British renewables body RenewableUK has named Siemens Engines CEO Dan McGrail to succeed outgoing chief Hugh McNeal.
McGrail, who managed Siemens’ investment plans in the UK early last decade that led to construction of the offshore wind turbine blade factory and port facility in Hull, was managing director of Siemens Power Generation from 2014-2017, where he expanded the group’s activities in the thermal power market.
“RenewableUK’s members are driving the energy transition faster than anyone could have predicted, from our world-leading offshore wind industry to onshore wind and innovative marine power, energy storage and renewable hydrogen,” said McGrail.
“We’ll need all these technologies to get to net zero at the lowest cost for consumers, and I can’t wait to start working
McNeal said: “We’ve come a long way in the last few years and wind energy is at the heart of our future energy system. Dan will be an outstanding CEO; he’s a creative entrepreneur with an exceptionally strong track record on bringing the industrial benefits of wind energy to the UK at scale.
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RenewableUK chair Stephen Bull said: “Dan is joining us at a crucial time for the sector, as the Prime Minister has put the growth of renewables at the heart of his plans for a Green Industrial Revolution.
“Our industry will create tens of thousands of highly-skilled jobs and become the backbone of the UK’s modern energy system over the course of this decade. Dan is passionate about the energy transition and about creating an open, inclusive and diverse working environment which will attract talented people from a wide range of backgrounds to join us as we build the energy system of the future.”
McGrail is also vice-chair of the Association of Decentralised Energy.
McNeal has been the post since 2016, coming in from DECC (now the Department for Business, Energy and Industry, BEIS).
