AWARDS FINALIST: James Irvine – Leading renewables for Clarus
When James Irvine joined Clarus in April 2022, the company's renewable energy ambitions were still largely theoretical.
Three years later, he has delivered three significant renewable energy milestones and positioned Clarus as a national leader in the transition to biofuels.
With no team, no blueprint and no precedent, Irvine first had to build the firm's new business division, First Renewables, from the ground up.
Clarus says Irvine took the group's initial plan - focused largely on hydrogen - and reshaped it to put more emphasis on the country's biomethane opportunity.
Expanding into solar will ultimately help provide the low-cost electricity required to make hydrogen commercially viable; in the meantime, it has added a new low-emission revenue stream for the group.
Biogas
Clarus says Irvine led the firm's biomethane project at Reporoa from concept to construction and commissioning.
He secured the innovative agreement with Ecogas in which food waste at the company's Reporoa facility is converted to biogas and then upgraded to biomethane and injected into the local pipeline network.
The project, which delivered its first gas to the network in November, is one of the few globally to be developed entirely without public subsidies.
It now supplies enough renewable gas to power 7200 homes and reduces carbon emissions by about 11,000 tonnes a year.
In April this year, soil was turned on the $250 million-plus Tauhei solar farm - set to become New Zealand's largest at 202 MWp. The project, spanning 182 hectares, will generate enough electricity to power 35,000 homes.
Clarus says Irvine not only signed a deal with Harmony Energy as the international partner for the joint venture, but he led the Clarus side in working with Harmony ensure the successful financial close of the project and the transition to construction.
Perseverance
The project demonstrates Irvine's perseverance and ability to collaborate and negotiate to find solutions that work for all parties, Clarus says.
Three potentially terminal "nos" were navigated with innovation and entrepreneurship.
Irvine also initiated the country's first hydrogen-blending trial, working with Vector, Powerco, GasNet, Nova Energy and major energy retailers to explore the viability of distributing hydrogen through existing gas infrastructure.
Beyond those technical achievements, Clarus says Irvine is a respected leader and mentor. He has grown his team from zero to seven, championed diversity, supported women in engineering, and inspired young professionals to pursue careers in energy.
His leadership style - described as calm, collaborative, and empowering - has earned admiration across the sector.
The Tauhei project is a joint venture. This article has been updated to clarify that Irvine led the Clarus side of the venture. Harmony Energy led the development of the project, including the financing process and power purchase agreement.
The annual Energy Excellence Awards will be held in Wellington on 13 August. The Young Energy Professional of the Year award is sponsored by Phoenix Recycling Group.