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

Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Time
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Hall
ICM München
Room
Room 14 B

Based on the European Commission's first Solar Strategy, the European Solar Photovoltaic Industry Alliance (ESIA) aims to build resilience and strategic autonomy for Europe's solar value chain by scaling up EU manufacturing of competitive, innovative and sustainable products. The first ESIA forum will consist of two sessions, the first of which will be a high-level political forum discussing the state of solar manufacturing in Europe.



The panel will discuss the following questions:

  • Is the EU on track to reach its target of 30 GW of capacity covering the entire value chain by 2025?
  • What are the main barriers to creating a notable solar manufacturing industry within the EU?
  • What support measures for local manufacturing are in place?

11:00 am - 11:10 amIntroduction & Keynotes

Walburga Hemetsberger

CEO

SolarPower Europe

11:10 am - 11:15 amKeynote Speech/ Opening

Kerstin Jorna

Director General DG GROW

European Commission

11:15 am - 11:20 amKeynote Speech/ Opening

Diego Pavia

CEO

EIT InnoEnergy SE

11:20 am - 12:15 pmHigh Level Panel Discussion With Representatives of the Different Parts of the Supply Chain

Eliano Russo

CEO

3SUN Enel Green Power

Pierre-Emmanuel Martin

CEO

CARBON- Photovoltaics made in France

Matthias Mantel

CEO

Lapmaster Wolters GmbH

Erik Lokke-Owre

CEO

NorSun AS

Dr. Gunter Erfurt

CEO

Meyer Burger Technology AG

Katharina Eickelberg

Senior Vice President Global Communication & Sustainability

SMA Solar Technology AG

Gøran Bye

CEO

Norwegian Crystals

Dr. Tobias Brandis

President WACKER POLYSILICON

Wacker Chemie AG

12:15 pm - 12:30 pmWrap-up & Handover Ceremony

Kerstin Jorna

Director General DG GROW

European Commission

Walburga Hemetsberger

CEO

SolarPower Europe

Speakers

Speaker

Eliano Russo, 3SUN Enel Green Power

CEO

Italy

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).

Speaker

Dr. Gunter Erfurt, Meyer Burger Technology AG

CEO

Switzerland

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.

Speaker

Diego Pavia, EIT InnoEnergy SE

CEO

The Netherlands

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.

Speaker

Matthias Mantel, Lapmaster Wolters GmbH

CEO

Germany

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.

Speaker

Erik Lokke-Owre, NorSun AS

CEO

Norway

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.

Speaker

Gøran Bye, Norwegian Crystals

CEO

Norway

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.

Speaker

Walburga Hemetsberger, SolarPower Europe

CEO

Belgium

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.

Speaker

Pierre-Emmanuel Martin, CARBON- Photovoltaics made in France

CEO

France

Pierre-Emmanuel Martin, co-founder and chairman of CARBON and its board of directors Pierre-Emmanuel Martin has 30 years of experience and entrepreneurship in the energy sector. As former CEO of ENEL Green Power France and a multi-entrepreneur in the energy sector, he brings to CARBON his extensive knowledge of the sector, his experience in the European energy market and energy infrastructure, as well as his expertise in project and company development and financing. As a specialist in photovoltaic energy, he is founder and president of the solar power plant developer and photovoltaic electricity producer Terre et Lac as well as serving as president of My Energy Manager, a start-up offering digital solutions to reduce energy consumption and bills.

Speaker

Dr. Tobias Brandis, Wacker Chemie AG

President WACKER POLYSILICON

Germany

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.

Speaker

Kerstin Jorna, European Commission

Director General DG GROW

Belgium

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.

Speaker

Katharina Eickelberg, SMA Solar Technology AG

Senior Vice President Global Communication & Sustainability

Deutschland

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.

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