Smart Energy Council announces new board member

Working in the clean energy industry for over 17 years, Ria O’Hehir became CEO of Greenbank in 2020. She has now been appointed to the board of the Smart Energy Council in recognition of her contribution to the industry.

Since she started her career with Greenbank, the company, along with its partners, have abated approximately 40 million tonnes of carbon (CO_2e) through the creation of environmental certificates, such as STCs and VEECs, and has been a key backer of the Smart Energy Council (SEC) and its campaigns, including ‘Save Solar’ in 2014.

CEO of the SEC John Grimes said O’Hehir’s appointment will further strengthen the organisation as it goes into a key federal election year: “We are delighted to have Ria joining the board. She brings a wealth of experience to our team and has played a pivotal role in Australia’s renewables transition.

“Her knowledge will help guide the SEC as we move towards a federal election that is going to be critical for our industry. We’ll be campaigning hard in the coming months to get our politicians to support the renewable sector, which is reducing Australia’s emissions, boosting our economy and creating thousands of jobs.”

Commenting on her appointment, O’Hehir said: “Having worked in solar and renewables for the last 17 years, it’s a thrill to receive the opportunity to use my experience for the benefit of the industry with this role on the board of the Smart Energy Council.

“Looking toward the future, I’m excited to play an even larger role in the energy transition, as the Smart Energy Council gears up to have its biggest year yet in 2022 — with new hydrogen projects, election campaigns and advocacy work at the forefront of the fight for renewables.”