AEA is a global business with an exceptional breadth of capability in energy and environmental consultancy, data management and economics. Our capabilities stand firmly on a rich and deep-rooted history and the experience gained from supporting governments and business-leaders around the world for over 40 years.
The origins of our expertise can be traced all the way back to three groundbreaking UK Government Agencies - NETCEN, ETSU, NCEC.
Groundbreaking government agencies
NETCEN
In the 1950s, in response to deaths from London smog, UK Government set up a new team to pioneer methods for accurately measuring the city's air quality. The measurements this team provided armed Government with the knowledge it needed to develop policies and programmes to bring about real improvements in air quality and the health of the population.
This team soon became the UK's leading source of expertise on air quality and an international centre of excellence. It established similar status in the development of atmospheric emissions and subsequently, greenhouse gas inventories.
As a natural home to develop related policy support on growing waste and recycling matters, the team grew to include some 200 of the world's leading technical experts in air quality, waste and recycling. And it became known and respected as the National Environmental Technology Centre (NETCEN).
ETSU
In response to the global oil price shocks of the early 1970s, UK Government set up a new, expert-advisory agency, the Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU). Initially advising government on renewable energy issues, ETSU was set up within the UK's Atomic Energy Authority, one of the nation's largest sources of scientific and technical expertise.
ETSU grew into Europe's largest team and leading source of expertise specialising in sustainable energy. It provided policy support and programme management in renewables, energy efficiency, clean coal, combined heat and power, and sustainable transport.
NCEC
A fatal road accident involving an acid spill in the 1970s led the UK Government to establish the National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC). Initially the NCEC provided a round-the-clock chemical advice helpline for the UK's blue light services. Later it expanded to provide support other emergency services and the chemical industry worldwide.
Privatisation
AEA was originally the commercial arm operating within the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). In 1994, it was spun out of the UKAEA and subsequently, in 1996, floated on the London Stock Exchange.
The new AEA organisation boasted the combined capability and experience of NETCEN, ETSU, and NCEC when it was privatised as a commercial technical consultancy in 1996. The modern shape of AEA - as the home of the UK's leading technical consultancy expertise - was starting to emerge.
At that stage AEA still included a number of other operating units that were working in other technical areas such as Rail and Engineering Software. So, in the early 2000s a programme of divestment of non- core businesses was started. In 2005, under the leadership of then CEO Andrew McCree, the transformation programme picked up pace and major portfolio divestments were made to create a business focused on its heritage of environmental excellence.
North American demand for AEA's know-how
With the successful portfolio divestments made, the first stage of AEA's transformation journey was complete. The company now focused on growth by taking its energy and climate change know-how to the United States market. The US promised to be a market where AEA's services would be in high demand - driven by the rising complexity of climate change regulation, escalating energy costs, and the global demand from governments and the commercial sector to collect, organise and analyse energy.
The first US acquisition - Project Performance Corporation
In August 2008, AEA enhanced its US presence and its environmental and data management capability with the acquisition of the Washington based Project Performance Corporation (PPC). The winning formula for AEA and PPC in combination, was the new ability to help clients collect and organise information associated with energy and climate change, as well as having the technical expertise to interpret and create leading edge solutions on a global scale.
New contract awards from the US Department of Energy and other US federal agencies soon confirmed the powerful addition of PPC's capability and the significant market opportunity for AEA's energy and environmental consultancy services in the US.
Eastern Research Group brings more global opportunity
The acquisition of US based Eastern Research Group (ERG) was completed in October 2010. With some 400 people and 25 years of experience in policy support and programme management for US Federal Government, ERG brought AEA new and desirable skill sets and opportunities.
As a highly respected contractor for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other US federal agencies, ERG strengthened the platform from which AEA could take advantage of the growing US market. As US federal agencies were continuing to redirect their resources towards greater energy efficiency, improved sustainability and building a low carbon future, AEA was now able to showcase its world leading experience and expertise built through many years working in these areas in Europe and Asia.
Importantly, the acquisition of ERG also added significant expertise in the water market. This, combined with ERG's position as a prime contractor on the EPA's water scarcity programme enabled AEA's clients to access the full spectrum of energy, climate change and water consultancy services.
And, just as PPC brought additional key skills in information and data management to underpin our core environmental capabilities, ERG brought additional economics expertise which is an essential aspect of creating sustainable and value driven solutions for a changing market place.
The future
AEA is well equipped to face the challenges of the economic times in which we live and to capture the opportunities presented in an exciting and rapidly changing market place. Our experience now draws on many decades of supporting and advising governments, public sector and private sector leaders, and international agencies around the world. We have built an unrivalled team with many recognised as world experts in their field. And we have built an unrivalled breadth of capability in energy and environmental consultancy in Europe and the US, coupled with first class skills in data management and a growing economics expertise.
Just as we helped clean the smog-filled streets of London in the 1950s, our 1100 strong team of respected consultants continues to deliver outstanding, pioneering work and influential support to international decision makers today.