accounting, sustainable travel policies, and operational changes. As we grow, we are integrating ESG principles into our core strategy, business model, and policies.

Yes, we can offer support to our clients on ESG and wider sustainability issues. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

We know that sustainability is important to our clients. Cobalt Energy is always ready to identify ways in which we can support sustainability measures and improve the delivery of projects. This can be as simple as identifying low carbon replacements for traditional site generators during construction but can extend to measures in the design of a plant to improve efficiency and reduce energy use over the lifetime of the project.

We engage with regulators on a regular basis and maintain a good working relationship with site inspectors and other officials. We participate in industry forums and contribute to government consultations where the outcomes will be relevant to our operations or those of our clients. We are members of key trade bodies for the industries in which we work.

We advertise our positions through platforms such as Indeed and through our own website careers page. You can find out further information on these sites or contact us directly.

We are always on the lookout for talented individuals to join our team. We take graduates into our professional development scheme on a regular basis and we occasionally look for talented interns.

Cobalt Energy employ a wide range of experts across several disciplines including Mechanical, Process and Electrical engineering, and we are always on the lookout for talented people to join our commercially focused consultancy team. Experience in the Energy from Waste, Biomass or Renewables sectors is an advantage but we will consider applicants from any background if they have the right experience.
Our operational sites often have vacancies for operational roles based on those sites. Our sites maintain their own websites which may have job openings specific to those projects.
Please visit our careers page for details on how to apply to Cobalt Energy.

Yes, speculative CVs are welcome, all we ask is that you also provide a cover letter to explain your interest and why you think you would be a good fit in the team.