Innovation Week 2023: Renewable solutions to decarbonise end-use sectors

Francesco La Camera is the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He was appointed at the Ninth Assembly of IRENA, the ultimate decision-making body of the Agency. Mr. La Camera took office on 4 April 2019 and brings more than thirty years of experience in the fields of climate, sustainability, and international cooperation.

Kadri Simson is an Estonian politician from the Centre Party. She is serving as a European Commissioner for Energy in the von der Leyen Commission since 1 December 2019. She was previously the Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure in Jüri Ratas' first cabinet from 2016 to 2019. During the Estonian Presidency in the Council of the EU, Simson chaired both energy ministers and transport ministers meetings in TTE Council and ministers of economy format in EU Competitiveness Council. From 2007–2016 Kadri Simson was a member of the 11th, 12th, and 13th Riigikogu and in 2019 she was also elected to the 14th Riigikogu. She holds a Master's degree in Political Science from University College London.

Dr Amani Abou-Zeid is the twice-elected African Union Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy and ICT. For more than 30 years, Dr Abou-Zeid has served in leadership positions in international organisations and has amassed a remarkable mix of experience from across continents and stakeholders. She has managed AfDB largest operational portfolio and implemented national and continental multi-sectoral development programmes. She launched the Single African Air Transport Market, African Single Energy Market and First African Digital Transformation Strategy. An Egyptian national, she holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering, Cairo University; MBA, Université Senghor; MPA, Harvard University; and PhD Economic Development, University of Manchester. Dr Amani Abou-Zeid is the twice-elected African Union Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy and ICT. For more than 30 years, Dr Abou-Zeid has served in leadership positions in international organisations and has amassed a remarkable mix of experience from across continents and stakeholders. She has managed AfDB largest operational portfolio and implemented national and continental multi-sectoral development programmes, including the world’s largest solar power plant. She launched the Single African Air Transport Market, African Single Energy Market, First African Digital Transformation Strategy as well as the second 10-year Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa - thus, delivering on major continental initiatives for African Integration under African Union Agenda 2063. An Egyptian national, Dr Abou-Zeid holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering, Cairo University; MBA, Université Senghor; MPA, Harvard University; and PhD Economic Development, University of Manchester. Dr Abou-Zeid sets the example for women in STEM and in leadership positions. She is long named and recognised as champion of gender equality and is often voted one of Africa’s most influential women.

Philippe Henry is a Belgian politician and member of the Ecolo party since 1997. He is Co-chair of the European Environment and Climate Council (July 2021-December 2021), President of the National Climate Commission from January to December 2021 (Belgium), Vice-President of the Walloon government since 13/09/2019, as well as Walloon Minister for Climate, Infrastructure, Energy and Mobility since 13/09/2019. He is promoter of citizen participation in Wallonia to accelerate the climate transition (actions, culture and adoption). Prior, Mr Henry was Walloon Member of Parliament for the district of Liège, Member of Parliament for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and Community Senator from 2014 to 2019, Walloon Minister for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Mobility from July 2009 to July 2014, federal deputy in the House of Representatives from June 2007 to July 2009, Local Councillor in Sprimont from 2006 to 2009, Political Director of the Ecolo party from 2003 to 2007, Walloon and Community Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2004, and Secretary and then Vice-President of the Parliament of the French Community. Before his political career, he was a research engineer from 1997 to 1999 (Université Catholique de Louvain), assistant in Algorithms and Numerical Analysis (Software Engineering and Applied Mathematics) from 1995 to 1997 (University of Liège), and researcher in Technology Assessment from 1995 to 1996 (University of Namur). He holds a diploma in civil electromechanical engineering (1995) and master in management (1997) at the University of Liège. During that time, he was President of the Student Federation of the University of Liège, then of the French-speaking Student Federation in 1994-1995, and President of the circle of engineers of the University of Liège.

Honorable Kaleb Udui, Jr., is the current Minister of the Ministry of Finance (MOF). He has held various positions, including serving as a Policy Advisor to the Republic's President from 2013 to 2020. In this role, he provided crucial advice on the establishment of various financial programs. Prior to his policy advisory role, Minister Udui, Jr., served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Development Bank of Palau (NDBP) from 2004 to 2011. Under his leadership, the NDBP experienced substantial growth, secured significant funding, and gained international recognition for its energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives. With his extensive experience in finance and banking, he navigated the complex process of resolving the receivership of Pacific Savings Bank, Ltd., as mandated by the Republic's Financial Institutions Act. As the Minister of Finance, Honorable Kaleb Udui, Jr. holds responsibility for managing and overseeing crucial aspects of Palau's financial and economic sector. This includes the Republic's National Treasury, National Budget, Revenue and Taxation, Customs/Immigration/Biosecurity activities, Energy and Water Tariff Regulation, and Digital Affairs. Furthermore, Minister Udui leads the Republic's Compact negotiations with the United States as the COFA Chief Representative. Minister Udui continues to guide his ministry in achieving a robust sustainable economy by promoting policies for, and sound management of, expenditures, revenues, financing, and human resources.

Commissioner Siva Gunda is serving his first term on the California Energy Commission. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Gunda in February 2021 to serve as the Energy Commission’s public member. Gunda was later appointed to Vice Chair in September 2021. He is the lead commissioner on energy assessments. Gunda served as manager of the Demand Analysis Office and deputy director for the Energy Commission’s Energy Assessments Division. The division forecasts and assesses energy demands and supplies. Before joining the Energy Commission, he served in a variety of capacities at the Energy Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, including as the director of research, where he directed the institute’s operations and research portfolio. He holds a master of science in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from Utah State University. Gunda is pursuing his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from UC Davis. He is a serious cricket fan and former captain of his college team. He lives with his family in Davis.

Gauri Singh is the Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Ms. Singh brings more than 30 years of experience in policy, advocacy and project implementation within the field of renewable energy and sustainable development from India and the international system

Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany is the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) since April 2018. Previously, Dr. Al-Hosany held the position of the Executive Director of Sustainability at Masdar Abu Dhabi's leading international renewable energy entity. she directed the Zayed Future Energy Prize, now recognized as the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and she remains an active jury member. Additionally, she held the role of Deputy Director General at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) from 2017 to 2018. In addition to her current roles, Dr. Al-Hosany holds positions across various business sectors, government entities and academic institutions in the UAE and internationally. She is also an active and prominent member of several key international, regional and local climate-focused boards and committees, the COP28 UAE Advisory Committee, which brings together the climate expertise of thought leaders from countries across six continents. Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany also sits on the advisory council of National Geographic magazine, the advisory board of the Payne Institute in Colorado School of Mines, the advisory Panel for the Momentum for Change initiative of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She is a board member of the Emirates Schools Establishment and the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation. Concurrently, she serves as the Vice Chair for the Global Council of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She is also a former board member of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the international organization that works in partnership with the United Nations to accelerate action on Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). Dr. Al-Hosany’s numerous professional achievements have been widely acknowledged with prestigious awards. In July 2018, Dr. Al-Hosany was presented the “Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa” from Keele University in the UK in recognition for her achievements in the field of sustainability. Dr Al-Hosany also received the “Arab Woman Award” and the “Emirates Business Women Award”. She graduated from the vFaculty of Engineering at the UAE University in 1992 and obtained her PhD from Newcastle University in the UK in 2002. Dr. Al-Hosany is also credited as one of the first two Emirati women to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5,895 meters above sea-level.

Vanessa Interiano is the Coordinator for International Energy Affairs of El Salvador and Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Prior to this, she served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, concurrent to Ireland. Before her posting to London, she was a Senior Advisor at IRENA based in Abu Dhabi; and prior to that, a Senior Advisor at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. She has also served as Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Vienna. Her diplomatic career included posts at the embassies in Washington D.C., Paris, and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

Dr Annegret Groebel is Director of International Relations at the German Regulatory Authority for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway (BNetzA). Dr Groebel has worked for BNetzA since 1998. She has been Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) President since January 2019 and was a Vice President of CEER since 2012. She has also chaired the CEER Market Integrity and Transparency (MIT) Working Group since 2013. She is a member of the Board of Regulators of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and is also involved in the work of the Independent Regulators Group (IRG) and the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). Dr Groebel has a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Mannheim.

Joerg Unger was born in Marbach, Germany, in 1965. He studied Technical Cybernetics and Chemical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart, Germany and at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA He received a Master degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a PhD in chemical Engineering from the University of Stuttgart. In 1997 he joined BASF and held various positions in Engineering R&D, Technology, and Strategy for Petrochemicals. Later he worked as Plant Manager at BASF Sonatrach PropanChem in Tarragona, Spain and as Vice President Operations at BASF Antwerp, Belgium Starting in 2012 he served as Senior Vice President for Technology in various Business Divisions and the Corporate Center. Since 2022 he is Senior Vice President Technology & Projects in BASF’S Net Zero Accelerator. He is married and has three children.

Thomas is a long term (renewable) energy aficionado. Apart from closely following the energy transition both in the electricity and heating sectors, he is the owner of a heat pump, a PV power plant and a building in which both peacefully cooperate. In his professional live, Thomas represents the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) as Secretary General in Brussels. His main responsibilities are the representation of the industry at the European institutions, networking with other stakeholders in the field of heating and cooling as well as the management of the association and its future development. Thomas has published several articles on heat pump technology and the integration of heat pumps in the energy system and has spoken on this topic in European and international conferences. He has also been contributing to scientific publications including the IEA energy technology perspectives and the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report. Before working for the EHPA, he has worked in several projects on the economic and social benefits of renewable energy. Thomas holds a university degree in business administration and economics.

Monique Ntumngia is a sustainable entrepreneur and human rights advocate for climate-gender justice. Passionate about entrepreneurship and promoting sustainable development in Africa with the use of renewable energy, Artificial Intelligence and Geo-spatial technology. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Green Girls Organisation a Pan-African energy social enterprise that uses AI and geo-spatial technology to identify the specific clean energy problems that affect women and girls in African rural communities and with the data collected her team provides the specific clean energy solutions through solar and biogas installations for these women and girls all the while financially empowering these women and girls with green skills. She is also the Founder of Monafrik Energy a clean energy company that collects data on energy consumption in supply and value chains to measure and compare the environmental impact of projects and products. Her work in providing access to clean and affordable energy on the African continent and the world at large, portray her values of service to not only her country Cameroon but Africa and the world at large and the impact of the Green Girls Organisation has earned her numerous international recognitions.

As Director of the Planning and Programme Support (PPS), Elizabeth Press oversees the internal co-ordination and the strategic integration of extra-budgetary resources in IRENA’s programmatic work. She leads the reporting on programmatic matters to governing bodies and individual donors, facilitates Agency-wide participation in global or thematic initiatives and contributes to strengthening IRENA’s presence in Europe, including at the EC level and with Germany as Host Country.

Roland Roesch joined IRENA in 2012 and he is now the Director of the IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre in Bonn and brings 25 years of experience in energy markets, energy economics and energy sector transformation strategies, renewable integration management, energy project development and project financing.

As Director of the IRENA’s Country Engagement and Partnerships (CEP), Gurbuz Gonul oversees the Agency’s work on supporting member countries in the development and implementation of national and regional renewable energy strategies and programmes through IRENA’s regional initiatives, tailored country support as well as partnership initiatives. Mr. Gonul joined IRENA in 2014 as Head of Regions Unit. Formerly, he worked as Senior Energy Economist of the Islamic Development Bank between 2010 and 2014, where he led the work for the development of an Energy Sector Policy for the Bank as well as the processing of complex loan and technical assistance projects in Africa and Asia. Between 2004 and 2010, Mr. Gonul served as Senior Expert at the Energy Charter Secretariat in Brussels, where he spearheaded policy analysis, sectoral in-depth reviews, regional / country reviews concerning energy investments, trade and transportation. He also held positions in the EU Commission’s Delegation in Ankara and Turkey’s Ministry of Energy since 1993. Mr. Gonul holds Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Oil and Gas Engineering from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara.

Kristian Ruby is a widely recognised expert with a strong communication profile and extensive experience in political affairs. He joined Eurelectric from Wind Europe, where he served as Chief Policy Officer and was in charge of development and implementation of the political strategy. Prior to this, Ruby worked as a journalist and served seven years as a public servant in the Danish Ministries of Environment, and Climate and Energy and in the European Commission in the cabinet of the former Climate Action chief, Connie Hedegaard. Kristian holds a master degree in history and international development.

Dr. Huafeng Yan, is currently Chairman (President) of China Electric Power Research Institute Co., Ltd, and Director of National Center for High Voltage Measurement. He holds doctoral degree and is a researcher-level senior engineer. He served as Executive Vice President of State Grid Nanjing Automation Research Institute, Executive Vice President of State Grid Electric Power Research Institute, Executive Vice President of State Grid General Aviation Co., Ltd., and Chairman of State Grid Digital Technology Holdings Co., Ltd..