The Renewable Energy Association (REA), which represents renewable energy producers and promotes the use renewable energy in the UK, has announced that from 29 July, Dr Nina Skorupska will replace Gaynor Hartnell as Chief Executive.

Hartnell, who has been with the REA since its inception in 2001, announced in March 2013 that she would be standing down as Chief Executive to ‘pursue other interests’, but will remain ‘on hand’ to offer advice in future.

Dr Skorupska (pictured right), a chemist with over 25 years in the energy industry, has held several positions in the power industry, including a role as fuel specialist with National Power, RWE Group’s Director of Performance Improvement, and Chief Technology Officer at Essent NV, a wholly-owned company of RWE Group.

Speaking of her appointment, Dr Skorupska said: “This is a challenging and exciting time for the UK, as it strives to accelerate the transition to a lower carbon economy. Electricity generation needs to become virtually zero carbon by 2030, and renewables will have an increasing role in transport and heating. Even though the economic climate makes investors wary, the renewables sector is well-placed to bring us out of recession and create employment with a growth rate of 16 per cent per annum to 2020.

“Renewable energy in the UK is important for many reasons, a point I’m certainly going to be stressing. Whilst carbon reduction is vitally important, it’s also about creating a secure energy future, reducing dependency on imports from geopolitically challenging regions, not creating wastes, driving innovation for a sustainable life and so much more.”

Outgoing Chief Executive, Gaynor Hartnell added: “The REA will be in excellent hands, which is very important to me considering my role in catalysing its formation. I shall be on-hand to offer advice and to pursue some specific projects, but am also looking forward to widening my interests outside of the association.”

Speaking of the change in leadership, Martin Wright, Chair of the Board of Directors, said: “We are delighted that Nina is taking up the helm. She has a an impressive background, and a great understanding of not only the complex technical issues relating to energy, and the central importance of renewable energy, but also the challenges facing the industry. I am very confident that she will be a very effective and powerful champion for the industry, bringing, as she does, the strong industry and business background to the association.”

Renewable Energy Awards

The announcement was made at the Gala Dinner of the 2013 British Renewable Energy Awards last night (12 June).

Award winners included:

Project Award

Solar power company Solarcentury won the award for their work on Blackfriars Bridge, in recognition of their effort to ‘raise the profile of the UK as a destination for renewables investment’.

Community Award

The Brixton-based Repowering initiative was recognised for bringing ‘skills and employment opportunities’ to Brixton residents and ‘bringing energy awareness to hundreds of social housing tenants’.

Leadership Award

J V Energen won this category for ‘tremendous leadership’ and ‘overcoming challenges which no company had encountered before’ as part of The Poundbury project, the UK’s ‘first’ commercial-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) and biomethane-to-grid plant.

REA Judges’ Award

Andrew Garrad won this away for his work in establishing ‘the world’s largest wind energy consultancy’, Garrad Hassan.

Read more about the 2013 British Renewable Energy Awards.