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UTILITY WEEK | 22ND - 28TH APRIL 2016 | 7 Interview S imon Roberts is a man who has the interests of the most vulnerable at heart. Sat in his office at the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) near the banks of the River Avon in Bristol, the charity's chief executive makes it clear he wants to ensure the organisation "does everything it can" to help those cast aside by the energy industry. In following these aims, Roberts is not afraid to criti- cise the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for its "flip-flopping" energy probe remedies, the large energy suppliers for failing to treat their customers fairly, and Ofgem for not doing enough to protect the consumers most in need, as well as for failing to keep up with the rate of change in the distribution arena. Roberts' frustration with the regulators and the large suppliers stems from the goals he is trying to achieve with CSE. These are making sure people are able to sus- tainably meet their energy needs – they can afford their bills and live in warm homes – and that our current energy usage "doesn't compromise future generations", – which means tackling carbon emissions. On the first point, Roberts makes it clear to Utility Week that this goes further than just dealing with the policy side of things – although CSE is involved with try- ing to influence government policy. "We do real projects with real people," he says, unable to hide his enthusiasm for his work. "It's getting our hands dirty. "Our role is to make what's there work the best it possibly can." Roberts states this can be engaging with ethnic minority communities in and around Bristol and the southwest – oen among the most deprived – to help them overcome billing issues. He says parts of the Somali community in Bristol living in private rented accommodation have prepayment What is the Centre for Sustainable Energy? The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is an independent national charity that was initiated in 1979 as the Urban Centre for Appropriate Technology (UCAT). It gives advice, manages innovative energy projects, trains and supports others to act, and undertakes research and policy analysis. At any one time, the CSE has around 60 different and separately funded projects under way helping people and communities.