Our people

Bioenergy Association is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint and to avoid travel related emissions undertakes most meetings by video conferencing

Our Board

The Board represents the interests of all members and focuses on the Bioenergy Association governance.

  • More information about the board and member’s voting rights can be found in the members area and the Constitution.
  • The association's operational activities are developed and managed by its Interest Groups each of which has a Convener and Committee.

Anthony Oosten (Chair)
Sustainable Energy Manager Global Operations Sustainability
Fonterra Co-operative Group
Tony a Canterbury University Chemical and Process Engineering has 13 years experience in the international pulp and paper industry working across New Zealand, Malaysia and Canada, now currently 11 years working for Fonterra as Energy Manager. 
His areas of expertise are decarbonisation of process industries, energy efficiency, as well as a government regulation of energy supply and emissions trading. 
Tony currently sits on the Major Electricity Users Group and the Major Gas Users Group as well as a board member of the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand.

Paul Bennett
Clean Technologies Science Leader
Scion & Chair IEA Bioenergy
Paul has been working on bioenergy and biofuels for over 15 years.  Starting with the setting up of a liquid biofuels team at BP in the UK Since then he has worked in a variety of Bioenergy roles from business development through to Government Strategy.  In 2014 he took the role of Science Leader of the Clean Technology Group at Scion in Rotorua.  Amongst the key activities of this Group has been bioenergy, for the example the development of New Zealand’s Biofuels Roadmap.  During this time, Paul has been an active member of the International Energy Agency Bioenergy Group and has recently been elected Chair from 1 January 2021 for a 2-year period.  This raises our awareness of latest international developments on new technologies, bioenergy deployment, policy development and key sustainability issue.  NZ positions held:

  • 2017 - onwards - Vice-Chair, International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Executive Committee
  • 2014 - onwards - IEA Bioenergy Executive Committee member
  • 2017 -onwards - Alternate Board Member of Bioresource Processing Alliance
  • 2017 - onwards - Board Member of Bioenergy Association NZ
  • 2018 - onwards - Board Member of National Energy Research Institute. NZ

Doug Davidson
Independent consultant
Doug is an established professional in the forest and woodproducts sector for more than 20 years. His roles have been in Sales and Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Regional Manager for and Operations Management. He is experienced in the entire supply chain of the forest industry, having worked from the seedling/growing side right through to the processing and marketing of wood fibre products internationally. He has previously worked for companies such as OneFortyOne, Nelson Forests Ltd, Hancock Forest Management NZ, PF Olsen, Fletcher Challenge Forests and NZ Forest Research Institute Doug is passionate about the primary industries of NZ, having interests in both farming and forestry. I am particularly keen on utilising and enhancing the value proposition of sustainable wood fibre in NZ of which the bio-energy sector is crucial.

Ben GerritsenBen Gerritsen
General Manager Customer & Regulatory
FirstGas
Ben leads the Firstgas Group strategy, marketing and regulatory teams, and is responsible for the commercial operations of Firstgas’ pipeline businesses. Ben is focused on ensuring that we engage proactively and constructively with our customers and regulators, positioning Firstgas Group as a respected player in New Zealand’s energy landscape.   Most recently his focus and energy has been on exploring how gas infrastructure can help Aotearoa’s transition to a lower carbon economy, leading projects and research into the infrastructure biogas and hydrogen.
Ben has a deep understanding of infrastructure economics and regulation, having previously worked as a consultant on network access, pricing and service quality. He also understands the commercial and regulatory environment in the New Zealand gas industry and works with industry participants to align the rules for pipeline access and use. Ben is currently the Chair of the LPGA and Gas Association of New Zealand.

Eleanor Grant
Lead - Industrial Sustainability
Beca
Eleanor has over eighteen years’ experience in the design, development and project management of industrial, solid waste management and renewable energy projects. Eleanor is also a director of Beca Limited and so brings relevant NZ governance experience. Eleanor currently leads the Industrial Sustainability service offering assisting clients to achieve their sustainability objectives. Recent experience includes a review of waste management technologies for a local council looking to reduce carbon emissions from landfill, administration of the EPC contract for a 13MWe waste fired power station and she was the Beca project director and reviewer of technical work for a collaborative study between Beca, Firstgas Group, Fonterra and EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) into the potential of renewable biomethane fuel in New Zealand.

image: David Hendry, Bioenergy Association Board member 2024-2025David Hendry
Renewable Gas Manager
Powerco
David leads Powerco’s work in investigating, enabling, and realising opportunities to incorporate renewable gases into Powerco’s gas distribution network to provide lower emission gas solutions for New Zealand.

David has a commerce degree and is a chartered accountant with experience in regulation, business development, commercial, and operational roles in both the energy and primary industry sectors.

He is deeply passionate about renewable energy, and both the challenges and opportunities that decarbonisation presents for New Zealand.

image: Elena IzaguirreElena Izaguirre
Independent (waste)
With over 25 years’ experience in the public and private organic waste recycling sector, Elena brings extensive experience and knowledge across a number of areas including operations, resource consenting and undertaking and delivering on various organics research projects. 
Elena’s 20 years at Living Earth in various senior technical roles has provided an invaluable in-sight, experience and understanding of the challenges, opportunities and realities of operating organic waste processing plants and marketing finished products made from materials that include greenwaste, biosolids and foodscraps. 
Elena recently was with Auckland Council as the Senior Waste Specialist (organics) and was involved in the management of Auckland Council’s current food scraps programme as well as the procurement of an anaerobic digestion facility for the region wide roll out.

Grant Smith
General Manager
Infratec
Grant has a wealth of experience in the energy sector having worked in the electricity and the heat markets developing new projects from feasibility to commercial operation.
He is General Manager of Infratec where he leads the investment now an independent consultant assisting clients secure the opportunities and benefits from use of bioenergy technologies.
He is a Director of Ecogas.

Interest Groups

The Interest Groups are the operational arm of the association and are responsible for - our work programmes; advocacy; developing and managing research projects; overseeing professional development and best practice guides; hosting workshop and conference, and ensuring that each topic area is achieving the opportunities out there.  The current conveners are:

  • Biogas / Waste-to-Energy Interest Group 
    alzbeta.bouskova [at] ecogas.co.nz (Alzbeta Bouskova) (Ecogas ) /  Visit biogas website
  • Wood Energy Interest Group 
    rob.m [at] livingenergy.co.nz (Rob Mallinson) (Living Energy)  /  Visit wood energy website

Working groups

Professional Standards and Complaints Committee:  To avoid any conflicts of interest membership of the committee is established by the Board when the Committee is required to undertake an activity.

Members list

See list of our members.