Conference Speakers

Dries is SolarPower Europe's Deputy CEO and is responsible for the policy work of the association. He joined SolarPower Europe from the European Climate Foundation, where he was director of the energy programme for over a decade. Previously, he worked at Apple Inc., in the EMEA public affairs department. Dries holds a master's degree in contemporary history from the Catholic University of Brussels and Leuven, Belgium, and a post-graduate degree in international relations from the Karl-Rüprecht University in Heidelberg, Germany.

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Catherine Adelmann is co-founder and former General Manager of Fosera Solarsystems GmbH & Co. KGaA, a leading manufacturer of Pico-Solar-Home-Systems for rural electrification. In addition to her entrepreneurial achievements, she is a Startup Coach at the Startup Center and PhD candidate in the research group of smart grids at the University of Applied Sciences Ulm. She serves as a member of the advisory board of the Global Renewables Congress (GRC), where she advocates for large-scale renewable energy deployment.

Christian Adolph is Senior Innovation Manager at E.ON Group Innovation, leading strategic innovation initiatives with a clear focus on e-mobility and new energy. He is responsible for piloting new business models, technologies, and partnerships, managing ventures from business case development to implementation. Prior to E.ON, Christian served as Manager Product Portfolio at Webasto Charging Systems and can draw on four years of experience in management consulting, lastly at Arthur D. Little, where he specialized in automotive strategy, electric mobility, and digital transformation.

Having joined in 2014, Adele's career at Lightsource bp includes servicing as our Head of Global Business Operations, leading the business transformation and digitalisation strategy, and prior to that as Director of Asset Management. Under her guidance, we have successfully implemented several digital transformation strategies, steering Lightsource bp through a significant period of change with drive, compassion, and determination. In her current remit, Adele leads LSbp global functions including Safety, Quality, Sustainability, IT & Digital, PMO, TMO, Engineering Centre of Excellence and Innovation, Before joining us, Adele was a Senior Manager at Platina Partners, a private equity fund specialised in renewable energy investments across Europe, where she was responsible for the asset management of a portfolio of wind and solar PV assets. At Platina, Adele was also an Investment Manager with responsibilities over the development and acquisition of solar PV projects in Southern Europe. Prior to this role, Adele served as a corporate and investment bank analyst at Citi. Adele chaired the Lifecycle Quality Workstream at Solar Power Europe from 2020 to 2022 and is a member of the advisory group of the BSc Energy Management at CU London. She holds an MSc in Economics for Arts, Culture and Communications Summa Cum Laude from L. Bocconi University in Milan.

Antonio Arruebo works as a Market Analyst at SolarPower Europe. He delivers high-quality market reports, briefs, and other products through the provision of data, research, and insights on the solar PV and battery storage markets, energy policy, and technological trends.

Janosch Balke is Product Manager for Energy Services at Viessmann Climate Solutions. With a Master's degree in Energy and Process Engineering from Technische Universität Berlin, he brings expertise in energy economics, and knowledge about electrical flexibility of residential assets to his role. Janosch Balke has been involved in the launch of financial optimization for Viessmann devices based on electricity tariffs as well as the ViShare Flexmodus, a product designed to help heat pumps contribute to power grid stabilization. His current focus is on product management, specifically ensuring end-to-end value delivery of optimization services to consumers within the German and European market.

Mr. Barandalla has more than 15 years of experience in the solar photovoltaic industry as a renewable energy consultant and project manager. He currently serves as a Solar Advisory Lead for UL Solutions Advisory Team in Europe and Latin America. He has relevant experience in lender's (technical due diligence review and independent engineering services) and owner's engineer tasks for solar PV projects developed worldwide. Daniel has worked in key Merge and Acquisition (M&A) transactions for UL Solutions key clients overseeing portfolios of operating and development Solar PV assets worldwide. Furthermore, prior to joining UL Solutions, he focused as TA on commercial activities in Latin America with good expertise on Projects in Mexico, Chile, Brazil and other areas in Central America. He has been previously involved in Projects in the Asia Pacific Region, with experience in PV module audit inspections as well as providing training solutions for different stakeholders.

A senior executive with over 25 years of sales and management experience in the leading edge semiconductor and automotive industry. His former roles include country manager positions and global account manager functions with multinational companies. Juergen is responsible for partnerships, business and market development with a focus on customer engagement and developing suitable sales strategies. Juergen holds a Master in Engineering and an MBA degree with a focus on IOT and design thinking and is fluent in German and English.

Nicholas Bartlett is the Fire Marshal at the United States Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. Nick is a licensed Fire Protection Engineer and has fire safety expertise in renewable energy technologies including energy storage systems/batteries, hydrogen, photovoltaic, wind, and more. Nick is a technical committee member of energy storage and battery related standards including NFPA 855, NFPA 800, UL 1487, UL 9540, and UL 1973.

Antonella Battaglini is the CEO of the Renewables Grid Initiative-RGI, which she founded in 2009. RGI is a unique collaboration of NGOs and TSOs from across Europe, promoting transparent, environmentally sensitive grid development to enable steady growth of renewable energy and the energy transition. In addition, Antonella has been an expert member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Clean Electrification and of the European Commission Interconnection Target Group. For many years, Antonella has also held the position of senior scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

Kai Becker is Chief Development Officer at Energy2Market since 2020. With his deep expertise in the renewable energy market, his focus is on supporting operators of decentralized flexibilities - such as batteries or co-location - to realize the maximum value of their assets through multi-market optimization. Previously, Kai worked in product development and origination at E.ON and Trianel, with a focus on renewables.

Dr. Hamed Beheshti, CEO and Co-founder of Boreal Light GmbH in Berlin, is a visionary leader dedicated to transforming water access in remote regions. He has developed a pioneering solar desalination system, providing affordable and safe solutions for communities worldwide. Through Boreal Light GmbH and initiatives like WaterKiosk Ltd, Dr. Beheshti ensures access to life-changing water technologies in East Africa and Latin America. Additionally, he founded the OffGrid Water Alliance, representing the sector internationally and advocating for sustainable development. With his expertise, Dr. Beheshti inspires audiences globally, driving conversations on the importance of addressing water scarcity in underserved areas for a brighter future.

Vincent Berrutto is the Head of Unit responsible for research, innovation, digitalisation, and competitiveness at the European Commission Directorate General for Energy (DG ENERGY). His Unit supports research and innovation in clean energy, fosters digital energy services, and improves EU's competitiveness, with the long-term goal to decarbonise Europe by 2050. Prior to this, he was heading the Unit in charge of energy efficiency at the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-size Enterprises (EASME). He also dealt earlier with clean energy issues in other services of the European Commission, as well as in the French government. He is a civil engineer with a MSc and a PhD in building science.

Andres Blanco is the Managing Director and founder of Blanboz Limited, a pioneering company dedicated to delivering techno-commercial solutions for the integration of battery energy storage systems (BESS) into the electric grids, encompassing all stages from design and procurement to quality assurance and commissioning. With over a decade of experience in the BESS industry, he has earned the title of self-proclaimed BESS Master, contributing to the acceleration of BESS projects totalling over 12 GWh worldwide. Andres's unique blend of commercial and engineering expertise is highlighted by his work on some of the world's most significant solar PV farms and the largest BESS project to date in the UK, alongside his efforts in supporting NGOs in developing countries.

Philipp is an international expert in island energy supply and rural electrification. He conducted a PhD in engineering about 'Barriers to implementing renewable energies on Caribbean islands' at the TU Berlin. In 2011, he joined the Reiner Lemoine Institut and he started to develop the Off-Grid Systems Research Unit, which he is currently heading. Within the Unit, he develops and manages projects and strategic processes. In 2019 Philipp was appointed Visiting Scholar in the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) of the University of California, Berkeley as part of the C-BEAR+ project and he is a selected member of the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA) at the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Since 2020 he is also leading the RLS-Graduate School on Energy System Transition with currently 6 PhD students.

Felix Boldt is CEO of Solarworx GmbH, a leading manufacturer of standalone solar systems and DC Mesh grids. As a Renewable Energy Engineer, Felix has over a decade of experience in the solar off-grid sector across sub-Saharan Africa. He has worked in more than 10 countries, with a current focus on Zambia, Nigeria, and South Africa. With extensive expertise in the wind and solar industries, Felix is dedicated to advancing sustainable energy solutions in emerging markets.

Mary Boryslawska is the CEO and co-founder of Enzum, a software company optimising energy storage assets through machine learning. With a background in machine learning engineering and extensive experience in the energy sector in the UK and Australia, she has led Enzum's expansion into the German and Polish markets, securing key partnerships with battery distributors and industrial clients. Passionate about the intersection of AI and renewable energy, Mary is focused on driving innovation in energy storage optimisation and market integration.

Dr. Johanna Bronisch is responsible for building up Energy as one of four sector specific ecosystems at UnternehmerTUM, Europes largest Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center. In her role, is in charge of bringing together key stakeholders at the intersection of the energy and mobility sector in industry funded multistakeholder sprint projects. These currently focus on use-phase associated CO2-emission accounting for EVs as well as the implementation of smart charging strategies that take into account electricity prices as well as local and regional grid capacity constraints. Johanna is a trained Psychology and has a PhD in Neuroscience.

Dr. Laurie Burnham is a principal member of the technical staff and a photovoltaics researcher at Sandia National Laboratories, where she leads multiple multi-institutional and multi-year efforts to improve the long-term performance and reliability of our nation's solar sector. Her current projects include research on the short- and long-term impacts of wildfires, extreme weather events and electrical-system failures on PV power plants. In addition, she oversees the US DOE Regional Test Centers for Emerging Solar Technologies, which support cross-climate studies of new components and systems; chairs the Photovoltaic Collaborative to Advance Multi-climate Performance and Energy Research (PV CAMPER), a 12-member global organization; leads an International Energy Agency subtask on extreme weather and photovoltaics; and chairs Sandia's newly formed Solar Industry Advisory Board.

Zafer Cankurtaran is the Product Manager for Direct Current (DC) technology at Rittal. He is an industrial engineer and has been involved with DC power supply and distribution in industrial environments ever since. This includes both the decentralised supply of systems and automation technology as well as the infrastructure in switchgear. As a member of the Open Direct Current Alliance (ODCA), he also promotes DC technology in the low-voltage sector and focuses his activities on developing solutions for applications.

Dr. Andrzej Ceglarz works as the Director of Energy Systems at RGI, a collaboration of NGOs and TSOs promoting sustainable grid development for renewable energy growth. He focuses on transparent, participatory and inclusive planning and implementing of a decarbonised and optimised energy system, with special role given to electricity grids. Andrzej holds a PhD from Technical University Munich, he used to work at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and currently he serves as a co-convenor of the Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) in the TYNDP process.

Jenny Chase is an analyst with BloombergNEF's global Solar Insight Service. She joined BNEF mid-2005 and launched the Solar Insight Service in early 2006, and ran the team from Bloomberg's Zurich office until late 2022. She then stepped down from management and continues to write about and analyze the solar industry as part of the team. Jenny is the author of a book, Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon, published by World Scientific Publishing with a second edition new in 2024. She holds a BA in Physical Sciences and an MSci in Physics from the University of Cambridge, England, and breeds West of England geese. She is on Twitter as @solar_chase and Mastodon as @solar_chase@mastodon.green.

Gabrielle joined the Energy Policy, Climate & Sustainability team at Eurelectric in January 2024, working on EU legislation related to industrial competitiveness and climate change. Now, she leads the team's policy and advocacy work on the electrification and decarbonisation of transport and buildings. Her main policy files for e-mobility include the Regulations on CO2 Standards for LDVs and HDVs, Affordable Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD recast), and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III)

Ignacio Cobo is a Senior Principal in AFRY Management Consulting, where he has been supporting clients for the last 10 years. Ignacio currently heads the flexibility area within continental Europe, including modelling practices, products and market design related topics. Furthermore, Ignacio leads the consulting activities within the Iberian and Brazilian markets. Outside AFRY, Ignacio has working experience in utilities, investment funds and TSOs. Ignacio holds an Executive MBA by the IESE University and a MSc. on electrical Power Engineering by the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, ICAI.

Chloé Coral is a Project Engineer at Azimut 360, specializing in photovoltaic installations for self-consumption and rural electrification. She leads the development and implementation of solar energy solutions across Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, working closely with international agencies such as UNDP, GIZ, and AFD. Currently, she is overseeing a project in Mozambique aimed at optimizing mini-grid operations through a digital tool that enhances data acquisition, system design, and performance monitoring. This initiative integrates existing mini-grids into the platform, improving efficiency and long-term sustainability. With a background in energy engineering, Chloé has extensive experience in smart grids, distributed generation, and innovation projects funded by the European Commission. She holds a double master's degree in Energy Engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, as well as a bachelor's degree from Politecnico di Milano.

Gianluca Corbellini is the CEO and co-founder of Hive Power, a SaaS which enables companies to manage anything connected to the grid, from Energy Communities to EV Charging. Gianluca holds a master's in Mathematical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, where he focused on Scientific Computing and Artificial Intelligence - before it became a buzzword. Collaborating throughout the years with the likes of E-On, Altran, Techstars, and the European Commission, Gianluca has deep experience in smart cities and energy. He possesses an acute expertise in gas commodity trading and renewables, particularly solar energy. While working on these technologies, Gianluca understood that Smart Grids as the key to improving energy systems and fighting climate change. This revelation led him to co-found Hive Power and bring the company to where it is today.

Anna Darmani is a principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, where she heads the research and analyses on Europe, Middle East and Africa storage markets. She has over ten years of experience in the energy industry, developing innovation and technology roadmaps and conducting EU research and advisory projects. Anna was one of the European Battery Alliance founding members and has worked with different industrial players to make Europe a global leader in the booming battery industry.

Xavier Daval holds a Master's Degree in Electronics, Electrotechnics, and Automatism from the University of Lyon. As the Founder of KiloWattsol, he established France's first Solar Technical Advisory firm in 2007, specializing in all technical aspects of the solar value chain from manufacturing to development and finance of PV projects. Prior to this, Xavier served as Director for a NY Stock Listed Company, overseeing EMEA for the supply of tools for the electronic industry. Xavier Daval is not only a seasoned professional but also actively contributes to academia. He serves as an Associate Teacher at Lyon-1 University and ENTPE Engineering School, sharing his wealth of knowledge in electronic engineering. Furthermore, he is a Guest Lecturer for Entrepreneurship at EM-Lyon, one of Europe's top 10 business schools. His commitment to advancing the global solar industry is underscored by a proven track record of leadership and innovation. Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Xavier holds influential positions in the renewable energy sector. He is recognized as one of the leading voices of Solar in France, regularly delivering keynote speeches that shape industry perspectives. Frequently quoted by the press, Xavier provides insightful commentary on solar technology, industry trends, and policy developments.

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Baerte de Brey works at Stedin, a Dutch DSO. Responsible for analyzing the longterm effect of electric mobility on the electricity grids, Baerte helps building a sustainable business case around this transition. This includes vehicle2grids, solving regulatory barriers and cyber security. He graduated from Leiden University in 2001 with a law degree and received a MBA from Nyenrode Business University in 2006. On behalf of Stedin, he is one of the executive board members of ElaadNL. ElaadNL is a collaboration of the Dutch DSO's and the knowledge and innovation centre in the field of (smart) charging infrastructure. As an expert for the European Commission he sometimes reviews collective European programs concerning EV interoperability and smart charging.

Michael de Ruiter is Director Public Transport at Transdev Netherlands. He has deep expertise in Public Transport as he is working for more than 22,5 years at Transdev in different roles. Formerly he was the CPO and since January 2025 he has made the switch to Director Public Transport. In his role as CPO, he did a lot for public transport, but also for taxis (Transport on Demand) and Ambulances (Witte Kruis). In the collaboration of the new Management PT, with regional directors and supporting departments, we can elevate public transport to an even higher level. This is a beautiful development that brings many benefits, such as a visible strengthening of knowledge sharing and a shared sense of responsibility.

Benedikt Deuchert is Head of Business Development and Regulatory Affairs at Kyon Energy, one of the leading battery project developers for utility-scale battery storage projects in Europe. He is responsible for developing new business models and leads initiatives to shape the regulatory environment for flexibility services in the electricity grid in general, and for battery storage in particular. Before joining the management team of Kyon Energy, he gained 8 years of experience in the energy sector, most recently as Senior Consultant at E-Bridge Consulting (Bonn, Germany). Benedikt Deuchert holds an MSc (Master of Science) degree in Electrical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich.

José Donoso is an economist and has been linked to the renewable energy sector for more than 30 years. Currently he is CEO of the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF), an association that brings together more than 800 companies of the sector in Spain. He is also President of the Spanish Photovoltaic R&D Platform (Fotoplat) and member of the Advisory Council of the Electricity Market Organization (OMEL). Internationally, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Solar Council (GSC), the global photovoltaic energy association; representative of national and European associations on the SolarPower Europe Board (SPE) and member of Task 1 of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

- Mission: Electrify everything (that can be electrified) with clean and renewable energy. - Bruce Douglas has 25 years' international experience in the promotion of renewable energy and electrification. - He is currently CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance, the single voice for the international renewable energy industry, representing wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, storage and green hydrogen. - Previously he has held the following positions: Director of Communications and Business at Eurelectric, Deputy CEO of SolarPower Europe, Coordinator of the RE-Source Platform - the European alliance for corporate sourcing of renewable energy, founding Chairman of the Global Solar Council (GSC), Chief Operating Officer at WindEurope for 10 years, founding Secretary General of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and Managing Director of FLiDAR, an offshore wind company. - He has a Master degree in renewable energy systems technology and is fluent in English and French.

Sonia Dunlop is CEO of the Global Solar Council, the world solar PV trade association, which represents the whole value chain and every region and market segment in the world. She previously worked for Solar Power Europe, Solar Energy UK and the RE-Source Platform. For five years she was part of the Senior Management Team of global climate politics think tank Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G) and worked for the COP26 Glasgow organising team in the UK government. She also spent five years in the European Parliament in Brussels working on renewables. She has expertise in solar PV, development finance, renewables policy, digitalisation of energy, Multilateral Development Banks climate finance and corporate Power Purchase Agreements. Sonia speaks fluent English, French and Italian as well as basic Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, has two children and is based in London.

Dr. Eerenstein holds a PhD in Materials Science. Between 2003-2006 she worked as a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge (UK), working on combined electrical and magnetic data storage devices. This work was published in Nature, Science and Nature Materials. She was program Coordinator Solar Applications at the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (2006-2016), where she worked on new applications of solar panels such as building integration. She is now owner of Renergize Consultancy and general manager of EasyFix Solar, a company focussing on innovative mounting structures for solar panels. Renergize Consultancy offers advice and services to companies working on renewable energy innovations. Renergize Consultancy is overall project coordinator of the Dutch project Sunbiose, a large national project on Agri-PV systems.

Katharina Eickelberg is the Senior Vice President Global Communication & Sustainability at SMA Solar Technology AG, a leading global specialist in photovoltaic system technology. She is responsible for Communication, Brand, Public Affairs and Sustainability. Additionally, Katharina is a director on the board of Solar Power Europe. Before joining SMA, Katharina held different positions in the energy sector, most recently as Head of Business Communication at Swedish utility Vattenfall and member of the supervisory board of GASAG AG. Besides driving communication and sustainability at SMA, she concentrates on topics such as Leadership and Diversity & Inclusion. Katharina lives in Hannover with her two sons.

Markus Elsässer studied mechanical engineering at the University of Stuttgart. He worked for a German manufacturer of solar thermal systems before he founded several companies all in the field of renewable energies. Markus Elsässer is the founder and CEO of the company Solar Promotion GmbH, an internationally operating exhibition company with a focus on renewable energy, energy storage technologies, electric transportation and energy efficiency. In 1991 he founded Intersolar, the world´s leading exhibition series for the solar industry with events spanning four continents. In 2014 the ees (electrical energy storage) exhibition was started, which has become Europe's largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems. In 2018 he founded The smarter E, an innovation hub for events and topics driving the new energy world: renewable energies, decentralization, digitalization and electric transportation. Solar Promotion has currently 50+ employees in Germany and has representation offices in 14 countries.

Tristan brings almost 20 years of solar and electrical industry experience to Kiwa PVEL. As VP of Sales and Marketing, he oversees Kiwa PVEL's commercial activities and collaborates with PV module buyers, investors, research institutions and manufacturers to develop innovative performance and reliability test programs for product qualification. Tristan previously served as Product and Quality Manager for Silfab Solar, where he oversaw Silfab's extended reliability testing and was responsible for new product development and new material qualification. He has also directed equipment procurement and technical site operations for solar project developers and Independent Power Producers at a range of projects across North America, South America and Asia.

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Ana Felicio leads the Planning & Project Execution Office for Renewables Generation Asset, overseeing strategic programs that drive innovation and growth. With deep expertise in technology, the renewables sector, and project management in global environments, she plays a key role identifying value opportunities. Her leadership ensures the successful execution of initiatives that advance renewable energy development and sustainability.

With over two decades of experience as an analyst, researcher, and energy trader, Jon Ferris has honed his expertise in markets, policy, technology and their complex interactions. At EIC, Jon managed a €1bn wholesale trading book for over 100 commercial and industrial companies, collaborated with retailers to create flexible tariffs and propositions for smaller consumers, and oversaw the delivery of market intelligence, procurement, and bill validation. He represented the TPI sector as an early member of Power Responsive. At the tech start-up Electron, Jon focused on local energy markets and demand response optimization in innovation projects from Orkney to South Korea. Over the past four years, Jon has been instrumental in developing LCP Delta's Flexibility and Storage research and data platforms where his reports and analyses have significantly influenced GB and European energy policy.

Alexandra is Senior Construction Contracts Manager at Engie Renewables. She is responsible for setting contracting standards and supporting project development and execution worldwide. With a career dedicated to the design and construction industries, Alexandra specializes in complex international contracts for infrastructure and energy projects. Passionate about collaboration and solution-driven dealmaking, she focuses on building strong partnerships to drive successful project outcomes.

Robert began his automotive career after earning a degree in electrical engineering. He spent 15 years at Honda in Ohio, spearheading advanced product engineering initiatives and leading the North American implementation of Honda's hybrid powertrains. During this time, he also served as a key program leader for the Acura TLX and NSX, and headed the Infotainment engineering team. Since joining SBD in 2017, Robert has been integral to the Connected Car and EV practices, managing large-scale projects for OEMs and Tier 1s. Now serving as Domain Principal for Electrification, he provides global subject matter expertise to diverse projects, supporting clients' journeys in the electric revolution.

Johannes Flemming started his career in 2018 in technology consulting at P3, specialising in batteries and e-drives. For the first two years, he worked on development and industrialisation projects in the automotive industry before shifting his focus to stationary energy storage. His expertise includes development, technology analysis, market analysis and strategy consulting for residential, commercial and industrial battery energy storage systems (BESS). Today, Johannes leads the battery storage and power electronics team at P3 and drives innovation and strategic progress in this area.

Christian Folke is a seasoned professional in the renewable energy sector, currently serving as the Head of Technology & Innovation at Uniper Renewables GmbH since May 2023. With a robust background in project management and innovation, Christian has been instrumental in advancing large-scale battery storage, e-mobility, airborne wind energy, and smart grids. Prior to his current role, he was a Project Engineer at Uniper Energy Storage GmbH for over seven years, where he focused on renewable integration and energy storage solutions. Christian also held positions at E.ON, including Portfolio Manager at the Innovation Center Energy Storage and Technical CCS Coordinator. His extensive experience in the energy industry is complemented by his academic background and certifications in project management and leadership. Based in the Cologne/Bonn region, Christian is dedicated to driving sustainable energy solutions and fostering innovation in the renewables sector.

Eduard Foved Johe is a Yield Assessment and Performance Manager at ENGIE. In his role, he supports ENGIE's teams globally in developing renewable projects, focusing on design optimization, yield assessment, and performance analysis of operational assets. With multiple years of experience in the solar industry, his expertise spans from solar cell and module technologies to optimization and yield modelling of solar and hybrid projects. He began his career at ENGIE in the residential solar market and later transitioned to renewable and hybrid utility-scale projects.

Dr-Ing. Jesús Gallego is Technical Project Manager at CharIN e.V., where he leads the initiatives related to Conformance Testing and Interoperability in the e-mobility sector. With extensive experience in project management across automotive manufacturing, IT solutions and cybersecurity, he has successfully driven technical developments and global collaborations. His expertise spans technical strategy, stakeholder engagement, and advancing mobility and connectivity solutions.

Petar Georgiev is the Head of Strategic Alliances, Regulatory Affairs, and Sustainability at AMPECO. He serves as Vice-Chair of the Policy Committee at ChargeUp Europe. A seasoned expert in the EV charging ecosystem, Petar is responsible for forging cross-sectoral partnerships and spearheading regulatory advocacy as well as sustainability initiatives at AMPECO. He also leads the company's strategic international positioning within industry associations and global initiatives. Petar has played a pivotal role in shaping Europe's clean transportation legislation during his tenure in Brussels. He holds an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from the College of Europe in Brugge and has completed executive programs at Harvard Business School and INSEAD.

Carmen Gimeno is the Secretary General of GEODE, the European association representing the interests of 1200 private and public energy companies for both electricity and gas in 14 European countries. She is also a Managing Partner at Verdia Legal in Barcelona, where she has been working since 1995. Her expertise in energy law is built upon over 20 years of experience in this field. Ms Gimeno holds a Law degree from the University of Barcelona (1992). In 1993, she became a Member of the Bar Association of Barcelona. In the same year, she earned a postgraduate degree in Business Management Techniques at the Business Studies School of the University of Barcelona. She also studied Political Science and Sociology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and completed a study period within an Erasmus Programme at Ruprecht-Karls Universität in Heidelberg, Germany, specialising in International and Community Law (1990-1991).

Stefan Goede is a Co-Founder and the CTO of Munich Electrification, a supplier of battery management systems, software and components. His present role is focussed on research and development in the field of electric vehicle batteries and stationary batteries. Before founding Munich Electrification, Stefan worked in the automotive industry. Previous career steps include BMS software development at Tesla Motors, BMW AG and Daimler AG. He holds a Master of Arts in Business Development as well as a diploma in information technology from the Baden- Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Stuttgart.

Veit Goehringer is the advisor and thematic focal lead for electrification at Energising Development (EnDev), a global multi-donor program. Previously, he served as an advisor for rural electrification with mini-grids for GIZ in Uganda. Before his tenure in Uganda, he was a senior lecturer in automotive engineering in Botswana. Veit Goehringer holds a PhD in mechanical engineering, specializing in energy systems and automotive engineering.

Since 2019 Jason has been the global business leader for energy storage at DNV. Jason has a passion for new energy technologies and began his career in the hydrogen technology sector in 2002. With over 20 years of experience in the cleantech energy space, Jason has developed and managed businesses and projects involving grid-scale renewable energy, hydrogen fuel cells, and energy storage in Canada and the United States. Jason's global role at DNV comes after 10 years with international energy giant ENGIE in various roles and locations, including its initial energy storage initiative in North America in 2015. Jason holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business and a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Dr. Anna Gorczyca-Goraj is a Senior in PSE Innowacje, an R&D subsidiary of Polish TSO, PSE. She received her PhD in solid state theoretical physics from University of Silesia in Katowice. She has an academic background, continuing research in University of Economics in Katowice. She also graduated from Silesian University of Technology, Electrical Engineering Faculty. Throughout her professional career in PSE she has focused on WAMS development. In 2019 she became a member of ENTSO-E RDIC Working Group Digital & Communication. Since 2023 she has been the convenor. Digitalization tasks (especially AI and DT) tackled by WG5 under Anna's leadership are aligned with JTF DESAP activities. Consequently, Anna has been appointed a role of JTF DESAP co-chair representing ENTSO-E RDIC.

Vincent Grumetz graduated from a mechanical engineering university and an international business school, enabling him to be a sales expert in technical industries. In 2006, he started working for Airmat Technology as an Export Sales Manager. In 2011 he joined Pronal (in rubber products industry) where he became the International Sales Director. Looking for new challenges, more in line with his spirit and convictions, in 2020, he joined Ciel & Terre as EMEA Managing Director to follow the follow and accelerate the growth of floating solar markets in Europe.

Ulrike Gunnemann is a passionate advocate of sustainable energies. In her role as Head of Global Hybrid at BayWa r.e., she is dedicated to the development of complex renewable energy projects combining different electricity generators and storage technologies. Before joining BayWa r.e. in April 2022, Ulrike worked as manager and expert for an international engineering consultancy company. Being worldwide active in numerous hybrid and storage projects as well as energy system studies, Ulrike advised governments, investors and project developers in the development of green energy solutions. Ulrike combines engineering, financial and AI expertise with excellent track record in setting up new business fields, strategy and M&A.

Claudia Günther leads the Research teams for Northwestern Europe at Aurora. In this position, she is responsible for the power market outlook for these markets, alongside strategic studies on the energy transition, covering topics evolving around electricity market design, decarbonization of the power sector, renewable energy and energy storage. She has an extensive track record of acting as an advisor on project and studies for developers, investors, utilities, grid operators and policy makers on the national and EU level.

Stefan Håkansson serves as the Chief Clean Energy Officer (CCEO) at GFG Alliance. A seasoned senior executive, he previously held key positions at the European energy company E.ON. Over the past five years, Stefan led E.ON Business Solutions as CEO and served as the Global Director for Energy Infrastructure Solutions, overseeing energy services for two million customers across 15 countries. Before that, he was the Managing Director of E.ON Thermal Sweden and Karlshamn Kraft AB, both part of E.ON's Nordic power generation operations. At GFG Alliance, Stefan is responsible for advancing the company's CN30 initiative and spearheading renewable energy development. His focus includes enhancing energy efficiency as a key strategy for achieving CN30, with investments in solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects to decarbonize iron and steel production. Starting April 1, 2025, Stefan will assume the role of CEO at Oresundskraft AB in Sweden while continuing to support GFG Alliance as a Senior Advisor.

Franz has a background in Mathematics and is Energy Data Scientist at ECO STOR based in Munich, Germany. As part of the ECO STOR Team, he developed software to control large scale storage systems and commissioned numerous storage projects. Passionate about accelerating the energy transition, he specializes in assessing how storage can optimize the integration of renewable power into the grid.

Walburga Hemetsberger is the CEO of SolarPower Europe since 2019. She has over 20 years of professional experience in Brussels, working for a utility, trade association, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Walburga spent most of her career in the energy sector, covering in particular renewable energies and hydrogen.

Dr. Jörg Heuer is co-founder and CEO of the Scale-Up EcoG in Detroit/Munich - providing the EcoG IoT Operating System for EV Chargers. Previously, as Head of embedded networks in Siemens, he drove innovation migrating digitalization and electrification. For instance, with his team he demonstrated how to use ISO15118 for DC high performance charging of vehicles, buses and trucks back in 2013. In his professional life Joerg led R&D teams in the mobile phone industry, in smart grids prior to electric mobility and has been co-initiator of the startup Caterva. Joerg received the Dipl.-Ing. degree in Electrical Engineering on digital signal processing and his PhD on visual image recognition, meta data processing and coding from the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen, Germany.

Julia Hildermeier is team lead e-transport in RAP's Europe team. In addition to providing research and policy analysis on integrating electrified transport in a smarter and decarbonized power markets, she leads RAP's electric transportation program for RAP's Europe department including strategic planning and outreach in Brussels and beyond. Before coming to RAP in 2018, Hildermeier worked for the European Federation for Transport & Environment, advocating for a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable transport system. As clean vehicles and e-mobility officer, she conducted policy research and managed internal and external research projects, co-created and implemented the organization's advocacy strategy on electro-mobility, and advised decision-makers at the EU level as well as in key Member States. This included expanding stakeholder coalitions and networks, such as the European Platform for Electro-Mobility. Julia Hildermeier holds a doctorate in sociology from Humboldt University Berlin and Ecole Normale Superieure Cachan in Paris. Her academic work included identifying the path-rupture potential of environmental regulation in the European automotive and transport sector. Previously, while earning a master's degree in social sciences and serving as a research assistant in an EU-funded project at Berlin's Center for Social Sciences, she compared the innovation potential of electric vehicle battery politics in Germany and France. Hildermeier publishes and reviews papers in scientific journals on mobility and climate topics. A native German speaker, Julia is also fluent in English and French.

Alexander has been leading sonnen's device development team in the position of Vice President Device Development since 2024. Between 2019 and 2014, he was responsible for sonnen's commercial and industrial storage development activities in the position of Vice President C&I. Prior to joining sonnen, Alexander was involved in setting up the stationary energy storage business unit at VARTA as Technical Director. He holds a diploma and a doctorate in physics.

Gadi Hirsch is a senior strategy manager and lead market and policy analyst at SolarEdge Technologies. Gadi leads business analysis and strategy formulation efforts for key market segments, focusing on distributed energy resources and digitally enhanced energy business models. He also covers technological trends and policies, with an emphasis on European and North-American markets. He holds a BA in economics and has previously led economic analysis and management consulting teams.

Julie Horn is a Senior Strategy and Business Development at Virya Energy, specializing in renewable energy growth strategies. With deep expertise in solar, energy storage, EV charging, and smart energy management, she has led strategic initiatives, business development, and innovative product roadmaps. Julie holds dual master's degrees from Solvay Business School and has served as an expert evaluator for the European Commission.

Ulrike Jahn is a graduate physicist and works as a scientific group leader in the Photovoltaic Systems and Integration department at the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP in Halle, Germany. Her work focusses on the diagnosis and reliability of PV systems. She is project manager of an international expert group, Task 13 of the PVPS programme of the International Energy Agency (IEA), which deals with technical and economic aspects of the reliability and performance of PV systems. She has been coordinating this network of currently 185 international experts in 25 countries since 2010.

As a RAP senior associate in Berlin, Andreas Jahn focuses on issues relating to the German 'Energiewende', or energy transition, helping develop and advance regulatory options for a carbon-neutral power sector, including demand-side resources and tariff design. He also supports RAP's work throughout Europe. Jahn has extensive experience with power markets and regulation, as well as knowledge of the German national political arena. Prior to joining RAP, Jahn was responsible for all energy policy and regulatory matters as the director of regulatory affairs at lekker Energie, a German electricity and gas provider. Through his work as a senior expert for the Association of New Energy Suppliers, he gained valuable insight into political decision-making processes and legislative procedures. He was also a member of the Federal Ministry of Economics' task force on legislation to implement grid regulation in Germany. In addition to his native German, Andreas speaks fluent English and advanced Spanish.

Claudius Jehle is the founder and CEO of volytica diagnostics GmbH, a company specializing in independent, data-driven battery diagnostics for e-mobility and energy storage applications. With a background in Mechanical Engineering and System Identification from the Technical University of Munich and Delft University of Technology, he has been driving advancements in battery analytics and predictive diagnostics for over a decade. Before founding volytica, he led the Energy Storage Diagnostics and Telematics research group at Fraunhofer IVI. As an active industry participant, he contributes to technical publications, industry discussions, and global conferences, providing insights into battery technology, value chains, and independent diagnostics.

Gunther Kellermann has been Managing Director of the Section Batteries at the ZVEI (Electro and Digital Industry Association) since February 2024. He represents the battery industry in Germany vis-à-vis politicians and authorities. Prior to that, he was responsible for various topics in the field of environmental regulation and substance policy in the ZVEI for 4 years. Before joining the ZVEI, Mr. Kellermann worked for several years in the field of political advocacy at BASF and the VCI (Federation of the German Chemical Industry). Mr. Kellermann studied in Freiburg and graduated with a degree in economics.

Mark Kragh is the founder and CTO of Off-Grid Europe GmbH. He is an expert in renewable energy systems with long-term experience in systems engineering and design, leadership as well as data analytics. Since 2020, OGE is part of the project ASER300 that set the target to electrify at least 300 villages in Senegal. In the course of realizing the project, OGE set up the senegalese subsidiary Off-Grid Africa in order to establish itself long-term in the west-african market. Innovation and constant optimization of technology are an integral part of the company. Apart from Off-Grid Systems, Mark has developed a unique solar boat (SunSailor) as well as a containerised solution to produce solar oxygen (SolarO2). He currently focuses on the development of a BESS (Battery energy storage system) for commercial and industrial users as well as on a solar cooling solution for the agricultural sector.

Cecilie is a research analyst in Wood Mackenzie's Power and Renewables team, focusing on European, Middle Eastern and African storage markets. Before joining the storage team, she contributed to Wood Mackenzie's Middle East and Africa solar and onshore wind analysis, monitoring project development updates, asset transactions and policy updates. Prior to joining Wood Mackenzie, she worked as an ESG and social impact analyst for a financial services firm. In that capacity, she focused on EU regulation and international frameworks and advised on sustainability-related investments. Cecilie holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from IE University in Madrid, Spain.

Thomas Kündiger is co-founder and Chief Technology Manager of BOS AG, responsible for product roadmap, system design and research projects. As an expert in product development and off-grid power supply, his passion is to develop environmentally friendly state-of-the-art energy solutions, with a deep understanding of B2B and end-user needs, especially in rural areas. He combines practical skills in mechanical engineering with a Bachelor's degree in Energy Systems and a Master's degree in Systems Engineering & Management.

Alice Lefort is an Agri-PV Product Manager at BayWa r.e. Global, supporting the development of the Agri-PV market segment across Europe. She holds a master's degree in Agroecology and Agricultural Engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse. Alice began her career at BayWa r.e. France in 2019 as an Agricultural Engineer, working to integrate renewable energy solutions into farming communities and support agri-environmental measures. In 2022, she took on responsibility for Agri-PV development at Ib Vogt France, leading solar energy strategies on agricultural land and fostering EU-wide collaboration in the agrivoltaics sector. In 2023, she rejoined BayWa r.e. With her background, Alice is deeply engaged in promoting synergies between solar energy and agriculture, leveraging Agri-PV as a catalyst for agricultural and energy transition. She co-authored the paper "How Agri-PV Can Boost the Transition to Regenerative Agriculture in Europe" in collaboration with BCG.

Co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) at the Brazilian Solar Photovoltaic Energy Association (ABSOLAR - Associação Brasileira de Energia Solar Fotovoltaica), the national association representing companies and professionals from all segments of the solar PV value chain with operations in Brazil. Co-founder and member of the board of directors at the Global Solar Council (GSC), the global entity unifying and representing the solar power sector at the international level. Has a Ph.D. with honours in Engineering and Materials Technology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), with international collaboration at the Fraunhofer Institut für Solare Energiesysteme (Fraunhofer ISE, Germany), M.Sc. with honours in Renewable Energy from the EUREC Master Program, with international collaboration at the ETH Zürich (Switzerland), and B.Sc. with honours in Chemistry from the University of São Paulo (Brazil).

Eng. Giosuè Maugeri is a photovoltaic researcher at RSE S.p.A., where he has been working since 2011. He leads the RSE PV Test Lab, coordinating research activities focused on PV reliability and performance efficiency, with a particular emphasis on developing tools for remote fault detection and diagnosis in utility-scale PV systems. His expertise extends to emerging PV applications such as agrivoltaics, floating PV, and solar tracking systems. As Deputy Task Manager of the International Energy Agency's PVPS Task 13 on PV Performance and Reliability, he represents Italy in international research efforts aimed at improving PV system performance and durability. His work contributes to advancing innovative solutions that enhance the sustainability and efficiency of solar energy technologies.

Florian Mayr is a recognized expert in deals strategy, with a particular focus on energy transition and storage. As a Partner at Strategy&, the global strategy consultancy of PwC, Florian guides clients through the complexities of the energy transition landscape. His expertise for renewables and cleantech is invaluable to financial investors, major corporations, and cleantech innovators, offering insights through due diligence processes, value creation strategies, and strategic development. Florian is also active in authoring industry publications and social media content and is a sought-after speaker, especially on topics related to energy storage. Before joining Strategy&, Florian spent two decades in senior roles at cleantech advisory boutique Apricum, RWE, and McKinsey, consistently focusing on the energy sector, particularly on renewables and cleantech. He holds master's degrees both in engineering and business administration from the Technical University of Berlin.

Jonas Meyer is Head of Procurement at ELMI Power GmbH, a leading manufacturer of battery-integrated DC charging systems that connect battery storage with high-performance applications such as ultra-fast charging. He has more than eight years of experience in the battery storage industry, holding various positions in sales and procurement, and has been involved in C&I and utility-scale storage projects totaling over 1 GWh in volume. In his current strategic role, he supports the development and market introduction of innovative battery-based solutions and consults clients on battery system procurement. He holds a master's degree in electrical engineering and spent over two years studying, working, and living in China, where he gained valuable insights into Chinese business culture - an important advantage in today's global battery market.

Leonardo Micheli is an Associate Professor at Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). He earned his PhD in Renewable Energy from the University of Exeter (UK). Over the years, he has investigated various topics related to photovoltaic (PV), addressing both foundational knowledge and practical challenges faced by industry. His research areas include PV and floating PV systems analysis and modeling, with a strong focus on soiling and PV loss minimization. He has received national and European research grants and has been listed among the top 2% of researchers worldwide in Stanford University's global database since 2022.

Minja Mihajlovic is an Energy Solutions Analyst and Project Manager at DMEC (Dutch Marine Energy Centre). As part of DMEC's technical team she works on modelling multi-source offshore renewable energy systems as well as the integration of nature-positive offshore solutions. As a part of her Master thesis, she studied offshore energy storage technologies and their integration in offshore wind farms. Currently, she is managing a research project on the potential reoxygenation of the North Sea, using oxygen that is a byproduct of offshore hydrogen production. With a background in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Minja combines technical expertise with a multidisciplinary approach to drive advancements in offshore renewable energy systems.

Deepak Mohapatra works as the Senior Officer - Business & Market Development at the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), a leading global business association representing the decentralised renewable energy (DRE) sector for provision of energy access in developing and emerging countries. He works closely together with more than 200 ARE Members, as well as international and local partners to improve market conditions, facilitate capacity building, and establish favourable environment enabling business for private sector companies in DRE space across the globe. Previously Deepak worked at a German NGO called 'Lernen - Helfen - Leben e.V. as a Project Coordinator. He holds MSc. in Renewable Energy Management from Technical University of Cologne (TH Köln), Germany and B.Tech. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), India.

Molly Morgan is a Senior Research Analyst of the solar PV sector at CRU. Her areas of focus include tracking and forecasting evolution in solar module efficiency and architecture. She also undertakes analysis of solar manufacturing capacity, production, and financial data which - alongside end demand through installations forecasting - forms the basis of CRU's coverage of the solar market.

David Moser (PhD in Physics). He is the Managing Director of Becquerel Institute Italia where among many other activities he is developing generative AI-based proof of concept solutions for the photovoltaic sector. He was responsible for the "Photovoltaic Energy Systems" research group at the Institute for Renewable Energy, EURAC, Bolzano, Italy, from 2012 to 2025. During his tenure, he coordinated EU H2020 projects including Solar Bankability on the economic impact of technical risks in photovoltaic projects, H2020 TRUST-PV on improving reliability and grid compatibility of photovoltaic systems, HEU SUPERNOVA on improving the operation of photovoltaic systems, and HEU SYMBIOSYST on agrivoltaics. He actively participates in IEA PVPS Task 13 "Performance and Reliability of Photovoltaic Modules and Systems." He is Vice President of the Steering Committee of the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics (ETIP-PV). He has discussed the use of generative AI in the photovoltaic sector at various events (Solar Quality Summit 2024 and 2025, Solarplaza asset management conference in 2024).

Marvin Müller is a Senior Project Engineer at PEM Motion GmbH and a certified Product Compliance Officer acc. to ISO/IEC 17024. He is responsible for topics around product compliance and safety for the e-mobility / sustainability market. He has deep expertise in the homologation process of vehicles and vehicle parts as well as the conformity process of industry products such as energy storage systems and chargers. His core markets are Europe, China and North America.

Thore Müller is a specialist in PV soiling and performance optimization with over seven years of experience in yield assessment and climate risk modeling for utility-scale PV plants. He is the founder and CEO of PVRADAR, a modeling framework that combines a Python Package, Data Depot, and Web Application to build complex performance models and share results across organizations. Thore is focused on enabling data-driven decisions for solar asset owners and developers. He holds engineering degrees from the Universities of Munich and Aachen.

Stefan Müller is co-founder, shareholder of Enerparc AG and since end of 2008 as a board member responsible for international and operational business for the group. He worked over 25 years for larger players in the photovoltaic industry in Europe and Asia. Enerparc is an international specialist in the whole value chain of large-scale photovoltaic power plants, from greenfield development to EPC, O&M and energy trading. The company was founded in 2008 and has 500 internationally experienced employees with offices in Hamburg, India, Australia, France, Spain and a number of registered partners in various regions. In the last years Enerparc Group successfully connected globally more than 4.500 MW to the grid and it meanwhile operates 3.500 MW of own PV power plants.

I started my journey at DKB AG as a Trainee with focus on project finance within the renewable energy industry in 2020. At the beginning of the year 2022 the demand for bank solutions for battery storage projects started to grow. Subsequently this topic gained my interest because storage projects where more complex and we had to thing about new solutions. Currently I am responsible for acquiring and structuring new projects and have successfully worked on several battery projects.

Michał Ossowski - member of the Strategy & Acceleration Office at EDP Comercial, the largest Portuguese Group and the global leader in the energy transition. Based in Lisbon, he is responsible for strategic projects, focusing on the digital transformation. In the past, Michał held roles in strategy consulting, combining technology and energy expertise. He is actively engaged in public and social matters. Among others, organised the "Economics of Information & Energy" conference in the UK, supported international initiative "PL Science Perspectives", and has been involved with the Warsaw Stock Exchange Foundation, featuring in discussion panels and student mentoring.

Dr. Alexandre Oudalov leads Hitachi Energy's Power Systems of the Future program, overseeing a research team that analyses the mid- and long-term impacts of global power system transformation. His work focuses on the integration of renewable energy, distributed energy resources, sector coupling, and digitalization. In addition to his role at Hitachi Energy, Dr. Oudalov actively contributes to the industry as a convener and expert in several CIGRE working groups. His research has resulted in over 50 journal and conference publications, along with 15 granted patents. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL).

Ioana Petcu is an experienced energy and climate expert, with a strong communication and public affairs profile. She currently leads the industrial and decarbonisation workstreams at Eurelectric, focusing on policies aimed at delivering on Europe's growth and net-zero ambitions. She joined Eurelectric in 2018 to spearhead media interactions and crisis communications, as well as multichannel engagements, supporting the company's advocacy efforts. Prior to this, Ioana worked at NATO, the European Parliament, and the Romanian Ministry of Defence. She holds a master's degree in international relations - diplomacy and conflict resolution, and a bachelor's degree in communications.

Maddalena Pondini is covering the role of Decarbonization Strategy Advisory Expert in Siemens SI Building Sustainability. She supports clients in overcoming their unique sustainability challenges through initiatives that include strategic roadmap development, benchmarking, and continuous improvement processes. In parallel with her role at Siemens, Maddalena is currently taking an MBA in Sustainability Management at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität FAU, Erlangen. With 10 years of experience in the energy and utility industries, she brings a deep understanding of energy transition trends, spanning both the grid side and the consumer/prosumer landscape, combined with a strong customer-oriented mindset. Within Siemens she also covered the role of Product Manager in the Grid Software organization, where she contributed in shaping product strategies to address evolving customer demands and support future-proof grid management solutions. She holds a BSc and a MSc in Energy Engineering from Politecnico di Milano (Italy). She has a curious mindset and she is passionate about delivering customer value with innovative solutions to support the energy transition.

Géraldine Quelle has been working for Phaesun GmbH since 2010 operating research and innovation projects in different African countries, currently coordinating the BeCool Kenya and Ghana project. She holds a diploma in International Business Administration and a Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Systems. Since its foundation in 2001, Phaesun has focused on PV Off-grid power supply for rural electrification, productive use solutions, water pumping systems and the caravan & camping sector. The main target regions are Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Phaesun works closely with international NGOs and GOs as well as with local partner companies in the target countries to deliver and permanently establish energy in non-electrified areas.

Tobias Reuther earned his Master's degree in Engineering with a focus on Energy Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Kempten and has been working at Fraunhofer ISE in the "Energy Systems and Energy Economics" group since 2021. He primarily focuses on energy system modeling, particularly on decarbonization options for industrial companies and the evaluation of energy data related to photovoltaic and battery storage systems, especially concerning electricity generation and the self-consumption of PV systems.

Abigail Ross Hopper is the president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade organization for America's solar and storage industry. Ms. Hopper is a visionary leader who has transformed SEIA into an advocacy powerhouse and the leading voice for the U.S. solar and storage industry, a $64 billion force in our nation's economy. She is known for overseeing tremendous industry-wide growth in the solar and storage space, most notably, the sector's employment of 280,000 people in the industry, the quintupling of the solar module manufacturing capacity in the U.S., and the adoption of business-friendly policies that promote American energy dominance. Ms. Hopper has been named in The Hill's Top Lobbyist list since 2020 and has been featured in hundreds of media outlets across the country. She is also working to shepherd the next generation of the solar workforce by championing diversity efforts in the industry and through her Solar Sisters initiative. Under her tenure, SEIA has received numerous awards for its work and company culture and was named by the Washington Post as a 2023 and 2024 Top Workplace and a Best Nonprofit to Work For by the Nonprofit Times. Ms. Hopper currently serves on the board of directors of RE+ Events, the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society at Dartmouth, the Consumer Energy Education Fund, and Earthday.org. Before joining SEIA, Ms. Hopper was the Director of the Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, where she led the agency that oversaw the leasing and development of all offshore energy, from oil and natural gas to offshore wind. She also served as the Director of the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), and as the Energy Advisor to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley. Ms. Hopper graduated Cum Laude from the University of Maryland School of Law and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dartmouth College. She is the very proud mom of three children and loves to read, ride her Peloton, and lie on the beach, all while drinking decaf Dunkin.

Christa Roth is a Consultant for Cooking Energy which is vital for human survival. With a focus on Africa, she assists worldwide to develop locally appropriate efficient technologies for cooking or other uses of heat, based on locally available renewable resources, including climate-friendly solid biomass fuels from sustainable sources. She started integrating PV-based household energy solutions in her work since 2010, first for low-wattage needs like lighting. She is now exploring high-wattage PV-solutions for cooking in off-grid scenarios to see how and where they fit in the mix of household cooking energy to complement or substitute unsustainable solid biomass cooking fuels. Christa always puts the users and producers at the centre of any technology development, so that users can get what they want and can afford and local producers or installers can create a sustainable business from the promotion of these technologies.

Mr. Harri Salomäki is an innovative leader in electricity distribution industry, currently serving as the Head of Asset Management and Partnerships at Elenia, the second biggest DSO in Finland. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Harri is known for challenging the traditional ways of working.

Michael is Executive Advisor to the CEO and a member of the leadership team. Alongside his business development work, Michael heads SolarPower Europe's award-winning market intelligence team. He is lead author of the annually published Global Market Outlook and EU Market Outlook, and works closely with Policy Analyst Raffaele operating the Solar & Storage workstream. Michael has been working in solar for over 20 years. After co-founding Photon-Magazine in 1996, he served in various positions within the Photon group, primarily as Editor-in-Chief of Photon International. In 2014, Michael started MISCHCO, a company offering strategy consulting and communication services to solar companies. In 2016, TaiyangNews, a digital news platform for the solar industry that Michael founded, went online. Michael studied Geology/Palaeontology at Bonn University, Geology at RWTH Aachen, and Mineralogy at Frankfurt University. He speaks German and English.

Bernard Schowe-von der Brelie is the Managing Director of FGH GmbH and also responsible for the research area of power systems technology at FGH Research Association. He has been active in the German Grid Code Compliance Certification since 2008 and has now shifted is long-term experience to the international level as a convener of IECRE WG10 and active member of CLC TC8X WG03. He also joins the Euroepean Stakeholder Committee on Grid Connection and actively contributed to the ongoing revision of the European Network Codes.

Adrien Schwane is Head of eMobility at BayWa r.e. Operation Services GmbH, where he leads the department responsible for the planning, delivery and construction of charging infrastructure. With two master degrees from RWTH Aachen University, Adrien has extensive experience in project management, consulting and implementation of intelligent (DC) charging solutions for electric cars and trucks. Prior to his current role, Adrien was a project manager at The Mobility House GmbH, where he advised companies on smart charging solutions for their fleets and business parks. Adrien's career also includes significant contributions to renewable energy projects at his previous employers. His expertise in e-mobility and sustainable energy systems positions him as a key player in driving the transition to clean energy.

Dr. Anser Shakoor leads GE Vernova's Consulting Services business in Europe. He is a leading expert in energy transition, focusing on reliable and economically efficient grid integration of renewable energy and storage. He has over 25 years of diverse experience providing strategic advisory services to utilities, large energy consumers and energy infrastructure developers/investors across Europe, the Middle East and North America. Prior to joining GE, he was the Head of Energy Portfolio Management (EMEA) at Hitachi Energy, Head of Advisory (EMEA) at ABB, and a Fellow at the UK Energy Research Center. He holds a PhD in Power System Economics.

Sepehr Soltani is an Energy Storage Analyst at Rystad Energy, specializing in renewable energy with a master's in mechanical engineering. Since joining Rystad, he has been instrumental in advising on the pivotal role of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) in the energy transition. Sepehr's expertise encompasses energy storage technologies, power markets, and optimizing performance for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

Dr. Matti Sprengeler is Strategy and Business Development Manager at The Mobility House Energy, where he is responsible for building partnerships with leading automotive OEMs and utility companies across Europe. He brings deep expertise in the energy, automotive, and solar industries, with a strong focus on business development and growth. Prior to his current role, he was researcher on vehicle-grid-integration at Fraunhofer ISE and held various strategy positions in the energy industry, particularly in renewables and electric mobility. He holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems and an M.Sc. in Energy Engineering.

Felix Sprenger is the Cybersecurity Officer of Siemens eMobility, responsible for all cybersecurity and information security topics for Siemens' global EV charging business. He has extensive experience in the field, having previously served as CISO of Valeo Siemens eAutomotive. Before that, he was an auditor and cybersecurity consultant with PwC and Accenture. Felix studied in France and the Netherlands, focusing on EV charging algorithms.

David Steenmeijer works as a Data Science & AI Specialist at the Dutch DSO Enexis. With a master's degree in Data Science and in Political Science, he translates his expertise to concrete initiatives that help Enexis digitalize its distribution grid in a responsible manner. Additionally, he is also responsible for implementing the AI Act at Enexis.

Lars manages Fluence's Marketing and Policy Team in the EMEA region providing leadership to the company's strategic communication with customers, policy makers, media and the general public across Europe. As part of his role he is directly responsible for policy and regulatory efforts on the EU level and oversees the companies policy work on the country's level. Before taking over the Marketing and Policy Department, Lars held different roles in Fluence on policy as well as on market and business development. Before joining Fluence, Lars worked for 8 years at Aggreko and Younicos (acquisition in 2017) on storage policy and market development globally, with a specific focus on storage-renewable hybrid assets. Before joining the clean energy sector, Lars worked at the political communication think tank, and as a communication specialist for the European Parliament.

After a BSc in Energy Engineering at University of Bologna and a MSc in Sustainable Energy Technology at TU Delft, specializing on Solar PV & Energy Storage, Michele worked first as a Technical Consultant and Project Manager at DNV, leading technical advisory and certification firm in the Energy space, and since September 2022 as Head of Product Management Floating-PV at BayWa r.e., international developer and IPP with a strong leading position and the highest track record in Europe (300 MWp) for Floating-PV projects. Michele has been working for more than 6 years in the interesting and booming industry segment of Floating-PV, covering key responsibility roles and pushing the international agenda in the field, including managing international projects towards standardization. He is now responsible of supporting BayWa´s strategy, development and expansion in the Floating-PV space.

With a combination of studies in Business Administration and Telecommunications, he has accumulated 7 years of experience in the dynamic world of electric mobility. Of Spanish-British origin, Juan Michael is a big passionate of the industry and, although he has a lot of experience in the field, he stresses the importance of always keeping up to date due to the constant advances and innovations that characterize this rapidly evolving market.

George Touloupas is Vice President, ESG and New Services in CEA. Since 2010 George has been active in technical consulting for PV and energy storage projects, as well as in PV manufacturing, EPC and project development. He joined CEA in 2015 and has previously led the technology and quality team for solar and energy storage. Prior to CEA, he held positions as Chief Operating & Technical Officer at Philadelphia Solar in Jordan, as Technical Operations Director at Recom and as an EPC and project developer in Greece.

With relevant experience in the electricity sector, he has dedicated much of its activity to innovation, business development, technology and transformation, while actively contributing to the development of European energy policies and their practical translation into digital and smart grids and their contribution to a consumer and community-centred energy transition. He is currently Director of European Policies and Projects at E-REDES, the DSO in mainland Portugal, responsible for the coordination of European activities and funded projects. He is a board member of the EU DSO Entity, Vice-Chair of ETIP SNET, and an active member, since its foundation, of E.DSO (formerly EDSO for Smart Grids). He also actively participates in European forums and platforms related to the energy sector.

Sarah Van Cleve is the Vice President of Sales & Commercial Excellence for Fluence's Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) division. In this role, she leads the region's energy storage solutions sales strategy and market development, driving growth through sales transformation efforts, policy engagement, marketing, product development, and market intelligence. Prior to joining Fluence, Sarah spent more than eight years in Tesla's energy storage division, holding a number of roles since the division's official launch in 2015. Most recently, she led Tesla's Megapack Sales Team for EMEA, overseeing the full sales cycle from lead generation to contracting. Before her tenure in Europe, she was based at Tesla's headquarters in California, where she established the U.S. Energy Policy Team and later led the Global Energy Business Development Team. Sarah began her career as a financial analyst at Southern California Edison, specializing in electricity and emissions markets. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Van den Brink is an expert in IT and cybersecurity, with a particular focus on the energy sector. With over 10 years of experience in charging infrastructure, he has developed in-depth knowledge in the areas of charge management, legislation, cybersecurity, and the associated protocols. His expertise ranges from theoretical concepts to the practical, pentesting, hands-on construction of solutions, where he directly tests theory against practice.

Mr. Angel Verástegui Gubler is a Senior Climate Advisor at responsAbility Investments AG. He develops green lending strategies with financial institutions across Latin America, validating their climate impact. With over 15 years in global clean energy initiatives, he has promoted energy access technologies with the public sector, assessed carbon emissions of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects from the private sector, and trained financial institutions on ESG and decarbonization.

- Electrical Engineer (University of Karlsruhe, today KIT) - PhD in the field of modeling and development of control strategies for fuel cell systems (Fraunhofer ISE and University of Karlsruhe, today KIT) - Since 03/2024 Energy Storage Chief Expert at Huawei Nuremberg Research Center - From 2017 to 02/2024 Head of Department 'Electrical Energy Storage' and Coordinator of Business Unit 'Electrical Energy Storage' at Fraunhofer ISE - From 2011 to 2016 Head of Department 'PV Off-Grid Solutions and Battery System Technology' at Fraunhofer ISE - From 2005 to 2010 Head of Group 'Off-Grid Power Supply' - Until 02/2024 Contact Person for Battery Systems at Fraunhofer Battery Alliance - From 2021 to 02/2024 Spokesman of R&D Advisory Board of German Energy Storage Systems Association (BVES) - From 2022 to 02/2024 Member of Steering Committee and Technical Advisor of Working Group 'Stationary Applications and Integration' of Batteries Europe / Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA)

Michael Villa is Executive Director of smartEn - Smart Energy Europe, the European business association integrating the decentralized solutions of the clean energy transition. He joined smartEn in 2018 when he led the advocacy efforts as Head of Policy. Before joining smartEn, he worked as Senior Consultant to provide specific advocacy support to clients both in the EU and Middle East in the energy sector. Among others, he led the Secretariat of a cross-sectorial business organisation, the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE), and supported Knauf Insulation as Public Affairs Adviser in Italy. Michael worked also in the European Parliament for a Cypriot MEP and at the Embassy of Italy in Copenhagen during the UN Climate Change Conference COP15. Michael has a Master at the Institute for European Studies in Brussels and a bachelor degree from the Catholic University of Milan.

Electrical engineer. Founder and current President of ITALIA SOLARE association, the main Italian PV association with more than 800 members. A pioneer of photovoltaics since the early 1990s, in 2001 he founded Enerpoint, one of the leading companies in the sector active in asset management, projects development, distribution and EPC.

David Wedepohl first came into contact with the solar industry while working for a US consulting firm before joining the German Solar Industry Association as Head of Market and Communications and spokesperson for the association. Today, he is responsible for all of the association's international activities outside of the EU. This now includes projects and partnerships in and with Africa, Latin America, Asia and the USA. He is a broadcast journalist trained at the international broadcaster Deutsche Welle and has studied and worked on both sides of the Atlantic. He earned his US degree as a Fulbright Scholar. He gained professional experience as a press and public diplomacy officer at the German Embassy in Washington, DC, and in the communications department of DaimlerChrysler AG. Since 2023, he has also been Managing Director of the non-profit branch of the solar and storage sector, BSW-Solar gGmbh.

Dr. Harry Wirth, born in 1968, studied physics at the University of Freiburg, Germany, and at the Universitiy of Massachusetts, USA. He earned his PhD from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) and from Fraunhofer ISE. From January 1999 he headed the R&D department of a specialty insulating glazing manufacturer. In 2005, he returned to Fraunhofer ISE to establish the group 'Photovoltaic Modules' and to conduct the setup of the PV Module Technology Center. Since April 2023, he is director of the division 'Power Solutions' Harry Wirth is author of the report 'Recent Facts about Photovoltaics in Germany' constantly renewed since 2011, author of the book 'Photovoltaic Module Technology' and inventor of more than 20 patents related to solar energy.

Mariyana is the Chief Operating Officer of International Power Supply (IPS) - a company with 36 years of experience in the development and manufacturing of power conversion, energy storage and micro-grid technologies in Europe. In her capacity of COO, she responsible for the effective Implementation of the company's strategic vision for manufacturing battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Europe. Managing daily operations to align regulatory requirements and market trends and needs with the company's strengths and development goals, Mariyana is now focusing on advancing energy storage as a solution to increase security of supply and power system flexibility in Europe. To date, Mariyana has over 15 years of experience in various leadership roles within business development and investment market research for wind, solar, energy storage and smart grids.

Dr. Guang Yang is currently serving as President of Technology at Beijing HyperStrong Technology Co., LTD. He earned his PhD in EECS from University of California at Berkeley. While at HyperStrong, Dr. Yang worked on the full stack of BESS control systems, including Battery Management Systems, Battery Array Management Systems and Energy Management Systems. He also led the R&D of the BESS data analytics platform, which incorporates cloud computing, big data technologies, and the latest AI technologies. By combining data, cloud and control systems, BESS can be modeled, operated, maintained and optimized during the full life cycle, thus offering customers the most competitive BESS with high round trip efficiency, long life time, and high availability.

Patrick Zank is an experienced project engineer and senior consultant specializing in battery and energy storage systems. He holds a degree in industrial engineering with a focus on materials science, where his research focused on the impact of new manufacturing technologies on materials testing. Since 2020, Patrick has been with VDE, where he first led technical due diligence and system consulting for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). He later advanced to the role of Senior Battery Consultant, providing in-depth expertise. Patrick is also an expert at DKE, the German standardization body, where he plays a key role in the development and enhancement of electrotechnical standards. He is a member of the Battery Passport consortium, which is shaping the guidelines for the EU Battery Regulation, aiming to balance sustainability objectives with industry feasibility. In addition to his technical roles, Patrick serves as the Business Development Manager at VDE Renewables, overseeing departments related to PV, BESS, and Grid Conformity. His work focuses on risk reduction through technical expertise, fostering trust with all stakeholders, and driving innovation in the energy sector