Debbie Trebilco has been named the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub’s first independent Chair.
She brings over 30 years of executive experience in business including the commercial energy and electronic material sectors to the role and has served as an independent member of the Hub’s governing Board since 2023.
Debbie is a member of the government’s Community Energy Contact Group, an Associate of the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission, a former Director of Community Energy England and served on the North Yorkshire Rural Commission.
She was also one of the founders of Whitby Esk Energy, a community-owned hydroelectric turbine near Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Debbie said:
“The North East and Yorkshire has so much potential to benefit from warmer homes, clean growth, local energy generation and jobs. I want to be part of an organisation that can make real change happen and to use my skills and experience to help focus and prioritise actions to accelerate change for our region.
“I will bring strategic thinking, real-world financing expertise and a passion for successful implementation of projects from my lived experience.
“I have worked to enable a just transition to clean energy including through my role in a community-owned hydro-electric power station, Whitby Esk Energy which has been running successfully for over 12 years. I also have hands on experience from upgrading our 1850s rural property to a Net Zero home, which has given me personal experience of many enabling technologies.”
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub is part of a national network of Net Zero Hubs, directed and funded by the government to support local areas with the development and delivery of the clean energy projects they need to power local growth.
It is managed locally in partnership by the six Combined Authorities of the North East and Yorkshire, with its operational strategic direction steered by a Board made up of representatives of the six authorities and four independent commercial and technical experts.
The role of Hub Chair was previously undertaken by a representative from Tees Valley Combined Authority as the Hub’s accountable body. The appointment of an independent Chair enables a clear separation between the functions of the Board Chair and the accountable body for optimal governance and to allow the Chair to take on a stronger advocacy and figure-head role with external stakeholders and strategic decision makers.
Hub Manager Karen Oliver Spry said:
“This is an exciting time for the Hub as we start to implement a new Memorandum of Understanding with government and Great British Energy with the identification and development the clean energy projects which will drive regional economic growth and delivery of the Warm Homes Plan.
“Debbie is the ideal person to be our first independent Chair as she brings a number of strengths to the role, including technical knowledge, experience of commercial investment and private finance, leadership in community energy and decades of governance experience.”
