REAL was founded in 2006 with a clear mission - to provide quality assurance, and build trust and confidence in the renewable energy and circular economy sectors. For nearly 20 years REAL has been a driving force in creating standards that protect consumers, promote sustainability and ensure businesses meet the highest standards.

REAL has developed and launched 8 innovative schemes, each designed to address different aspects of the renewable energy industry and circular economy. These schemes have helped establish best practice, promote ethical business conduct, and give consumers confidence in their choices.

REAL’s expert team are here to solve the problems of the future. By continuously evolving and adapting to new challenges and opportunities, REAL plays a crucial role in creating a more sustainable, transparent, and trustworthy marketplace.

Based in London, our full-time executive team operates and delivers REAL’s schemes. REAL is governed by a Board made up of an independent Chairman, four Non-Executive Directors and two Executive Directors.

REAL is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Renewable Energy Association (REA), a not-for-profit trade association. Since its incorporation in 2001, the REA’s mission has remained the same: A net zero future built on renewable energy and clean technology. With feed in from over 500 member organisations, ranging from energy utilities, developers, legal and finance companies through to innovative start-ups and consultants, the REA provides a holistic approach and a strategic vision to Government of what can be achieved across the whole of the renewable energy sector. The REA plays a key role in supporting REAL’s scheme development and delivery, grounding the schemes’ conception and progress on expert policy advice.

The REA recognises that creating robust frameworks that reduce uncertainty will encourage investment, drive the adoption of renewable energy and foster a sustainable future. Together, we are creating a more resilient, trustworthy, and impactful industry.

Meet the REAL Board

Philip Sellwood (Chairman)

Philip Sellwood CBE was CEO of the Energy Saving Trust from 2003-2020. During that time he undertook work for all UK Administrations and has represented the UK as part of the European Energy Network. He was awarded a CBE in the 2019 Queens Honours List for services to public policy.

Currently, Philip is Chair of Zemo Partnership, he advises several organisations in both the private and public sectors. Alongside this, Philip is an independent board member of both the UK Energy Research Council and the Energy Research Partnership. Philip is Chair of the board of REAL and formerly the NED on the Local Government Innovation and Improvement board.

Philip served as the inaugural Chair of the Zero Carbon Academy from July 2022. Since July 2023 Philip has represented Tri-Captial Angels as an advisor and Investment Director on the board of HEERO Technologies.

Philip is a founder Trustee of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a global charity committed to promoting the development of the circular economy. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Arts and the British Institute of Management.

Michael Chesshire (Non-Executive Director)

Michael Chesshire graduated with a first-class degree in engineering from Cambridge University, and, following a brief period in the nuclear industry, he has worked in anaerobic digestion since 1975: with Farmgas which pioneered pre-fabricated sewage sludge digestion technology; with Greenfinch which pioneered food waste AD; with Evergreen Gas which pioneered plug-flow anaerobic digestion technology; and now with Lutra which is an innovation and design consultancy.

In partnership with the University of Southampton, Lutra has been operating a pilot digester to research the feasibility of in-situ power-to-methane, and has researched the feasibility of producing green hydrogen vehicle fuel from off-grid renewable electricity. He is a visiting professor at the University of Southampton, a director of REAL and a member of the Green Gas Certification Scheme Compliance Committee.

Sue Ellwood (Non-Executive Director)

Sue is an experienced and versatile consultant with a deep knowledge and understanding of gas transmission and distribution, wholesale energy markets and an active interest in sustainability and the transition to net zero. She originally joined British Gas as a graduate mechanical engineer and worked for them and their successor companies for 10 years in various technical, commercial and strategic roles.  Subsequently, in over 20 years as an independent consultant, Sue has worked for a wide variety of GB, NI, ROI and other European clients including regulators, transmission and distribution operators, shippers, suppliers, gas storage operators, infrastructure investors and the UK Department for Transport.

Her work mainly focuses on the commercial, contractual and regulatory arrangements and extends to advice and support for technical issues and operational matters as well as legislation and policy. Sue is a director of REAL and a member-nominated trustee director on the board of the corporate trustee of Cadent Gas Ltd Pension Scheme.

David Williams (Non-Executive Director)

David is the CEO of Private Energy Partners which is the UK development arm of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners and is currently building the UK’s largest Solar and Storage project at Cleve Hill in Kent.

David has been involved in renewable energy for over 34 years. His renewable energy projects equate to 1080MW of renewable energy capacity and involve £2.6Bn of funds invested. These projects save over 2million tonnes of CO2 per annum and supply the equivalent of 1.5 million homes.

He is a former advisor to UK Government and Chaired Welsh Government’s Energy & Environment Sector Panel. He is presently a Non-Executive Director to Welsh Government on its Renewable Energy Developments Board and an NED to REA.

David has three lifetime achievement awards and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for services to renewable energy.

Philip Wolfe (Non-Executive Director)

Philip Wolfe MBE is one of the pioneers of the UK renewable and community energy sectors. He was awarded his MBE in the New Year’s Honours 2016 for services to renewable energy and the energy sector.

A Cambridge first-class engineering graduate, Philip has been in sustainable energy since the 1970’s and was the first Chief Executive of BP Solar, before founding Intersolar Group. He was instrumental in the establishment of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, the UK’s Renewable Energy Association and Community Energy England and has served on their boards and as President, Director General and Chairman respectively.

His book on utility-scale solar power projects was published in 2012, and another on the early years of the PV sector was published in 2018.

Philip now serves as non-executive director of Solnet Group BV and REAL. He is a panel member of the Climate Bonds Initiative; founder of Wiki-Solar; and provides advisory services through WolfeWare Limited.

With his wife Alison, he has installed renewable energy in his home for heating and part of its electricity. He has four children and an ever-growing number of grand-children.

Virginia Graham (Executive Director and CE of REAL)

Virginia Graham OBE is Chief Executive of REAL. Virginia was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours 2020 for her services to promoting renewable energy. Virginia set up REAL in 2006, to provide quality assurance, and build trust and confidence in the renewable energy and circular economy sectors. Over the years, Virginia has expanded REAL’s offering to include two consumer codes, the largest of these is RECC, a CTSI-approved consumer protection scheme for installers of small-scale renewable energy systems, four certification schemes and an ID registry.

Before setting up REAL, Virginia worked for the GB energy regulator Ofgem for six years as Director of Environmental, Consumer and Social Issues. She has previously been a Trustee of National Energy Action, Chair of Global Action Plan, Chair and Trustee of Eaga Charitable Trust and Chair of the Heat Trust Committee.

Trevor Hutchings (Executive Director and CE of REA)

Trevor has a wealth of experience in net zero, renewables and the clean energy transition. Most recently he was a Partner at international consulting group, BIP, leading their Sustainability Centre of Excellence. Before that he led the growth and diversification strategy at energy services firm Gemserv.

Trevor spent much of his early career in Whitehall and with the European Commission in Brussels working on energy and environment programmes, including policies to support the renewables market in the UK. He also worked at WWF, the global conservation NGO, where he was Director of Advocacy, focussing on improving public policy and environmental governance. 

Trevor is chair of the Green Purposes Company set up by the UK government to safeguard the green mission of the world’s first Green Investment Bank following its sale to Macquarie, the global infrastructure investor. He is a Fellow at the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment and holds the IoD’s certificate in corporate governance. 

Trevor grew up in Devon and now lives near Midhurst in the South Downs National Park.  When not at work he enjoys sailing, renovating his home and time with his wife Natacha and two children, Claudia, and Charlie.