Ilka Groeneworld, a passionate presenter from Hamburg - sporty, full of energy, with humour and charm on stage. Because passion makes the difference! Inspiring people and providing infotainment is what she strives for in her daily work. She has presented over 4,000 events since 2001.

Starting with VIVA and DJ BOBO, she now works as a reporter for WELT and moderates events - in German and English - hybrid, digital and live with a focus on digitalisation, automotive, finance, real estate, metaverse, IT/cybersecurity, start-ups and sustainability. She also passes on all her expertise from the stage as a coach for rhetoric and body language. In 2020, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy honoured me as a "role model entrepreneur".

Katharina David is the CEO of K2 Systems GmbH and is leading the company since May 2009. Her leadership has driven the company's growth and innovation. Prior to this role, she was  Head of Sales at K2 Systems from July 2007 to April 2009.

Next to her professional role, Katharina is serving as a board member of the German Solar Industry Association (BSW) since December 2022 and was on the board of SolarCluster from 2015 to 2021. During her tenure, she established sales offices in Italy and France and subsidiaries in the USA, UK, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia. 

"Attending the Future Energy Summit is a great chance for anyone looking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving energy sector, just right before Intersolar. This summit provides opportunities to network with industry leaders, explore cutting-edge technologies, and gain insights into the latest trends and policies shaping the future of energy.”

Carsten Pfeiffer is Head of Strategy and Policy at bne, Bundesverband Neue Energiewirtschaft e.V.. The political scientist previously worked as Head of Strategy and Policy at the German Renewable Energy Federation. From 1998 to 2012, he was a research assistant in Hans-Josef Fell´s parliamentary office in the German Bundestag.

“We are heading towards 1 Terrawatt of global yearly photovoltaics installation within this decade. PV in combination with batteries will dominate the future of energy supply.”

Dr. Casimir Lorenz is heading the Central European Advisory Team. Over the past years, he has been advising investors, utilities and developers on transactions, financing and strategy. ​

“Decentralized energies can be pivotal for a successful energy transition, but it is key that regulation and potential support schemes set the right incentives for decentralized energy supply and flexibility to dispatch system friendly.”

Christoph Strasser has been responsible for the strategic orientation of MaxSolar since his appointment as Managing Director in 2018. From 2014 onwards, he already worked as sales manager for MaxSolar in Traunstein, with further focal points such as the management of all operating companies, the financing of project developments as well as his main activities in the responsibility for sales and results. 

Overall, Christoph Strasser has been active in the renewable energy sector since 2008, with a particular focus on photovoltaics. He acquired his expertisse at previous solar companies in Germany. 

"I am looking forward to the Future Energy Summit and the important exchange on decentralised energy solutions. Decentralised energy solutions are the future of sustainable energy production. By utilising energy resources close to the consumer, there will be created resilient, efficient and environmentally friendly energy solutions that will significantly drive global progress.”

Bastian Schachtner, Managing Director and Head of Renewable Energy Financing at UmweltBank AG, specialises in providing non-recourse project finance loans with an explicit focus on renewable energy. His financing expertise includes onshore and offshore wind, PV and energy storage systems (incl. batteries and hydrogen).

"The decarbonization of the global economy will only happen if everyone (corporates and people) has the possibility to financially benefit from the build-out of renewable energy projects."

Tobias Kurth has been working for more than 10 years in leading roles for Energy Brainpool GmbH & Co. KG and has been active in the energy market for more than 20 years. From the very beginning, his focus has been on market transformation with renewable energies. His area of activity at Energy Brainpool includes electricity price scenarios as a basis for investment and financing decisions, analyses, studies and training. In addition, Tobias Kurth advises companies on the development and optimization of corporate organization, team culture and business models in changing energy markets. Tobias Kurth studied industrial engineering (Dipl.) with a focus on environmental technology at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences.

Dr. Manuel Indlekofer is a real estate and construction lawyer. He is leading DLA Piper's infrastructure, construction and transport sector in Germany and is Co-lead for Europe. He has a vast experience in real estate and infrastructure transactions and project developments. His advisory focus ranges from project development, planning, project management and construction of real estate and infrastructure projects to national and international transactions in the real estate and infrastructure sectors.

He is particularly experienced in advising on building and civil engineering projects of all kinds, such as large residential, commercial, technology and logistics complexes, as well as infrastructure projects in the solar, photovoltaic, wind, hydrogen, life sciences, transport and social infrastructure sector.

“The implementation of decentralised energy projects will be essential for achieving the energy transition. In the medium to long term, the real estate and infrastructure asset classes (especially renewables) will converge and create joint synergies.”

Mark Hubenthal is Senior Originator in Commerzbank’s Renewables team. Located in Hamburg, he is responsible for all onshore activities across Europe, around PV solar, wind, BESS and H2.

With 20 years of experience in leveraged and cashflow-based finance he focuses today on large-scale non-recourse project financings with a high degree of complexity such as buy-and-build structures or portfolio financings for national and international sponsors. Before joining the Renewables team in 2014, he worked in Commerzbank’s headquarter and has arranged more than 20 LBOs for the European private equity industry.

“Commerzbank has been engaged in the financing of renewable energies since the 1980s. Having incorporated sustainable finance additionally as one corner stone in Commerzbank's future business strategy makes us very proud as we can directly be part of the supporters to achieve energy transition and sustainable development goals.”

Daniel K. Marhewka is a Partner in Fieldfisher's Munich office and Co-Head of the Energy, Natural Resources & Sustainability Group, where he focuses on corporate and energy law. His clients include domestic and foreign investors, financial institutions and (family) businesses. His work ranges from advising on a joint venture for floating offshore wind projects, to the financing and acquisition of Europe's largest solar park with a capacity of 650 MW, to the mezzanine financing of various renewable energy portfolios in Germany, France and Poland. He is recommended by trade magazines and platforms, including JUVE. In 2014, he was awarded the "Deal Maker of the Year" award by FinanceMonthly. In 2015, he received the "Client Choice" award for Energy & Natural Resources Germany. Prior to joining Fieldfisher, he spent seven years as a lawyer in the corporate/energy department of an international law firm and three years in the corporate/M&A department of a US law firm in the Munich and New York offices.

“Decentralized energy production is the key for the energy transition in times of grid capacity shortages and slow strengthening of the grid. Although, the decentralized energy projects are generally smaller in size and therefore the investment risk is limited, the associated costs for the project need to fit to the invest and therefore the process of investing need to be cleverer and more standardized.”

Björn Heinemeyer is Deputy Head of a project finance team of 12 originators being located in Hanover, with a full mandate for the European Renewable Energy market incl. ECA advisory. He successfully build-up a portfolio of self-arranged renewable energy projects in excess of 4 GW.

Björn Heinemeyer has over 20 years of experience in complex trade, export and project finance transactions in the industrial and since 2008 in the energy sector. This experience includes national and international structured finance transactions basically in the sectors oil & gas, petrochemical, pulp & paper and renewables. He has responsibility for NORD/LB’s structured lending business for solar, onshore and offshore wind, BESS and H2 projects in Europe. In this capacity he advises a number of reputable European sponsors on non-recourse project financings based on CfD schemes as well as corporate PPAs and he has actively pursued transactions in this global growing market. Recently, Björn Heinemeyer headed NORD/LB’s deal team for Scurf Dyke in UK which is a large-scale solar farm with a BESS co-located with a capacity of 80MWp/16MWh.    

Julia Pohl is the Director of Research Operations of EUPD Research Energy and is responsible for all research products and exclusive research and consulting projects in the field of renewable energies. The studied political scientist previously worked in commercial and consulting orientated market research, leading the consulting team of a global expert network where she discovered her passion and focus for sustainability and renewable energy markets.

“When debating and defining Europe’s energy infrastructure regarding renewable energies, a large focus is attributed to the residential segments of electricity generation and consumption. However, industrial and commercial consumers account for nearly 40% of total energy consumption in the EU alone. As such the C&I segment is key to further advancing the energy transition as additionally, its mandate goes beyond electricity procurement and consumption but also incorporates wider ESG and net-zero strategies on a larger scale.”

Tobias Christaller is an energy transition enthusiast, who invested into renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, as well as core infrastructure for GLP, SUSI Partners, MEAG, and Siemens Bank.

“Decentralized Energy is a "do it yourself" approach to addressing the challenges of providing affordable, sustainable, and secure energy. It empowers consumers and producers to generate and manage their own energy, reducing reliance on traditional utilities and mitigating conflicts of interest between stakeholders.”

Duarte Ferreira leads the Global Decentralized Energy Generation Business Unit @ Greenvolt – Renewable Energy, Inc by incorporating a series of European Companies where he sits as Board Member. The Decentralized Energy Generation Business Unit (Solar + Electric Mobility + Energy Storage + Energy Efficiency) is the top transformational project within Greenvolt in line with the REPower EU strategy and that touches all business verticals to turn buildings in net-zero realestate assets.

"Logistic developers can monetize their rooftops by harnessing solar energy, transforming unused space into valuable assets. Integrating energy solutions during upgrades prevents stranded assets and enhances value. Trends like smart energy systems and renewables are set to strengthen the synergy between energy efficiency and real estate logistics."

Davide Marro is the Sales Lead at Trinasolar for utility-scale business in North & Central Europe. With over 15 years of experience in the solar industry, he began his career at Moser Baer Solar in 2008 after earning his Master in International Management & Operations. He later joined Vikram Solar as Head of Business Development and Sales Director, before moving to Trinasolar in 2020. At Trinasolar, Davide and his team forge strategic partnerships with European investors, IPPs, developers, and EPCs to provide advanced energy solutions, including patented solar trackers, modules, and battery energy storage systems.

"Decentralized energy production is transforming Europe's energy landscape, empowering communities with localized, renewable solutions. Recent advancements in smart grid technology and energy storage are driving this shift, making energy consumption more efficient and sustainable. As we move towards a greener future, decentralized systems are not just an option but a necessity for resilience and energy independence. This transition demands the collective effort of every individual and a willingness to embrace a new mindset toward energy use and conservation."

Philine Wedell has been working as a team lead for renewable energies at dena since 2022. She previously headed the renewable energies department at the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises. She also worked for the German Wind Energy Association (BWE).Philine studied industrial engineering at the Technical University of Berlin, specialising in energy economics.

Tim Wiesener is the Managing Director and Founder of WIST Holding. He is specialized in real estate development and solar power plant projects. As an experienced developer and investor, he drives innovative solutions in sustainable energy and property markets.

Christian Wengert is an expert in green PPAs, feasibility studies, green electricity generation, and sector interconnection. He excels in energy procurement, contracting, and business development in green electricity markets. He also provides planning and consulting for renewable energy systems, combined heat and power, district heating and cooling, building technology, energy efficiency, and strategies for energy-intensive industries, utility, and real estate companies.

“We are entering a world of deeply integrated green energy solutions, the technology is there, so are the business cases. Let's start integrating energy into everyday business decisions!”

Inga Bach is a lawyer specializing in renewable energy law, public law, and European law, with a focus on solar and wind energy and the legal framework for dual-use plants (agriculture and photovoltaic). She holds an LL.B. in International and European Law from the University of Groningen, an LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law from University College London, and a degree in German Law from the Free University of Berlin. Having completed both state examinations in Berlin/Brandenburg, she has been practicing law at Becker Büttner Held since 2022.

“The energy transition is progressing and offers many opportunities. Both wind and solar energy show their high potential. One of the challenges of the energy transition is, however, the decentralised supply of electricity, the complexity of which is also reflected in the legal framework. It’s our role as lawyers to bring clarity to the legal jungle to minimize the legal challenges that are presented to us.”