A new permanent chief executive officer for Great British Energy has been appointed, bringing private sector experience to the publicly-owned company aiming to make the UK a clean energy superpower.

Dan McGrail will serve as the new CEO of Great British Energy; McGrail previously served as chief executive of RenewableUK and CEO of Siemens Engines.

Under his stewardship as interim CEO for the last four months, McGrail has helped set up the company. This includes announcing £1 billion for Great British Energy to invest in clean energy supply chains such as electric cables and floating offshore wind platforms to ensure the clean energy revolution is built here in Britain.

Meanwhile, Great British Energy investment in rooftop solar projects is set to benefit around 200 schools and 200 hospitals, which will install solar panels that could power classrooms and hospital operations. This could save hundreds of millions of pounds that could be reinvested.

The chief executive appointment follows the appointment in January of five new non-executive directors to join Chair Juergen Maier on the company’s start-up board, bringing a wide range of experience across different sectors, with knowledge on workplace rights, building UK supply chains and driving investment in clean energy.

“Dan has been a visionary leader as Great British Energy’s interim CEO, and will bring world-class private sector experience to our publicly-owned clean power company,” energy secretary Ed Miliband said.

“Great British Energy is at the heart of our clean power mission and Plan for Change and is investing in clean energy supply chains to create manufacturing jobs here in Britain.

“I look forward to working with Dan to unleash the benefits of clean energy, driving growth and new jobs in communities.”

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Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail said: “It is a privilege to take on the CEO role permanently and lead Great British Energy from our Aberdeen HQ at such a pivotal moment.

“We are already delivering for British people, with schools and hospitals set to benefit from cheaper energy bills.

“We will now focus on scaling up as Britain’s publicly owned energy company, making strategic investments that drive forward the government’s clean power mission and give people a stake in clean energy.”

McGrail will be based in Scotland, working from the Aberdeen headquarters, on a permanent contract with Great British Energy. He took up the post of interim CEO of Great British Energy in March on secondment from RenewableUK.