ESIA Forum I: Solar Manufacturing in Europe - Ready for the Solar Renaissance?

Eliano has got 25 years' experience in the utility area with a strong focus on renewables, business development and strategy. Since March 2022 he is Head of the 3SUN, a company of the Enel Group active in the manufacturing of both solar cells and panels aiming to commission the biggest European factory in July 2024. Eliano joined the Enel Group in 2017 as Head of e-Industries in ENEL X where he was responsible for managing the B2B solutions on a global scale, as well as growing the customer base both in existing and new countries. Before joining ENEL, Eliano has been working 8 years in E.ON where starting from 2014 he was Vice President Energy Storage, being responsible for the development of Energy Storage solutions globally. Between 2012 and 2014 Eliano was also Director for Renewables in the MPX-E.ON Participacoes S.A., the Joint Venture established in April 2012 by E.ON and MPX to develop power generation projects in Latin America and before moving to Brazil - between 2011 and 2012 - he was Director of Business Development & Business Affairs in E.ON Climate & Renewables GmbH and Director of E.ON Carbon Sourcing GmbH. He was also Board Member of EMIC (E.ON-MASDAR INTEGRATED CARBON Limited), the Joint Venture established by E.ON and MASDAR to develop energy efficiency projects in the Middle East and in South East Asia. Before joining the E.ON Group - between January 2009 and April 2004 - Eliano Russo was Head of Carbon Strategy for the Enel Group. Between 2008 and 2004 he also worked in China for the Sino Italian Cooperation Program where he supported both Enel and the Italian Ministry for Environment and Territory to identify, promote and develop CDM projects. In 2004 he was hired by World Bank as a short-term consultant. Before that he joined the Consulting Division of Ernst & Young in Rome where he acted as an independent evaluator of projects co-financed by the Italian Government and the European Commission. He was also a member of the Italian delegation that negotiated the Kyoto Protocol and focused mainly on the flexible mechanisms (Emissions Trading, Joint Implementation and Clean Development Mechanism).

Barbara came to Statkraft as CEO of SolarCentury through the acquisition of the company. She then became CFO in Statkraft European Wind and Solar before she took on the EVP role in 2022. Barbara also has extensive experience within consulting and finance from various businesses. She holds a master's degree in economics and finance from University of Hamburg. She heads the Business Area Europa that oversees development and operations of European activities within hydropower, wind power, solar, gas and batteries. Group procurement and the project delivery unit is also in this business area.

Gunter Erfurt occupies the position of Chairman of Meyer Burger Research AG and Chief Executive & Technology Officer at Meyer Burger Technology AG. He is also on the board of Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd., Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft eV and Fraunhofer Institut für Elektronenstrahl und Plasmatechnik. He previously held the position of Global Head-Planning & Investment at SolarWorld AG Project Manager-Planning & Investment at Deutsche Solar GmbH, Head-Planning & Investment at Solarworld Industries America LP and Managing Director at SolarWorld Innovations GmbH (which are all subsidiaries of SolarWorld AG), Research Associate at Saxon Academy of Sciences, Chairman-Management Board at Meyer Burger (Germany) AG and Director & Managing Director at Meyer Burger GmbH. He received an undergraduate degree from Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau and a doctorate from Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.

Diego Pavia has been CEO of EIT InnoEnergy since 2010. As a serial entrepreneur, he has created several companies during his career. In 1988, Diego co-founded and was CEO of a start-up called Knowledge Engineering, which dealt with industrial controls systems using artificial intelligence and neural networks. Three years later he joined Sema Group (acquired by Schlumberger in 1998) and started a long career with private companies. At SchlumbergerSema, Diego headed multicultural working groups all over the world in the field of energy with revenues of $650M. Between 2002 and 2010, Diego was the CEO of Atos Origin, a leading international IT service provider, where he was responsible for Spain and South America with 9,000 employees and an annual turnover of €450M. Since 2010 and under his leadership, EIT InnoEnergy has become the largest global organisation supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in sustainable energy. The 180+ portfolio companies supported by the company are on track to generate €72.8 billion in revenue and save 1.1G tons of CO2e annually by 2030. Collectively, these companies have raised €8 billion in investment to date. Diego is an electrical engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, with a major in electronics and automation.

Born on 12. July 1966 in Aschaffenburg, Germany, married, 1 daughter (9). Completed his Me-chanical Eng. studies in Germany and USA. Lived and worked 22 years in Asia, USA, and other European countries, in various Techno-Commercial Management functions for his em-ployers, 15 years of which in Asia with significant time spent in China (7 years) / Hong Kong (8 years). Practices an international management style of Agile (US) and Japanese Lean in which the em-ployee takes centerstage. Since 2018 nominated to the Foreign Trade Council at the Industrial and Trade Association in Aschaffenburg. Interested in Precision Technology, Physics as well as Arts, Architecture, and Gardening.

Joined NorSun in 2022. 4 years of experience as Vice President of Operations at Nel Hydrogen. 5 years of experience as SVP Operations at REC Solar. 2 years as BoD member of REC Silicon. 19 years of experience from different positions in Elkem, incl. Plant Manager and SVP of Silicon Metal and Elkem Solar.

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.

Gaëtan Masson is an entrepreneur with a passion for solar PV and the energy transition: an engineer, he also has degrees in management, political science and environmental management. He is the founder and Managing Director of the Becquerel Institute since 2014. After a decade in finance and IT, he icommitted to the climate and developed Business Intelligence for SolarPower Europe (formerly EPIA). He coordinates the Task 1, "Expertise and Awareness" of the International Energy Agency PV Programme (IEA PVPS). He led the PV Industry Working Group of the European PV Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP-PV) of which he was co-chair from 2014 to 2019, and resulted in the creation of the European Solar Manufacturing Council, of which he is co-chair since its foundation in 2019. He is administrator of the CARBON project in France. He participates on the scientific committee of the EU-PVSEC and WCPEC conferences. In Belgium, he is an adminstrator of EDORA, the French-speaking association of renewable energy professionals. In 2020 he received the Daejoo Award for his contribution to the development of photovoltaics.

Dr. Tobias Brandis has been President of the business division WACKER POLYSILICON since 2017. After Studies of Law at Universities of Heidelberg, Geneva and Tübingen, he earned a doctorate in Law from the University of Munich. He started his career as attorney-at-law and joined Wacker Chemie AG in Munich in 2007 as Senior Counsel. In 2010, he became Senior Vice President Corporate Development at Wacker Chemie AG and Member of the Supervisory Board at Siltronic AG, Munich. In 2014, he took over as CFO and Member of the Board of Wacker Chemical Corporation, Adrian (MI), USA and Wacker Polysilicon North America (TN). IN 2017, he became President of WACKER POLYSILICON, an early polysilicon pioneer and today the leading global supplier of highest quality hyperpure polysilicon, the key raw material for applications in the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries.

Rémi Moscato is member of the Executive Committee of the Akuo Group. He has been working in renewable energy sector (mainly solar, storage, wind) for more than 13 years. He has been involved in the different stages of projects, being focused in project management, procurement, EPC contract negotiation and construction management fields, working for french-based engineering companies, developers and Independent Power Producers. On his current role as Director of Structuration and Execution department within Akuo, an independent global renewable energy producer and developer, Remi leads an international and multidisciplinary team of 50 people, in charge of procurement, contract management, technical expertise, project & construction management activities.

Katharina Eickelberg is the SVP Global Communication & Sustainability at SMA Solar Technology AG, a leading global specialist in photovoltaic system technology. She is responsible for Communication, Brand, Public Affairs, Investor Relations and Sustainability. Before joining SMA, Katharina was Head of Business Communication at Swedish utility Vattenfall. Besides driving communication and sustainability at SMA, she concentrates on topics such as Leadership and Diversity & Inclusion. Katharina lives in Berlin with her two sons.

Gøran Bye is a twenty year veteran of the PV-industry and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Crystal AS (NCR). NCR specializes in manufacturing high-quality and cost-efficient monocrystalline silicon products, such as bricks, wafers, and ingots with what is probably the world's lowest carbon footprint - Ultra Low-Carbon Silicon (ULCF-Si). NCR is located in Northern Norway, a region with access to clean hydropower, glacier cooling water, and a skilled workforce with a rich tradition rooted in the solar industry. There has been monocrystalline silicon production in this town for the last 25 years. Before joining NCR, Gøran has been CEO of REC Silicon; Director of Industries for MASDAR; CEO of LDK Silicon & Chemical Technology Company and provided advice to Boards and Senior Executives of companies and investors in the semiconductor materials and photovoltaic industries.

Kerstin Jorna is a German national and a civil servant at the European Commission where she has held various positions, amongst others as Head of Cabinet of several Commissioners and different Director posts. Mrs. Jorna is the Director-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Before, Mrs. Jorna was Deputy Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs. Mrs. Jorna also held positions on the Board of the European Investment Bank, the European Investment Fund as well as the European Innovation Council Fund.