RenewableNI announces new Chair and Deputy

RenewableNI today named their new Chair and Deputy, who will deliver leadership and expertise for the renewable energy industry body.
Tamasin Fraser, founder and Managing Director of renewable energy development and advisory company Omnipower Renewables, was elected as the new Chair, with Sara Tinsley Planning and Environmental Consents Manager at Energia Renewables, becoming the new Deputy.

The Chair and Deputy are elected from within RenewableNI membership and hold the position for two years.  The handover from the outgoing Garth McGimpsey, RES and Paul Carson, Strategic Power Projects, took place at the RenewableNI Committee meeting on Tuesday (19 March).

Speaking on her appointment, Tamasin Fraser said:

“The renewables sector in Northern Ireland plays such an important role not only in our fight against climate change but also when it comes to economic growth.

“The Climate Change Act sets a target that by 2030 80% of all the renewable electricity consumed in Northern Ireland must be generated here. Achieving that target will mean accelerating the shift away from harmful and expensive fossil fuels and attracting sustainable investment in green technologies.

“This is a huge opportunity for Northern Ireland as a whole and RenewableNI must lead in delivering the positive change required to make it a reality. Our sector has shown it has the skills and ambition to deliver, and I want to work with government and policy-makers to create an environment where we can do just that.

“I would like to acknowledge the progress made by Garth McGimpsey and Paul Carson, and I look forward to working closely with newly elected Deputy Chair Sara Tinsley and the Renewable NI team as we make the case for what I believe is the most exciting industry in Northern Ireland.”

Sara Tinsley, incoming Deputy Chair, said: “I chaired RenewableNI’s Planning working group for the last two years, and am delighted to now become the organisation’s Deputy Chair.

“I look forward to building on my collaboration with RenewableNI.  The influence it has in positively shaping the energy future in Northern Ireland is fundamental as we look to deliver on net zero targets.  RenewableNI’s support to the industry in advocating for change and spotlighting key concerns is essential to urgently enable the development of renewable energy projects across the region.”

Congratulating the incoming pair, Steven Agnew RenewableNI Director said: “Members had strong candidates to select from in this election, and I would like to thank everyone who chose to stand.  Tamasin and Sara have been key representatives among our membership.  They have spoken at our events, engaged with policy makers and advocated for the renewable sector.

“I would like to thank our outgoing Chair Garth McGimpsey and Deputy Paul Carson for their hard work and support over their two-year term.  They were instrumental in setting the RenewableNI strategic plan for how we achieve a net zero electricity system by 2035.  Their close relationship with us will continue as the pair will stay on as RenewableNI Committee members.”

About Chair and Deputy

Tamasin Fraser
Founder and Managing Director, Omnipower Renewables
Tamasin is founder Managing Director of Omnipower Renewables, a renewable energy development and advisory company active across the UK and Ireland, specialising in identifying, acquiring and developing renewable energy sites. The company also works directly with energy users to increase their sustainability and reduce their costs.

Before founding Omnipower Renewables Tamasin was UK Director for a leading international renewables developer, where she was responsible for establishing and delivering a 3 GW pipeline of onshore wind, solar, energy storage and hydrogen projects across the UK.  A graduate of Queen’s University Belfast and Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, she is a Chartered Planner with almost 20 years’ industry experience.

Sara Tinsley BSc, DipTP, MRTPI
Planning and Environmental Consents Manager, Energia Renewables
A Chartered Town Planner, Sara is responsible for a team managing planning and environmental matters across Ireland, supporting the development of wind, solar, battery storage, hydrogen production, and other renewable technologies.

Prior to joining Energia Renewables, Sara worked in private consultancy and has extensive experience of the development industry, advancing schemes for a range of major clients including energy companies.

Sara is outgoing Chair of the RenewableNI Planning Working Group and sits on the Planning Committee for Wind Energy Ireland.  She is a Committee member of the Planning and Environmental Law Association for Northern Ireland and also sits on University of Ulster’s UPLAN Advisory Group.