In this article
Nicole Bilman, CEO of PSW Energy and Perth Solar Warehouse, has been named a finalist for Emerging Leader of the Year at the 2026 Smart Energy Council Awards. The category recognises an individual under 40 shaping the Australian sustainable energy industry. Finalists are selected by an independent industry panel from a national field of nominees.
The Emerging Leader nomination
- Nicole Bilman, CEO of PSW Energy and Perth Solar Warehouse, has been named a finalist for Emerging Leader of the Year at the 2026 Smart Energy Council Awards.
- The category recognises an individual under 40 shaping the Australian sustainable energy industry. Judged by an industry panel, not voted in publicly.
- Nicole joined as Administration Manager on 6 July 2020. She became CEO on 2 February 2026. Five and a half years from administration to the top role.
Most leadership awards in renewable energy go to founders or senior engineers. People who came up through the technical side of the industry.
This one is different. It’s recognition for someone who built a leadership career inside an existing business, role by role, over five and a half years.
Nicole's progression to CEO
Nicole joined the company on 6 July 2020 as an Administration Manager. The team was ten people. By 2022, she was overseeing the manufacturer relationships that determine our service standards. By 2024, she led the ISO certification programme through Bureau Veritas. On 2 February 2026, she became Chief Executive Officer.
What lies beneath that progression is the part that the Emerging Leader shortlist actually recognises. Tesla Premium Certified status held for five consecutive years. The inaugural Sigenergy Gold tier in WA. SolarQuotes Legendary status held three years running. None of those credentials renew themselves. Each requires documented, ongoing performance from sales, applications, installation, and aftercare. Nicole owns those relationships.
“I made the promotion effective 2 February 2026 because she’d already been doing the job in every way that mattered. Watching her grow into the leader she is today has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”
Derek McKercher, founder, PSW Energy
Team growth and service performance
Under Nicole’s leadership the company has grown from 10 employees to over 50 across two operational bases, opened Neerabup to cover the northern corridor, and become one of WA’s leading installers across both residential and commercial.
The Australian solar and battery market is in the middle of the largest demand surge in its history. That kind of spike is where leadership gets tested. Companies that take training shortcuts during a surge are the ones whose customer reviews drop and whose audit pass rates fall. Customer satisfaction tracked independently by Tesla held at 4.8/5 across the entire surge. Installation audit pass rates held at 95%. The in-house installer ratio held above 80%.
EUPD Research, the European market research firm that recognised the company as a Top Brand PV Installer, has separately noted that Nicole’s leadership “challenges stereotypes and demonstrates the power of diversity and inclusion in the renewable energy sector.” That recognition wasn’t asked for. It was observed independently.
The Smart Employer nomination
PSW Energy and Perth Solar Warehouse have also been shortlisted as a finalist for Smart Employer of the Year at the same awards. Smart Employer recognises how the team is built. Emerging Leader recognises who built it.
For a commercial or residential buyer evaluating who to trust with a major project, those are credentials worth weighing. National recognition from the peak industry body, judged by peers, on criteria that can’t be bought.
The awards gala
The gala runs on Wednesday, 6 May 2026 at Doltone House, Sydney. Winners are announced on the night. We’ll publish a follow-up either way.
If you’re scoping a solar or battery project and want to talk to the team behind the leadership the national industry just shortlisted, request a quote.