The Executive Council has confirmed Jared Chicoine as the state’s commissioner of the newly created Department of Energy.

Chicoine, who has served as the interim commissioner of the Department of Energy since July, previously was policy director for Gov. Chris Sununu and then was director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives.

Cinde Warmington, the lone Democrat on the council, was the only vote against his nomination, saying she opposed the confirmation because Chicoine, by his own admission, lacks technical expertise in energy and knows little about climate change.

Warmington also faulted his view that climate change can be addressed by the free market alone.

But Republican Joe Kenney said the relationships and understanding of New Hampshire government that Chicoine has built will serve him well.

“Yes, he doesn’t have a technical background, but a lot of other commissioners don’t either,” he said before the vote.