Former energy minister joins REA board

Baroness Verma joins the Renewable Energy Association as an independent non-executive board member

The former energy minister Baroness Verma has joined the Renewable Energy Association (REA) as a non-executive board member.

She was parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) between 2012 and 2015.

During her time at DECC, she took the Energy Act 2013 through the House of Lords, before becoming a minister at the Department for International Development in 2015, with responsibility for climate and the environment.

As a non-executive board member at the REA, she will look at the strategic role of renewables and clean tech here in the UK, as well as trade opportunities in emerging markets.

She said she was “delighted” to join the association “at such a crucial time for the industry”.

“The position of the renewables sector is unrecognisable to when I joined DECC in 2012,” she added. “The cost curves have beaten even optimistic projections and are now competitive, cheaper in some circumstances, than fossil alternatives.

“With storage and smart technologies already a reality, the opportunities for the UK to lead the world in these areas is one we cannot afford to waste and I look forward to working with REA members in this.”

The REA’s chief executive, Nina Skorupska, added: “I’m thrilled to have Sandip join the team, as a former energy minister and international development minister, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the board, coupled with a business history that understand our member’s needs.”