Young Energy Ambassadors 2024

Simone is the CEO and co-founder of Flexidao. He has developed the company into a global leader in providing software-based solutions for carbon-free energy management and procurement. Under his leadership, he has attracted clients and partners such as Google and Microsoft. He is an important figure in the so-called Next-gen Energy Procurement space, actively contributing to the development of new standards and guidelines such as the UN 24/7 CFE Compact, Greenhouse gas Protocol, Linux Foundation Energy, and the EnergyTag initiative. Simone is also a prominent public speaker, advocating and advising leading energy stakeholders on the future of the energy system at major corporate and energy policy events.

Patricia is a passionate advocate for sustainable energy and climate action. With a BSc in Civil Engineer and an MSc in Sustainable Energetic Engineering, she is currently working at CODEMA, Dublin's Energy Agency. Patricia brings extensive experience as a European Project Manager and Project Developer in both the public and private sector, coordinating European funded large-scale energy and climate projects and developing project proposals together with relevant European stakeholders.

Eliza Barnea is a just transition expert, with extensive policy and project management experience spanning roles in academia, NGOs, international financial institutions and political foundations. Her work centres on the social inclusion – green transition nexus, having worked closely with the Romanian government at all levels to advance a more equitable transition to a low-carbon economy. She currently coordinates the Just Transition Campaign for Bankwatch Romania. She is part of the EU Network of Just Transition Experts, JTPeers Expert Database.

Eva grew up between France and England, surrounded by Polish, German and Thai relatives. After completing a BSc thesis regarding nuclear fission waste management, she undertook the European Master in Nuclear Fusion. Due to her unusual life path, she believes that international collaboration is an integral part of research and the clean energy transition.

Marco Biersinger is the Deputy Head of Corporate Finance at DTEK Group, Ukraine’s largest private energy company. Marco is based in London and shares responsibilities for DTEK Group’s financing needs across the capital structure and strategic partnerships. DTEK’s businesses include thermal and renewable power generation in Ukraine and the EU, power distribution grids and electricity retail, oil and gas production, and international commodity trading.

Jiri is a consultant for several Czech companies developing PV and Agri-PV project pipelines in Czechia. He handles aspects of permitting and zoning, as well as grid connection and other technical matters. He has hands-on experience developing ground-mounted PV projects. He is also a PhD student and researcher at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University (FEE CTU) in Prague, focusing on the economic aspects of renewable energy sources. He has focused on agrivoltaics and is also active in establishing legislation for agrivoltaics in Czechia and Central Europe. Since January 2022, he has served as the Head of the agrivoltaics section in the Czech Solar Association. Currently, his main focus is on regulation implementation and developing large-scale photovoltaics and agrivoltaics installations in the Czech Republic.

Elisabeth is an analyst at Ember, an independent energy think-tank. Her work focuses on the energy transition, primarily the decarbonisation of the European power system and its key enablers, such as electricity grids. Previously, she was the lead energy modeller at Malta’s national energy agency, working on the National Energy and Climate Plan amongst others.

Chantal is working as a climate protection manager in a German public administration and municipality with a population of 8,500. Her job is to develop and design an integrated climate protection concept for the town together with an engineering office. The aim of this concept is to achieve the German target of greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 at the local/community level. Her role is to coordinate, initiate and implement measures in the areas of energy saving, renewable energy and energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, communication and education, as well as to set up the necessary structures within the administration. 

Marco, with more than five years in energy and sustainable development, drove change at 21, ensuring access in Sub-Saharan Africa. Now a Business Developer for Renewable Energy and Hydrogen, he represents youth through EYEN and Green Jobs Tree, influencing policy as an IRENA I-ACT educator and COP delegate.