Plug’n Drive Founder and CEO Receives WiRE Woman of the Year Award

WiRE

Plug’n Drive’s founder and President and CEO, Cara Clairman, has received the Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) Woman of the Year Award. This award recognizes a Canadian woman in the energy sector ‘who has served the industry with distinction, gone above and beyond the call of duty and contributed significantly to the expansion and improvement of the power sector’.

“This year marks the third annual Woman of the Year Award”, said Joanna Osawe, WiRE Co-Founder and Co-chair. “Cara certainly impressed the slate of expert judges with her story and accomplishments.” All nominees are evaluated on their merits of excellence in leadership, advocacy, research and development, community engagement and efforts to increase the adoption of clean energy technologies. “Cara is innovative and entrepreneurial,” said Rebecca Black, WiRE Co-Founder. “She personifies the positive impact that diverse perspectives can bring to the benefit of the clean energy and clean tech sectors.”

Cara has more than 20 years of experience in energy and has devoted her career to advancing sustainability in the sector. Cara founded Plug’n Drive while working at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in 2008. Since taking Plug’n Drive outside of OPG in 2011, she has turned it into a thriving non-profit organization that is recognized as a Canadian leader in the electric vehicle industry. In 2017, Cara led Plug’n Drive through an incredible year of expansion, including the launch of the world’s first Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in Toronto, where consumers can learn about and test drive electric vehicles in a sales-free and no pressure environment.

“On behalf of Plug’n Drive’s Board of Directors, we wholeheartedly congratulate Cara and Plug’n Drive on this well-deserved recognition,” said David Collie, President and CEO, Electrical Safety Authority and Chair of Plug’n Drive’s Board of Directors. “Cara’s commitment to excellence, tenacity and ability to forge partnerships has allowed her to build an incredibly successful model that will continue to grow and benefit the electricity sector for years to come.”

WiRE is a non-profit organization that advances the role and recognition of women working in the energy sector. womeninrenewableenergy.ca

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • City of Winnipeg Continues to Improve Online Permits System

    City of Winnipeg Continues to Improve Online Permits System

    July 4, 2025 The City of Winnipeg has launched an improved Permits Online web portal. This upgrade makes the permit process more convenient for our customers. Permits Online is a one-stop shop to manage the permit process. Now, the web portal is easier to use because customers can navigate it using their mobile device. The portal is… Read More…

  • Schneider Electric Launches Chapter 3 of Sustainability School

    Schneider Electric Launches Chapter 3 of Sustainability School

    July 4, 2025 Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has launched Chapter 3 of its online Sustainability School, a free training program designed to empower its channel ecosystem partners to become leaders in sustainability. This chapter will focus on teaching businesses how to decarbonize and unlock the competitive… Read More…

  • United Chargers Launches Grizzl-E Club Charger-as-a-Service Subscription Model

    United Chargers Launches Grizzl-E Club Charger-as-a-Service Subscription Model

    July 4, 2025 United Chargers Inc., known for the Grizzl-E line of EV chargers, announces Grizzl-E Club, a first-of-its-kind charger as a service that provides a free EV Charger and pays drivers back for charging. Grizzl-E Club is designed to make EV ownership more rewarding, accessible, and future-ready. Beginning July 1st, Canadians can join the Grizzl-E… Read More…

  • Consultation on Potential Tariff Remission for Certain Imports

    Consultation on Potential Tariff Remission for Certain Imports

    July 4, 2025 The Department of Finance Canada is reaching out to Canadian producers and industry associations regarding the potential remission of tariffs on certain imports from the United States and China. The Department has outlined its framework and process for how it will consider remission requests for tariffs on products from the United States (U.S.) and China…. Read More…