Renew Economy announces new editor, expanded team and new features

Renew Economy is delighted to announce the appointment of a new editor, Sophie Vorrath, as Australia’s leading publication on climate and the green energy transition expands its team and adds new features.

Sophie will officially take over from me on Monday, March 24, a move that will allow her to marshall Renew Economy’s expanded team and co-ordinate the day to day coverage of the events that matter to our more than half a million monthly readers.

I will remain editor-in-chief of the Renew Economy group, and daily editor of the EV-focused The Driven, but the appointment of Sophie will allow me to focus more on writing, research, analysis, interviews and podcasts, and digging up stuff that others can’t find, or are not looking for. I will continue to liaise with Sophie on key editorial matters.

I have worked with Sophie for more than 17 years, initially at Business Spectator and then at Climate Spectator, where she anchored the new publication. She has been with Renew Economy from the day it launched in January, 2012, and has steadily moved from part-time to senior reporter and now editor.

Sophie is knowledgeable, curious, diligent, a great writer, and a very nice person. I have every confidence in her ability to seize the reins of the publication, and meet the demands of our readers for top quality stories, analysis and insight about the green energy transition – something that the mainstream media has either chosen to ignore or sought to distort.

It’s not the only appointment at Renew Economy. Sam Parkinson has stepped into the role of chief operating officer, with particular responsibility for business development and strategy, as well as advertising and sponsorships. And wouldn’t it be nice if some more of the country’s big renewable developers and energy companies came to the party on that front!

Sam will be joined by a new employee, Tanya Shukla, who will focus on digital production, including newsletters, social media, videos and other multi media offerings.

The editorial team is also expanded. Rachel Williamson, a contributor to Renew Economy for the past 2 1/2 years, is now (nearly) full time, and on staff.

And we have boosted our contributor ranks with the welcome return of Ketan Joshi, and the recent additions of Royce Kurmelovs, Amalyah Hart and Matt Biss, helping out long-term reporter Joshua S Hill.

We have also boosted our ranks of expert commentators, with Tristan Edis and Michael Barnard also making regular contributions to the publications, adding to the extraordinary insight brought to these pages by David Leitch.

Our podcasts also continue, including the popular and essential Energy Insiders podcast – co-hosted by myself and David. It is published on a weekly basis, as is the compelling SwitchedOn Australia podcast, hosted by Anne Delaney, that focuses on electrification and community energy.

The fortnightly Solar Insiders podcast, hosted by Sophie, is about to be re-launched, and I will continue to host the EV-focused The Driven Podcast, which is also published every fortnight.

Renew Economy has also added new features, including a Green Energy Calendar, updated daily, that identifies key events in coming days, weeks and months, which complements our Grid Connections feature that documents people movements within the industry.

We have also upgraded our popular maps – the Big Battery Storage Map that identifies battery projects that are operating, under construction and in various stages of development, as well as the Big Solar and Big Wind maps that document projects in operation, under construction and contracted.

Other features will also be introduced in coming months. And if you have any ideas and suggestions, please let us know.

Renew Economy has been, and remains, a significant and important force in the green energy transition and the climate policy debate in Australia. It is regarded by many as essential reading for the industry and policy makers, but it also has a much broader readership of those with an interest in the country’s energy future.

Renew Economy itself boasts monthly page views of more than 2.4 million, and more than 650,000 unique visitors a month. Across the three publications, including The Driven and One Step Off the Grid, there are more than 3.5 million page views a month and more than a million unique visitors.

These are satisfying figures. And important ones too, given the increase in disinformation and misinformation across social media and, sadly, in mainstream media too. And in the age of Trump and right wing demagoguery, and as we approach a crucial election, the role of strong independent media has never been so important.

Renew Economy would like to thank those that support the publication – the advertisers, sponsors and the hundreds of individual donors that have allowed us to continue our work. Your contributions mean that we have not needed to hide our content behind a paywall. In the current economic and media climate, that is very important.

Do you have any tips, contributions or suggestions? Please email editor@reneweconomy.com.au. If you would like to sign up to our free daily newsletter, click here. And if you feel like making a contribution, you can do so here.