Solarplaza Summit | Energy Storage The Netherlands

Jan Willem has over 20 years of experience in the energy market and worked for some of the larger utilities. Early 2020, Jan Willem sold his previous companies Greenspread and Greencrowd to private equity concern NPM Capital. Since his departure in October 2020, Jan Willem works as an independent consultant at Stratergy. Stratergy advises funds, banks, utilities, and large consumers and producers of energy and specializes in maximizing asset value and minimizing financial risk.

Jakoba van der Mei works as an Investment Director at StartGreen Capital. StartGreen Capital has over €400 million in assets under management and provides both entrepreneurs and project owners financing for the energy transition and the circular economy. Her personal focus is on wind energy, solar, battery storage systems and energy infrastructure. Previously she held roles within investment banking in London and projectfinance at SMBC where she financed 1.9 GW of offshore and onshore wind. Jakoba is responsible for the acquisition, deal execution, and portfolio management of the new StartGreen Transition fund.

Tugay Akbulut is a policy officer at the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth. He focuses on the topics grid congestion, energy storage and energy innovation for our current and future energy systems. Tugay is particularly interested in the coordinated integration of chains of different energy carriers and end-use sectors into one sustainable, reliable, affordable, and safe energy system. Prior to joining the Ministry, Tugay worked for the Authority Consumers and Markets in the Energy Department with a focus on district heating and regional grid management.

Working at Stedin DSO since 2020, I focus on the energy system of the future from a System Operations perspective. Working together with other DSO's, market parties and the Dutch TSO, I work on the design of capacity and congestion management processes, so that the grid operators can make most efficient use of the existing grids.

Rens Savenije is the Commercial Director at Ventolines. With over 12 years of experience, he has led large projects and teams in the renewable energy sector. Rens will join a panel on regulatory and market challenges in Dutch energy storage, covering market trends, policy changes, cybersecurity risks, non-EU technology integration, spatial regulations, and financing models. Ventolines is an integrated service provider in the sustainable energy sector, supporting clients at every stage. We have achieved more than 2 GW of sustainable energy capacity for our clients and manage an asset portfolio of over 1.5 GW. We delivering solutions for wind, solar, energy storage, and system integration projects.

Versatile experimental physicist with a passion for energy transition. My scientific background and heart for sustainability fuel my commitment to bridging research and society. As a flexibility and storage consultant, I apply expertise to model and analyze techno-economic questions on a system level. Dedicated to collaboration, I strive to connect minds and work together in shaping a sustainable energy system of the future.

Willem Stitselaar is a former investment banker with over 25 years of experience in the infrastructure investment industry. He has an extensive background in financing large infrastructure development assets, with a strong focus on the Energy and Digital Transition sectors. Until recently, Willem served as Senior Managing Director at Macquarie Capital, where he spent 17 years building and leading strategic initiatives. During his tenure, he founded and scaled development platforms and businesses that played a key role in advancing the European energy transition and digitalisation efforts. He has a proven track record in capital raising, investing, and managing successful exits. Prior to joining Macquarie, Willem held positions at ABN AMRO Infrastructure Capital Europe and PricewaterhouseCoopers in London. He holds an MSc in Economics from the University of Amsterdam.

Andreas is a renewable energy executive with over 25 years of international project leadership experience, including more than 15 years in utility-scale solar PV and energy storage. He has delivered more than 1 GWp of large-scale projects across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia, holding senior roles in EPC execution, project development, and corporate leadership. His expertise spans CAPEX optimization, grid-connection processes, and the integration of BESS with utility-scale PV to enhance yield, reliability, and lifecycle economics. He combines hands-on construction experience with strategic program management in multi-country portfolios and complex grid environments.

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.