At the end of September IRENA held a four-day event “Innovation Week 2023: Renewable solutions to decarbonise end-use sectors” in Bonn, Germany. A wide range of speakers discussed tangible solutions to decarbonise energy intensive sectors such as transportation, buildings and industry, informed by first-hand project experiences and supported by insights from IRENA’s in-depth analyses. Topics included direct and indirect electrification, green hydrogen, steel, chemicals, EV batteries, critical materials, demand side management and storage, data driven decision making, sector coupling and more. Cartoonists from Visual Harvesting were there to record the sessions, a very impressive feat of drawing live and in real time to capture the salient discussion points and main messages, which we present below (you’ll need to zoom in on some of the cartoons to see everything). Enjoy!
Day 1: Direct Electrification (Renewable-powered solutions)
High level dialogue: Innovation for the energy transition
Participants…
Roland Roesch, Director, Innovation and Technology Center, IRENA
Francesco La Camera, Director-General, IRENA
Nawal Al-Hosany, Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA
Elizabeth Press, Director, Planning and Programme Support, IRENA
Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission
Philippe Henry, Vice President and Minister of Climate, Energy, Mobility and Infrastructure, Walloon Region
Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission
Kaleb Udui Jr., Minister of Finance, Palau
Siva Gunda, Vice Chair of the California Energy Commission
Power systems of the future: Infrastructure requirements for widespread electrification
Participants…
Yan Huafeng, Chairman, CEPRI
Asami Miketa, Head Transition Planning and Power Sector Transformation, IRENA
Bo Li, Director of International Affairs, CEPRI
Norela Constantinescu, Head of Innovation, ENTSO-E
Kristian Ruby, Secretary General, Eurelectric
Luis Cunha, Board Member, EU DSO Entity and Director, EDP
Annegret Groebel, President, CEER
Wenpeng Luan, Advisory expert, CEPRI
Ninghong Sun, Team Lead of System Planning, TransnetBW
Sylvie Tarnai, Chief Strategy Officer, EnergyPool
Electrifying road transport
Participants…
Arina Anisie, Analyst – Renewable Energy Innovation, IRENA
Siva Gunda, Vice Chair of the California Energy Commission
Daniel Bowermaster, Senior Programme Manager, EPRI
Gilles Dillen, Senior Manager – Foreign Investments, Renewable Energy & Cleantech, City of Amsterdam
Luis Cunha, Board Member, EU DSO Entity and Director, EDP
Henrik Engdahl, Director, Electromobility Business Development, Volvo Trucks
Michael Mohnhaupt, Board of Directors, The Mobility House
Gregory Poilasne, CEO, Nuvve
Jan-Peter Sasse, Regulator E-mobility and distribution grid, BNetzA
Electrifying heating and cooling in buildings
Participants…
Juan Pablo Jiménez, Analyst, IRENA
Yoichi Fujita, Technical Researcher, Energy Conservation Technology Dept, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Thomas Nowak, Secretary General, European Heat Pumps Association
Matthias Grapow, Vice President Business Development & Digitalisation, MAN ES
Ezzeddine Jradi, Chief Transformation & Business Excellence Officer, Emicool
Stefan Moser, Head of Unit – Buildings and Products, European Commission
Kazuyoshi Nakano, Senior Research Scientist, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI)
Day 2: Indirect Electrification (Decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors)
Walking the last mile of the energy transition with green hydrogen
Participants…
Francisco Boshell, Head Innovation and End Use Applications, IRENA
Deger Saygin, Industry Programme Lead, OECD
Alicia Eastman, President , Intercontinental Energy
Gokce Mete, Global Hydrogen Lead, South Pole
Ulf Bäumer, Head of Innovation Centre, Thyssenkrupp Nucera
Donal Cannon, Head of Regional Representation for South Asia, EIB
Norela Constantinescu, Head of Section Innovation, Entso-E
María Jaén, European Hydrogen Research Leader, EPRI
Francisco Maza, Hydrogen Director, REPSOL
Mark van Stiphout, Deputy Head of Unit – Research, Innovation, Digitalisation, Competitiveness at DG Energy, European Commission
Solutions to decarbonize the iron and steel sector
Participants…
Luis Janeiro, Team Lead – End Use Sectors, IRENA
Andrew Purvis. Director, Sustainable Manufacturing
Samuel Flückiger, Head of EU Climate Policy, thyssenkrupp Steel Europe
Christopher Gusek, Head of Steel Technology, H2 Green Steel
Robert Jan Jeekel, Head of Europe Institutional Affairs, ArcelorMittal Europe
José Noldin, Chief Executive Officer, GravitHy
Solutions to decarbonize the chemical and petrochemical sector
Participants…
Francisco Boshell, Head Innovation and End Use Applications, IRENA
Florian Ausfelder, Head – the Energy and Climate Department, Dechema
Lars Boerger, VP, Strategy and Long term Development, Renewables and Polymer Chemistry, Neste
Martijn de Graaff, Program Director, Voltachem
Rosella Di Virgilio, Head of Opportunity Analysis and Strategy Report, Versalis- ENI
Dharik Mallapragada, Principle Research Scientist, MIT/DC-Muse
Joerg Unger, Senior Vice President – Low Carbon Emission Technologies & Projects, BASF
Youth & Innovators Hub
Participants…
Nawal Al-Hosany, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to IRENA
Gauri Singh, Deputy Director-General, IRENA
Sajith Wijesuriya, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Takurou N. Murakami, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Adekoyejo Kuye, Co-founder and Managing Director, KAMIM Technologies Limited
Ghida Ismail, Board Member, Sustain The World
Natashsa Louise Jones, CEO, Metris Energy
Augusto Facundo Diaz, Co-Founder / Head of Projects, HD Photovoltaics
AbdulRahman Fahmy, Consultant, IRENA
Clara Neppel, Senior Director European Business Operations, IEEE Technology Centre
Anastasia Kuskova, CEO, Sirius
Suzana Fred Munuo, CEO, Gilsun Technologies
Peace Olalekan Bello, CEO, Chemotronix Ltd
Ioan-Dacian Jurj, Cofounder, Renergia
Riccardo Toxiri, IRENA
Solutions to decarbonise the shipping and aviation sectors
Participants…
Pierpaolo Cazzola, Director – European Transport and Energy Research Center, ITS UC Davis
Carlos Ruiz, Programme Officer – Innovation and End-use Sectors, IRENA
Tianfu Zhang, Chief Scientist – Green Power Conversion, State Power Investment Corporation
Maisarah Abdul Kadir, Associate Programme Officer – End-use sectors and roadmaps, IRENA
Bernd Hackmann, Team Lead – NDCs, LTLEDS and sectoral mitigation actions, UNFCCC
Karl Hauptmeier, Managing Director, Norsk e-fuel
Emile Herben, Director – Product Management & Certification – Clean Ammonia, Yara
Bruno James, Head – New Energy Business Development, Airbus
Nelson Mojarro, Head – Innovation and Partnerships, International Chamber of ShippingFuture materials for EV batteries
Participants…
Luis Janeiro, Team Lead – End Use Sectors, IRENA
Michalis Christou, Senior Expert, JRC, European Commission
Francisco Boshell, Head Innovation and End Use Applications, IRENA
Maximilian Fichtner, Professor, Helmhotz Ulm/KIT
Srini Godavarthy, CEO, Li-metal
Rashi Gupta, CEO, Vision Mechatronics
Maroš Halama, Assoc. Professor, University of Kosice/Inobat
Marcos Ierides, Innovation Consultant, Bax & Company
Grid evolution: Transforming energy landscapes in developing countries and SIDS
Participants…
Simon Benmarraze, Team Lead – Technology and Infrastructure, IRENA
Reji Kumar Pillai, President , India Smart Grid Forum
Chavan Dabeedin, General Manager, Central Electricity Board of Mauritius
Sofja Giljova, Policy Advisor for Energy Transition, GIZ
Kaleb Udui Jr., Minister of Finance, Palau
Kader Diop, Conseiller Technique, ANER-Senegal
Claire Nicolas, Senior Energy Economist, Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), World Bank
Ambrosio Yobánolo del Real, Vice-Chair UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee
Geopolitics of the energy transition: innovation in critical materials
Participants…
Elizabeth Press, Director, Planning and Programme Support, IRENA
Leonardo Buizza, Lead – Supply Chains & Materials Analyst, Energy Transitions Commision
Lucilla Crexell, National Senator, Argentina
Indra Øverland, Research Professor, NUPI
Sjarah Soede, Deputy Director – Inclusive Green Growth Department, Deputy Director, Inclusive Green Growth, MFA, Netherlands
Closing remarks and takeaways
Participants…
Felicia Jackson, Editor, Sustainable Growth Voice
Roland Roesch, Director, IRENA Innovation and Technology Center, IRENA
Peter Schniering, Founder & CEO of Future Clean Architects
Eleanor Webster, Head Secretariat Mission Innovation
Day 3: Innovation Sessions & Workshops
Demand side management and storage – Case Studies
Participants…
Arina Anisie, Analyst – Renewable Energy Innovation, IRENA
Juan Pablo Jimenez, Analyst, IRENA
Siva Gunda, Vice Chair of the California Energy Commission
Emanuele Taibi, General Manager – Italy, Field
Sylvie Tarnai, Chief Stratey Officer, Energy Pool
Michael Villa, CEO, SmartEn
Hideyuki Umeda, Director for International Policy on Carbon Neutrality, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Japan
Songsong Chen, CEPRI
Daniel Bowermaster, Senior Programme Manager, EPRI
Gregory Poilasne, Co-Founder, Director, Chairman and CEO, Nuvve
Francisco Boshell, Head of Innovation, IRENA
Enabling data driven decision making – The Energy Innovation Metrics Hub (Mission Innovation)
Participants…
Eleanor Webster, Head of Mission Innovation Secretariat
Ingrida Murauskaite-Bull, EC JRC Project Officer & MI INSIGHTS Module Manager
Aliki Georgakaki, Project Leader, Energy Transition Insights for Policy, EC JRC
Francisco Boshell, Head Innovation and End Use Applications, IRENA
Suzy Leprince, Energy Data Officer, IEA
Eleanor Webster, Head of Mission Innovation Secretariat
Ann-Kathrin Lipponer, IRENA Associate Programme Officer & MI INSIGHTS Officer
Evangelos Tzimas, Head of Unit, EC JRC
Meeting of the IRENA Collaborative Framework for High Shares of Renewables
Participants…
Hideyuki Umeda, Director for International Policy on Carbon Neutrality, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Japan
Gauri Singh, Deputy Director-General, IRENA
Francisco Boshell, Head Innovation and End Use Applications, IRENA
Gurbuz Gonul, Director Country Engagement and Partnerships, IRENA
Martin Hartvig, Senior Engineer, Energinet, Systemperspektiv
Bruce Douglas, CEO, Global Renewable Alliance
Rudolf Zauner, Senior Innovation Manager, Verbund
Alex Oudalov, Power Systems of the Future Manager, Hitachi Energy
Anser A. Shakoor, Managing Director, GE Energy Consulting, Europe
Chigozie Nweke-Eze, CEO, Integrated Africa Power
Vanessa Interiano, Permanent Representative to IRENA, El Salvador (ONLINE)
Day 4: Innovation Sessions & Workshops
Participants…
Asami Miketa, Head Energy Transition Planning and Power Sector Transformation, IRENA
Angela Mutsotso, Associate Professional – Clean Energy Transition Scenarios, IRENA
Christopher Gross, GET.Transform Team Leader, GIZ
Martin Hartvig, Senior Engineer, PhD, Energinet
Claire Nicolas, Senior Energy Economist- Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), World Bank
Kaare Sandholt, Chief International Expert, China Energy Transformation Programme, Energy Research Institute of the Academy of Macroeconomic Research (ERI)
Paul Mbuthi, Senior Deputy Director Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy, Kenya
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Cartoons by Visual Harvesting
For details of IRENA’s Innovation Week click here
To contact IRENA’s innovation team email [email protected]
