Solarplaza Summit | Energy Storage Germany

Sophie Martin is an Associate at Aurora Energy Research, specialised in DACH flexibility markets. She leads Aurora’s German flexibility reports, covering battery revenue modelling across ancillary services markets, including FCR and aFRR, as well as intraday trading. Her work also includes in-depth analysis of topics such as Flexible Connection Agreements (FCAs) and tolling structures. Sophie has played a central role in the launch of the Chronos BESS platform and Aurora’s Battery Benchmark for the German market. She joined Aurora four years ago through the graduate programme, having studied Sustainability and Energy Management at Bocconi University.

Dr. Thomas Hillig is the founder and managing director of THEnergy, a boutique consultancy he established in 2013 to drive innovation across the energy sector—from microgrids and energy storage to hydrogen, energy management, and e-mobility. He advises industrial companies, investors, and energy players on identifying and capturing cleantech opportunities in fast-evolving markets, combining strategic insight with hands-on expertise. His work also includes targeted market research and tailored market entry support for Germany and other key European markets. In addition, Dr. Hillig dedicates around 10% of his time to collaborating as a LinkedIn influencer with leading global energy brands.

Jeremias Schleeger is a leading expert in Political Affairs for TenneT in Germany, where he shapes the regulatory landscape for one of Europe's largest Transmission System Operators (TSOs). He is at the forefront of policy dialogue concerning crucial infrastructure topics, including grid expansion and the integration of large-scale renewables. Jeremias's deep understanding of German energy policy, particularly regarding the necessary regulatory framework for advancing the national hydrogen strategy, makes him a vital voice in ensuring the successful and timely execution of the energy transition.

Henriette Weser is a Consultant at enervis energy advisors, specializing in stand-alone battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a particular focus on Germany. Her expertise covers BESS revenue potential, cost structures, marketing strategies, and profitability, as well as energy policy and regulation. Prior to joining enervis in 2026, she worked as an energy policy consultant at Berlin Economics, advising the governments of Ukraine and Moldova on energy policy.

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Wim von der Heide is a driving force behind Powered Land “ investment-ready sites where land, power and permits come together” in Europe. With more than 20 years of experience at Arcadis, he thinks ahead, connects people and disciplines, and always looks for ways to move an idea forward. His approach is pragmatic and entrepreneurial: rather than dwelling on why something can't be done, he works out what it takes to make it possible.

Robert von Wahl serves as the Country Manager for Germany, Switzerland and Austria at Sungrow Deutschland, based in Munich, Germany. As Country Manager, Robert, along with his team, is dedicated to delivering reliant and integrated PV, ESS and EV charging solutions. Robert holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of Cologne. With a career spanning since 2007, he has been actively engaged in the solar industry, assuming various roles across different departments for project developers, EPCs, investors, and product manufacturers. Prior to his involvement in the country Management, Robert demonstrated success in overseeing Sungrow's business segments for C&I and EV Charging, as well as business activities in Eastern Europe. The overarching goal pursued by Robert and his team in the Renewable industry is embodied in the concept of "Clean Power for All". This vision entails providing every individual with the opportunity to move between locations emission-free, underscoring a commitment to both social and ecological objectives.

Anoucheh is leading W Power Storage’s strategic development of Grid & Commercial for standalone battery energy storage projects in Germany, driving tolling and merchant structures, grid connection (FCA) assessment and negotiation, and translating these into business case and M&A decisions. Anoucheh brings a broad background in the energy sector, having held various roles in market & regulatory analysis, project management, and strategy consulting. Prior to joining W Power Storage, she was Team Manager Project Finance & Sales – BESS & Infrastructure at ABO Energy.

Kilian is responsible for the revenue strategy of BW ESS's global BESS portfolio. Previously, he initiated Aquila Clean Energy’s battery storage investments in EMEA, managing the development of over 7 GW of BESS projects in 10 countries. Since 2009, he has worked in various positions within the renewable energy sector, including heading strategy and business development at Vattenfall’s trading unit. Kilian holds a bachelor's degree in international affairs and a master's degree in economics from the University of St. Gallen.

As Teamlead Asset Operations at VERBUND Energy4Business GmbH in Vienna, Magdalena Neidhart is responsible for the reliable, compliant and safe operation of photovoltaic and battery storage projects in Germany and Austria throughout their lifecycle. She leads the operational team, coordinates external service providers and drives operational improvements to enhance asset performance and efficiency.

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Peter van Ees is a Thematic Banker at ABN AMRO. Within the Sector Expertise department, he focuses on the Energy Transition. Peter supports our relationship bankers on this theme across the bank. He is particularly active regarding the scaling up of the hydrogen economy in Northwest Europe. Innovation and the challenges surrounding the overhaul of business models play a major role in this. As a corporate account manager at the stock exchange, he learned to view things from a company-specific perspective at the macro level. He did this for nearly twenty years at HSBC, UBS Investment Bank, and ABN AMRO. Peter studied Business Administration at Nyenrode Business School and Political Science at the University of Amsterdam, and is a CFA charterholder. He lives in Amsterdam with his partner Sabine and their two children.

Sophia Truong is Lead Country Counsel Germany at Sunrock Holding Deutsch- land GmbH, a leading European developer of large-scale rooftop solar and in- tegrated energy solutions. In this role, she leads all legal matters for the Ger- man business and plays a key role in shaping the legal framework supporting Sunrock’s contribution to the energy transition. With deep expertise in energy law and a strong commercial mindset, Sophia supports the legal structuring and execution of large-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects. She approaches legal advice as a strategic enabler that helps organisations grow sustainably and navigate complex regulatory environments with confidence. Prior to joining Sunrock in 2022, she spent more than seven years as a lawyer at PwC Germany.

‎Quirin is a Director in ABN AMRO’s Project & Infrastructure Finance team, responsible for originating and executing transactions across the DACH region. He advises clients on complex financing transactions across a broad range of sectors, with a strong focus on Energy Transition opportunities. Before joining ABN AMRO, Quirin spent over a decade at UniCredit Group, where he held various positions across the organization and gained extensive experience in Project & Infrastructure Finance, working in both lending and debt advisory capacities. He holds a Master’s degree in Management from HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management.

Afrida Kabir is an Investment Associate at Encavis, where she focuses on accelerating the energy transition through strategic capital deployment. Based in Munich, Afrida plays a vital role in evaluating and executing investments across the renewable energy landscape, with a particular emphasis on infrastructure that supports a decarbonized future. With a deep understanding of the European energy market, she specializes in identifying high-impact opportunities in solar, wind, and emerging technologies like Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Afrida is dedicated to bridging the gap between finance and sustainability, ensuring that the transition to green energy is both economically viable and resilient.

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Marie-Sophie Braun is Head of Markets & Regulatory Affairs at Kyon Energy, one of Germany’s leading battery energy storage developers. In her role, she focuses on market design, regulatory developments, and business models that enable the large-scale deployment of energy storage solutions. Since joining Kyon Energy in 2023, Marie-Sophie has progressed through a series of business development and leadership roles, helping shape the company’s commercial and regulatory strategy in a rapidly evolving energy market. Her work at the intersection of policy, market dynamics, and battery storage makes her a valuable voice on the role of flexibility and storage in the future energy system.

Mr. Stefan Müller is the co-founder, shareholder of Enerparc AG, and since end of 2008, a board member he was responsible for the international and operational business. Following his diploma thesis in 1992 in solar energy, he gained international experience in different roles and various countries. Enerparc is an international specialist in the whole value chain of large-scale photovoltaic power plants. The service ranges from the technical design (EPCm) to the turn-key delivery (EPC) and finally to the operation (O&M) of power plants. In the last years the Enerparc Group has seen an exponential growth.

Max has 10+ years of experience in renewable energy trading: he originated, structured and negotiated project finance off-take and short-term optimization agreements across Europe and in Mexico.He joined Pexapark in 2021 and advises on PPA and BESS optimization transactions across Europe with a focus on the DACH region. Prior to joining the firm, he advised investment funds, IPPs and Industrials on commercial and procurement strategy. At the utility Trianel he unlocked value of a multi-GW renewable energy portfolio.Max holds an MBA in Energy and Resource Economics from the TU Freiberg and a BSc in Energy and Process Engineering from the TU Berlin.

Gerard Reid is a Co-founder and Partner at Alexa Capital, an independent financial services business committed to mobilizing capital towards achieving net-zero. He is also a Fellow at the Institute of the Environment at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Global Future Council on Advanced Energy Technologies at the World Economic Forum. Gerard has developed a strong reputation as a leading global expert in the energy and mobility space. A trusted authority on the energy transition, he is a published author and avid blogger, with a following of more than 200k across several platforms. He is also the co-host of “REDEFINING ENERGY” podcast, the leading energy podcast in Europe. He is focused on empowering and accelerating change by advising organizations, industry leaders and global decision-makers (business, finance and government) on the transition towards net-zero carbon emissions. His breadth of experience stems from 20 years working in the finance industry (equity research, fund management and corporate finance) with a focus on both the energy transition and the digital energy revolution the sector is going through. Prior to founding Alexa Capital, he was Managing Director and Head of European Cleantech Research at Jefferies & Co. Gerard was also a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, TU Berlin and Imperial College in London.

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CEO & Founder of Solarif Group. Industry leader & expert in the world of insurance, banking, sustainable energy and investments. Harry Wolkenfelt is a worldwide known entrepeneur, investor, speaker and trade missionary. His major contributions to the solar industry and smart, solid insurance solutions are greatly appreciated by a wide range of business organizations, governments and the larger society.Due to his broad experience in investment banking he has a solid background in finance. Over the decades, he managed several large teams and businesses in order to keep growing and conquer both large scale & niche markets.The Solarif Group is unique and known for its excellence and variety in service.By prodiving smart solutions for large scale solar investments, a connection is made between sustainability and economic growth. Whether you are in need of a professional, specialized Solar Insurance, Risk Management of your products & projects, finding the right amount of investments or by Smart Financing your project: we are here to help you grow!

Oliver Schmidt is a clean energy expert with a particular focus on energy storage. He published the book Monetizing Energy Storage and launched the online analysis platform http://www.energystorage.ninja/ in 2023. He has previous experience as a project manager at the strategy and financial transaction advisory firm Apricum, where he supported top management with strategic advice in the energy storage, solar PV, and hydrogen industries. Oliver also worked as an energy analyst at the IEA and as a management consultant at E.ON. He has a PhD on the future cost and value of energy storage from Imperial College London.

Sam Wilkinson is Head of Renewables Markets within the Energy Transition and Sustainability research team at S&P Global Commodity Insights, specifically responsible for the company’s research of renewable energy markets, policies and project tracking. Since joining the company in 2009, Sam has held various roles, including leading the batteries and energy storage research team, and working on analysis and research of the solar industry. His analysis and commentary are regularly published by leading energy industry media and the global press, and he has also presented at many leading industry events and conferences.

Rens focuses on unlocking flexible capacity and advancing system integration for renewable energy projects across the Netherlands and Europe. He previously led large-scale clean energy initiatives as Commercial Director at Ventolines, specializing in the complex integration of wind, solar, and energy storage systems. Today, his work centers on building sustainable business cases that accelerate the deployment of co-located assets and grid flexibility strategies. By combining a deep understanding of network constraints with practical commercial insights, Rens helps project developers and corporate clients navigate capacity bottlenecks and maximize the long-term value of their clean energy portfolios.

Marcel is the Country Manager for Germany at Clean Horizon, a consultancy dedicated to the energy storage market. He is instrumental in expanding Clean Horizon's presence and impact in one of Europe's most dynamic battery markets. Marcel's expertise is focused on providing advisory services for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects, including bankability assessments, commercial and technical due diligence, and owner's engineer support. His deep understanding of the German regulatory and commercial landscape helps developers and investors maximize the profitability and technical viability of their storage assets.

Arie previously worked as a CEO in eCommerce return logistics, where he led large-scale people operations. In addition, he worked at Van Vulpen, an infrastructure operator and one of Perry's earliest partners and current customers, experience that shaped how Perry is built for real operational teams. Arie started his career at McKinsey, building software for large-scale enterprises.

Christoph Gardlo is Co-Founder and COO of ESFORIN. ESFORIN’s core business is algorithmic trading of clients’ flexibilities on all relevant markets (Intraday, Day-Ahead, FCR, aFRR), which helps companies optimise energy costs and cut significant amounts of CO2. The company handles cross-market optimisation entirely in-house and is particularly strong in optimising assets with restrictions, such as green co-location. Before becoming an energy entrepreneur, Christoph built extensive experience in the energy markets. He joined E.ON in the 2000s, first in Marketing and later as Account Manager Power Station Sales. In 2010 he became Head of Gas Sales Germany at Cargill. He then served as Head of Key Accounts Portfolio Services & International Sales at natGAS AG before co-founding ESFORIN as COO.

Edwin founded Solarplaza company in 2004. He is a senior PV expert and started in the photovoltaic solar energy business in 1994. He has experience as a solar energy consultant and project developer in more than 200 PV projects. Edwin holds a Master’s degree in Chemical engineering and previously worked in the Chemical industry before starting his first consultancy company in PV in 1994.