About Us

Electric Places is a community interest company with a deep knowledge of clean technology and a passion for unlocking its potential. Our work spans energy systems, low-carbon buildings and transport, combining innovation with the real-world expertise and practical know-how to help people and places thrive.

Electric Corby to ELECTRIC PLACES

Electric Corby was established in 2012 as a community interest company (CIC) with a mission to make Corby a UK-leading demonstrator for low carbon living, working and travel.

That sense of purpose remains and it has also grown as we have increasingly worked on projects with a national and international footprint.

We are now Electric Places, because the future we’re helping to build isn’t bound by a single postcode. We work with best-in-class partners in the UK and across Europe, and draw expertise and learnings from an even broader perspective.

The CIC structure, registered under the Electric Corby CIC name, remains the legal and ethical backbone of everything we do. It’s a binding commitment to community benefit, and a reminder of where we started.

For Corby itself, including the European partnerships and programmes that have invested in this town’s future, the Electric Corby name – and everything it stands for – is here to stay.

For everyone else, welcome to Electric Places.

Our Team

Nick Bolton
Co-Founder & CEO

Nick Bolton has over 30 years’ experience in supporting net zero projects and sustainable economic development formulating and delivering large scale strategic plans that encompass significant innovation in infrastructure. As Head of Economic Development in Cambridge and then as Director of Investment & Marketing in North Northamptonshire, Nick shaped and delivered economic growth, investment, and place marketing plans in some of the fastest growing local authority areas in the UK.

Nick has led Electric Corby (now operating as Electric Places) through more than a dozen research and development projects with UK and EU partners over a 10 year period that have helped establish a depth of understanding and evidence on a range of innovations and solutions for supporting sustainability and achieving a net zero carbon economy. £15m of projects including Community Energy, EV Charging infrastructure and the next generation of net zero all-electric homes.

Nick also brings practical experience of field delivery of housing construction, EV infrastructure and renewable energy generation and storage solutions. Nick has extensive experience liaising between public and private sector organisations focused on the delivery of evidence-based solution to the climate change challenge.
Peter Stevens
CleanTech Pioneer

Peter has almost 30 years’ experience providing leadership and strategic direction for the design, development and end to end delivery of complex, innovative programmes, digital and cleantech products for the public and private sector.

Peter managed the complex NN2NZ programme for Electric Places reviewing over 8000 projects and initiatives to identify the optimal combination and strategy for taking a region to net zero, ratifying the work with Cranfield and other subject matter experts. The Programme included managing 17 different feasibility studies and research projects before recommending the roadmap for the region along with a framework for new initiatives.

Peter has been developing and consulting on electric vehicles since 2005, starting with developing his own prototype ‘last mile delivery’ electric van (Zevan®) and 5 seater electric city car (Zecar®), and manufacturing six pre-production electric test vehicles. Peter led the strategic planning for electrifying Oxford Council’s fleet, analysing a year’s usage data of the council’s fleet of 400 vehicles, and for recommending where to locate charge-points across the city. He was the EV expert advisor to Oxford’s Citizens’ Assembly, and advised on the city and county’s many EV related projects, including the new Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO). His electrification strategy is being trialled in the city’s new Zero Emission Zone & through the ESO battery fleet migration study. Peter recently returned to ESO to manage the build programme for the largest EV mobility hub in Europe, an Innovate UK demonstrator project, with 42 fast, rapid and ultra-rapid charger-points, powered by renewable energy through a new private wire to a 50mw new lithium/vanadium redux flow battery, that also performs balancing services for the National Grid, enabling maximum efficiency. Peter coordinated the programme across the consortium, including Tesla, Fastned, Gamma, ACS and EDF Pivot Power through to the hub’s successful launch. Peter has since developed the EV strategy for North Northamptonshire and works on EV related projects across the OxCam Arc.

Before EVs, Peter builts 15 years IT and financial innovation, digital transformation, and new product development agile and waterfall project management experience running large programmes, teams and departments to director level for a range of major banks, building and friendly societies. So Peter now also provides innovation and project management expertise to a range of programmes, testing new technologies and helping to develop customer-focused IT solutions, integrated applications and front-end user interfaces.
Tim O’Callaghan
Project Consultant

Tim O’Callaghan has extensive experience providing sustainability and net zero consultancy for North Northamptonshire Council, large scale renewable energy schemes and for UK housing developers. Tim project manages international EU Horizon 2020 projects (www.flexunity.eu/, https://re-cognition-project.eu/) and is delivering pilot trials for novel low carbon technology across North Northamptonshire evaluating the impact, user adoption and feedback, costs and carbon savings potential of new energy generation and flexibility management technologies, incorporating the latest solar, battery, wind turbine and flexibility technologies to understand how best to manage energy across and within communities.

Tim led reports evaluating the human requirements and barriers for public adoption of EV charging hubs (Innovate UK CHUBBY) and the social impacts of battery storage limiting uptake by residents and businesses (Horizon 2020 RE-COGNITION). Tim is leading sustainability discussions and negotiations with the Hanwood Park Garden Community development on behalf of NNC and is exploring technical, regulatory and policy-based mechanisms to ensure the development meets net zero targets and becomes an exemplary sustainable community. Working with landowners and housing developer consortia, Tim is assessing the opportunities for large-scale solar developments across the region and determining the requirements for novel community green energy supply arrangements.

As part of the North Northamptonshire to Net Zero (NN2NZ) project, Tim led the development of a Digital Twin modelling and simulation tool for North Northamptonshire which enables the carbon impacts of behavioural carbon saving initiatives, planning, infrastructure to be simulated and tested before recommendations are made for new projects or policy.
Shideh Esfandiari
Project Financial Analyst & Accountant

Shideh graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Medical Biochemistry from Royal Holloway University of London in 1998, following a year of DNA mapping and gene sequencing research at AstraZeneca Plc. She subsequently, embarked on project financial accounting and reporting working within several blue-chip companies, delivering analysis on stringent KPIs and global budgets for companies including Informix Software Ltd, Lotus Software Ltd, IBM UK Ltd, BP Plc (both upstream and downstream), Electrocomponents Plc. Shideh joined the graduate scheme at BP and was soon fast tracked to Management Accountant (CIMA Adv Dip MA). During her 8-year career with BP, she gained vast experience of the industry within many business units; Gas & Power, Air BP, Logistics, Retail & fuel spanning both downstream and upstream.

She joined Electric Corby CIC’s team in May 2016 and has overseen successful financial delivery of many European Funded Research & Development Programme (ERDF) Projects; FP7 framework projects, managing EU investment for research and innovation and technological development in Corby a “Demonstrator Location” for District of Future project and Cloud Opting project; H2020 European projects and one Horizon Europe with stringent EU regulatory and audit framework; Innovate UK funded projects in cooperation with business partners, catalysing green innovation and development of micro-grid management platform; and a UK government Community Renewal Funded project pathing the way for North Northamptonshire to Net Zero.

During her time with us, she has expanded her administration and marketing skills by proactive collaboration with Etopia Home’s finance and marketing team. She supported launch of 47 net- positive homes, designing and delivering operations and maintenance (O&M) packs, coordinating construction project managers’ meeting, and working closely with quantity surveyors (QS) to ensure that the renewable energy heating system for the Net Positive Homes were delivered within bounds of funding by EU. She been instrumental in financial control of Innovative Community DSO Trial Project, delivered in partnership with Northern Powergrid (NPG).

Her wealth of project and intercompany financial and administration skills gained from both public and private sector has shaped a skillset she continues to hone through her work with Electric Corby Not For Profit Community Interest Company, helping to build a low carbon climate resilient future.
David Sims

David joined the board of Electric Corby CIC in 2014, motivated by his passion for sustainable development and his desire to make a meaningful impact in the energy sector. He takes immense pride in being part of a team that has achieved remarkable milestones and continues to drive progress forward. As an experienced planning consultant, David boasts a proven track record of successfully delivering diverse projects across residential and commercial sectors, demonstrating expertise in both private and public domains.

Recently, he assumed the role of Associated Partner at Alpine Planning Limited, a highly reputable enterprise known for its high-quality planning services. David’s unwavering commitment lies in fostering innovation within sustainable and renewable energy technologies. In addition to his professional endeavours, David also serves as a local councillor, advocating for the needs and concerns of the community. He is privileged to represent the area and work towards positive change, promoting inclusive and sustainable development initiatives that benefit everyone.