Active Energy Group Plc announced the appointment of Barron Hewetson as the Company's Chief Technology Officer, with effect from 1 July 2023, to focus on the development of CoalSwitch production in the United States. Barron's role will initially be in a non-Board capacity. Barron joins Active Energy from Enviva Biomass Inc. ("Enviva"), where he has worked since 2016.

At Enviva, he has served in a number of roles, most recently as the Director of Innovation and Product Management. During his time in that role, Barron diversified Enviva's production portfolio by negotiating contracts in new industry sectors and assisted in contract negotiations totaling over $12.5 billion. In a previous role at one of Enviva's subsidiaries, Sampson Wood Pellets ("Sampson Wood") in Faison, North Carolina, Barron served as both Operations Manager and Quality Manager.

With the operational team, he successfully increased plant production from below budget to above target and, using both collaboration and process redesign, he improved Sampson Wood's existing biomass program, earning Sampson Wood pellets recognition from its international customers for producing the "World's Best Wood Pellets." As Special Projects Leader at Sampson Wood, Barron was also responsible for the team that designed and implemented a novel steam injection system. Barron's industry experience in growing and operating commercial scale biomass energy manufacturing businesses will be crucial as Active Energy scales up operations in North America. The Company is already examining expansion opportunities for manufacturing operations throughout North America as it seeks to meet the anticipated demand for its CoalSwitch® fuel.

Prior to joining Enviva, Barron was a founder of Spero Energy, where he worked during his graduate studies. Barron has a Master of Science and a PhD in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from Purdue University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts from Wabash College.