Eddie O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Mainstream Renewable Power

Eddie O’Connor graduated from University College Dublin with degrees in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s in Industrial Engineering. He was also awarded an honorary Doctorate in Science degree and the UCD Foundation Day medal as an outstanding alumnus.

Eddie is currently CEO of Mainstream Renewable Power, established in 2008, whose core business is to develop, build and operate renewable energy plants in collaboration with global strategic partners and the company is now firmly established in 8 countries. 

 
        Eddie O'Connor        

The company, with over 100 employees, is a Europe’s leading offshore developer, with a portfolio of 5.5GW across Scotland, England and Germany and is also developing over 3.5GW of onshore projects across Canada, Chile, South Africa and the US.

In 1997, prior to Mainstream Renewable Power. Eddie founded and was CEO of Airtricity. He developed Airtricity, a wind development company, into a successful business around renewable energy.

In 2008 he sold Airtricity North America to E.ON for $1.4 billion and the remainder of the company was acquired by Scottish and Southern Energy. At that time Airtricity North America was active in nine US states and Airtricity also operated wind farms throughout the island of Ireland and Scotland supplying green energy to over 35,000 commercial customers in Ireland.

He was previously CEO of Bord na Móna and held several managerial positions in ESB Ireland.

Eddie is an honorary Director of the European Wind Energy Association and is also a member of the Advisory Board of Imperial College London’s Energy Futures Lab.