In 2024, because the world intensifies its journey in direction of sustainable vitality options, keeping track of the thought leaders and innovators within the renewable vitality sector is extra essential than ever. Our compilation of “25 Renewable Energy Leaders to Follow in 2024” brings you nearer to the people driving transformative modifications in how we generate, devour, and take into consideration vitality. From pioneers in authorities coverage and company methods to ground-breaking researchers and CEOs main main vitality corporations, these influencers are shaping a extra sustainable future.
Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at some thought leaders on this area to comply with his 12 months for inspiration and perception into the evolving panorama of renewable vitality.
Study extra about renewable vitality right here: “High Sustainability and Renewable Vitality Programs“
Dr. Ursula von der Leyen serves because the President of the European Fee, driving the European Inexperienced Deal. She is the primary girl to carry this place. Earlier than her function within the European Fee, Dr. Ursula von der Leyen held a number of vital positions in German politics. She served as Germany’s Minister of Defence from 2013 to 2019, turning into the primary girl to carry that workplace. Her management has additionally been instrumental in navigating the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, specializing in financial restoration, public well being measures, and vaccine distribution.
Robert Habeck is the German Federal Minister for Financial Affairs and Local weather Motion. He has been serving on this function since 2021 and can also be the Vice Chancellor of Germany. Habeck is a member of the Inexperienced Social gathering (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) and has been actively concerned in shaping Germany’s financial and environmental insurance policies, notably specializing in transitioning Germany in direction of a extra sustainable and eco-friendly economic system.
Martin Inexperienced, a Scientia Professor at UNSW, is acknowledged because the “father of photovoltaics” and was awarded the distinguished World Vitality Prize in 2018 for his transformative contributions to the event of photo voltaic vitality know-how. His innovation has been pivotal in lowering the prices of photo voltaic panels and making photo voltaic vitality extra accessible worldwide — offering a extra sustainable and inexpensive different to fossil fuels.
Henrik Stiesdal is a pioneer within the wind vitality sector and former Chief Expertise Officer at Siemens Wind Energy. One in every of his notable contributions is the event of the primary offshore wind farm, Vindeby, in 1991. His work has emphasised the significance of incremental progress and understanding the availability chain’s capabilities to make sure the profitable scaling of turbine sizes
Francesco La Digicam is the Director-Basic of the Worldwide Renewable Vitality Company (IRENA). With over thirty years of expertise in local weather, sustainability, and worldwide cooperation, La Digicam has performed a major function in advancing international renewable vitality initiatives. Underneath his management, IRENA has targeted on selling pressing and focused motion for renewable vitality, fostering unparalleled worldwide cooperation and steady innovation. La Digicam is dedicated to constructing a brand new vitality system primarily based on renewable sources, emphasizing the necessity for progressive worldwide cooperation to realize international local weather.
Fatih Birol is the Govt Director of the Worldwide Vitality Company (IEA) and a number one international authority on vitality economics and coverage. His work focuses on vitality safety, financial improvement, and environmental sustainability, shaping worldwide vitality methods and insurance policies.
Nigel Topping is a Senior Advisor to FSD Africa and a World Ambassador to the Excessive-Degree Local weather Champions. Topping can also be an Exterior Member of the Advisory Committee for AXA IM. His dedication to fostering sustainable practices and insurance policies extends to his place as a non-executive director on the UK Infrastructure Financial institution and his educational contributions as an Honorary Professor of Economics at Exeter College.
He’s a board member of the ICE Benchmark Administration, the place he contributes his experience to boost environmental market options and governance.
Jigar Shah is the Director of the Mortgage Applications Workplace on the U.S. Division of Vitality, the place he oversees vital mortgage authority in manufacturing, progressive challenge finance, and tribal vitality. With over 25 years in clear vitality, he has co-founded Generate Capital, SunEdison, and the Carbon Battle Room, and is the writer of Creating Local weather Wealth: Unlocking the Affect Economic system.
Mark Z. Jacobson is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford College, recognized for his advocacy of transitioning to 100% renewable vitality. His analysis focuses on renewable vitality techniques and sustainable options to fight local weather change and enhance air high quality.
Philipp Schröder is presently the CEO and founding father of 1KOMMA5°, an organization that makes a speciality of integrating renewable vitality options for personal households, together with photo voltaic techniques and warmth pumps. Schröder has a background in main cleantech corporations, having beforehand served because the Nation Director for Tesla in Germany and Austria, and because the managing director of sonnen, a photo voltaic vitality storage agency. At 1KOMMA5°, he’s specializing in advancing clear vitality applied sciences to advertise sustainable dwelling.
Katherine Hayhoe is a local weather scientist and professor at Texas Tech College, recognized for her analysis on local weather change impacts and communication. She is a outstanding advocate for local weather motion and has obtained recognition for her efforts to bridge the hole between science and public understanding.
Volker Quaschning is a Professor of Regenerative Vitality Techniques on the College of Utilized Sciences (HTW) Berlin, the place he has been educating since 2004. He’s acknowledged as an knowledgeable in renewable vitality and local weather safety and has written a number of influential books on these subjects. His work extends past academia into public advocacy, as he actively promotes vitality transition and sustainable vitality practices each in Germany and globally. Quaschning additionally engages with a large viewers by means of his YouTube channel and different social media platforms, the place he discusses and educates on renewable energies and local weather safety points.
Lucas Joppa serves because the Chief Environmental Officer at Microsoft. On this function, he’s answerable for main the corporate’s sustainability technique, specializing in areas corresponding to carbon discount, water use, waste administration, and the broader implementation of sustainable practices throughout Microsoft’s international operations. His work emphasizes the mixing of know-how and environmental science to deal with crucial sustainability challenges.
Bruno Burger is a outstanding determine within the area of renewable vitality analysis. He’s a Senior Scientist on the Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Vitality Techniques ISE, situated in Freiburg, Germany, the place he focuses on Energy Electronics, Grids, and Good Techniques. Moreover, he’s an Honorary Professor on the Electrotechnical Institute of the Karlsruhe Institute of Expertise (KIT). Burger is especially famous for his work with the Vitality Charts, a platform he oversees at Fraunhofer ISE, which supplies detailed knowledge on vitality era, notably specializing in the transition to renewable vitality sources in Germany
Kate Brandt serves because the Chief Sustainability Officer at Google, the place she leads the corporate’s sustainability initiatives throughout its international operations, merchandise, and provide chain. She joined Google in 2015 and was promoted to her present function in 2018. Brandt’s work focuses on integrating sustainable practices into Google’s knowledge facilities, actual property, and product groups to make sure the corporate’s operations contribute to its sustainability targets.
Peggy Liu is presently the Chairperson of JUCCCE (Joint US-China Collaboration on Clear Vitality), a non-governmental group on the forefront of selling sustainable vitality options in China. She is acknowledged globally for her contributions to environmental initiatives, notably in accelerating China’s transition to wash vitality and sustainable city improvement. Liu’s work entails partaking multi-sector stakeholders, together with coverage, enterprise, and educational leaders, to foster collaborative efforts towards vital environmental enhancements.
Tzeporah Berman is an environmental activist and writer, recognized for her work on local weather change, sustainable vitality, and environmental justice. She is the co-founder of the non-profit group Stand.earth and has been a number one voice in advocating for stronger environmental protections and insurance policies.
Markus Krebber is the Chief Govt Officer (CEO) of RWE AG, a number one vitality firm in Europe. He has held this place since Might 2021, after serving as the corporate’s Chief Monetary Officer (CFO) from 2016 to 2021. Krebber has been instrumental in steering RWE’s strategic shift in direction of renewable vitality, overseeing vital investments in inexperienced applied sciences as a part of the corporate’s “Growing Green” technique.
Julia Pyper is a Senior Editor at Greentech Media, the place she covers points associated to the vitality transition. Moreover, she is the host and producer of the “Political Climate” podcast, which delves into discussions on local weather coverage and vitality developments. Alongside her media roles, Pyper can also be the Vice President of Public Affairs at GoodLeap, a monetary know-how firm targeted on selling sustainable dwelling options.
Isha Datar is the Govt Director of New Harvest, a non-profit group devoted to advancing mobile agriculture. This area focuses on rising meals like meat, milk, and eggs from cells as a substitute of animals. Datar has been a pioneer on this space, contributing considerably to the dialogue and improvement of lab-grown meat and different merchandise by means of mobile agriculture.
Kai Buntrock is the CEO of Autarq GmbH, an organization specializing within the integration of photo voltaic know-how with architectural design, notably by means of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Buntrock brings over 15 years of senior administration expertise to his function, overseeing Autarq’s technique, gross sales, advertising, finance, authorized issues, human sources, and IT. His management is integral to Autarq’s mission to revolutionize using photo voltaic vitality in constructing supplies, enhancing each the aesthetics and performance of photo voltaic installations.
Tor Valenza, also called “Solar Fred,” is a outstanding advocate for photo voltaic vitality and clear know-how. With a background in leisure and advertising, he has grow to be a key voice in selling renewable vitality options by means of partaking content material and business insights.
Alex Gilbert is a fancy techniques knowledgeable specializing in nuclear innovation, house mining, vitality markets, and environmental legislation, presently serving as Director of Area & Planetary Regulation at Zeno Energy. He’s additionally a PhD candidate in Area Assets on the Colorado Faculty of Mines and an Adjunct College member at Johns Hopkins College.
Marika Lulay is presently the CEO of GFT Applied sciences SE. She has held this place since June 2017, however she is ready to step down on the finish of her contract on December 31, 2024. Throughout her tenure, Lulay has performed a vital function in guiding GFT Applied sciences by means of vital strategic and operational transformations.
André Kremer is presently concerned with SENS, previously often called STEAG Photo voltaic Vitality Options GmbH, now working as a part of the expansion and future enterprise Iqony beneath the identify Iqony Photo voltaic Vitality Options GmbH. He’s related to the corporate’s initiative to advertise additional progress and enlargement.
