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Australia’s Smart Energy Council adds Ria O’Hehir to its board

The clean energy industry group said that O’Hehir’s appointment will strengthen the board as it gears up for lobbying ahead of Australia’s 2022 federal elections.

Ria O'Hehir Australia Smart Energy Council
Ria O'Hehir has been in the clean energy industry for over 17 years. Image: Smart Energy Council

Australia’s Smart Energy Council, an industry group championing clean energy and power storage solutions, has appointed Greenbank’s chief executive Ria O’Hehir to its nine-member board.

O’Hehir, who has led Greenbank, an Australian environmental certificates trader, since 2020, has more than 17 years of experience in the clean energy industry.

In a statement, the Smart Energy Council said that Greenbank is one of the key backers of its campaigns. Since O’Hehir joined Greenbank in 2005, the company has helped to abate about 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, said the council.

“It is 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,” said O’Hehir.

“I am 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,” she added.

The council’s chief executive John Grimes said that O’Hehir’s appointment will strengthen the orgnisation as it goes into a key federal election year. Next year’s Australian federal elections will be critical for the renewables sector, said Grimes.

“We will be campaigning hard in the coming months to get our politicians to support the renewables sector, which is reducing Australia’s emissions, boosting our economy and creating thousands of jobs,” he said.

The Smart Energy Council’s board also includes academics and other industry executives. It has the backing of over a thousand members.

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