Energy Institute (EI)

What Is the Energy Institute (EI)?

The Energy Institute (EI), located in London, is a not-for-profit, membership-based professional organization dedicated to serving those working in and studying different forms of energy. Formed in 2003, it also is licensed to award certain status certifications to engineers and environmentalists.

Understanding the Energy Institute (EI)

The Energy Institute is a resource for those working in and studying the various energy sectors. Its membership includes approximately 23,000 international professionals representing over 250 companies in 100 countries. The EI hosts regular events and workshops through which professionals can exchange information regarding different types of energy, including oil, gas, nuclear, and alternative energy.

EI is registered as a charity. Its stated mission is to "provide the skills, knowledge and good practice needed to protect the environment during operations and to advance the global energy transition required by the climate emergency."

As a member of the Professional Associations Research Network, the EI:

• keeps up-to-date with the latest sector research and best practice guidance
• equips members through training and events to deal with the challenges professional bodies face
• is part of an active network of professional bodies that learn from each other

Other objectives and aims of the EI include:

As a not-for-profit organization, the Energy Institute is funded through a combination of fees from individual members, company members, and from sales of publications and tickets to its conferences and training courses.

Training Via the EI

The EI provides training in environmental management, energy management, risk management, and oil and gas. EI is licensed by the Engineering Council of the U.K. to offer Chartered, Incorporated and Engineering Technician status to engineers, and by the Society for the Environment to award Chartered Environmentalist status.

Members also benefit from many events throughout the year, including International Petroleum Week — three days of seminars, and conferences centered around the oil and gas industry. It attracts many senior members of the industry and culminates with a dinner for over 1,300 participants. In November, the Energy Institute presents the EI Awards to individuals and companies who have contributed significantly to the energy industry.

History of the EI

The Energy Institute was formed by the 2003 merger between the two venerable institutions: the Institute of Petroleum (founded 1913) and the Institute of Energy (founded 1925).

From its founding to 2021, Louise Kingham was its Chief Executive. She was a professional with over 24 years of experience in the energy industry. Prior to their merger, Ms. Kingham served at both the Institute of Petroleum and the Energy Institute.

As of 2021, EI's current Chief Executive is Nick Wayth, a 22 year-veteran of BP plc. His most recent post was that of  Chief Development Officer of Alternative Energy, where he led BP’s strategy and business development in a broad range of renewable technologies.

EI's Council President is Steve Holliday, the former Chief Executive of National Grid plc and the current Chairman of CityFibre and Zenobe.

Special Considerations

In addition to providing networking opportunities and training to those in the energy industry, the Energy Institute provides a wealth of information relating to all types of energy. Some of the information is based on research done by EI itself, while other information is from third parties. EI has an extensive library containing publications about the energy industry dating as far back as the mid-19th century.

Information can also be obtained online through EI's Energy Matrix, a digital database containing over 80,000 resources. EI members can opt to receive two magazines, Petroleum Review and Energy World, and have access to The Journal of the Energy Institute.