Solarplaza Summit | Agri-PV

Even Kvelland is the co-founder and COO of Glint Solar, a Norwegian software company whose platform helps leading solar developers quickly identify and analyze greenfield solar projects for both ground and floating PV. Prior to Glint, Even worked in a number of energy-related functions spanning consulting, business intelligence and diplomacy in Europe, Africa and the US. Even studied energy, economics and international affairs at Macalester College and Columbia University, respectively.

Fabian Neu was born on a farm in the West of Germany and has over 12 years extensive experience in agricultural processing. After his studies in agricultural economics and working on a 5,000 acres grain farm in Australia with innovative irrigation systems, he gained 2 years political experience in the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Since 2021 he has gathered a deep experience in the field of Agri-PV contributing to a future of green and climate resilient agriculture. In his role as a Senior Expert for Agri-PV at RWE Renewables Europe & Australia GmbH he supports the global Agri-PV activities by optimizing the technology and economic aspects of Agri-PV to adopt this technology in further utility-scale solar projects. Fabian is a member of the DIN SPEC 91492 consortium in Germany to define standards of livestock-specific requirements in the field of Agri-PV in Germany.

Rolando Roberto is the owner and CTO of AEDES GROUP ENGINEERING S.R.L. and a strong member of Italia Solare with an extensive history in solar and Agri-PV. He has worked comprehensively in the field, from securing permitting authorization of RES plants, to the final and executive design of solar power plants for more than 1.5 GW.

Jiří Bím was born in Mladá Boleslav. He finished FEE CTU with Bc. in 2017 in Electrotechnics, energetics and management study program. In 2020 he finished his Masters degree in the study program Management of energetics. Since 2021 he is PhD. student and researcher at CTU and studying topic Economics aspect of RES. He has focused on agrivoltaics and is also active in establishing legislation for agrivoltaics. From 2022 he is the Head of agrivoltaics section in Czech Solar association.

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Antanas is a policy officer at the European Commission, DG AGRI, the unit responsible for economic sustainability of the EU CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). He holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics and policy from Wageningen University, the Netherlands. He has 6 years’ experience working on the implementation of the CAP at National level and 6 years – in developing the policy at the European level. His expertise covers the eligibility conditions for farmers to receive CAP income support, among which for the agricultural areas with Agri-PVs.

Peter is the Operations Director of BNZ. He contributes to the team effort with more than 11 years of experience in Solar PV and Wind renewable energies, in different phases of the project’s life, and with a leaning towards asset management. Prior to joining BNZ, Peter held various management and senior management positions in the asset management division of Vector Renewables (ex. Vector Cuatro) both in France and Spain and was focused on foreign markets. He also headed the technical asset management team of Alten RE, a Madrid-based IPP with an international presence. Over the span of his career, he has managed more than 1.5 GW of renewable energy assets.

Constantin Klyk is a Mechanical Engineering graduate with expertise in renewable energies. With a background in research and a specific focus on Agri-PV systems, Constantin has made significant contributions to the field. When he served as a Project and Product Manager at Zimmermann, a prominent Sub-structure supplier, Constantin plays a crucial role in designing and implementing Agri-PV systems. Now, Constantin works as an independent consultant, at Agri-Pv Consulting. Additionally, Constantin is recognized as the lead author of the first dedicated book on Agri-PV: Agrivoltaics: Technical, ecological, commercial and legal aspects, due to be published on the first of July.

With a degree in forestry engineering, Emilien has over 15 years of experience in climate-tech and renewables industries. He has been active in the field of agrivoltaics since 2015, he has contributed to bringing several sites to operation as well as collaborating on entrepreneurial projects across Europe, LATAM y APAC. Emilien joined Lightsource bp in 2023 as Head of Agrivoltaics EMEA and leads the activities of the company to further progress the integration of agricultural initiatives alongside energy production.

Audrey Juillac is a 28 year old farmer and president of the FFPA, working in the South West of France. She started her activity 2 years ago with a strong will to show that young farmers have the responsibility to contribute to the changes we need to implement in order to have a more resilient agriculture. She is an ex physicist in search of a meaningful professional activity that has a positive impact on the society. She now has 3 ha of land, all cultivated in an organic way and is currently developping an agropv plant with the help of Green Light Hous Développement

Noam Schwartz is a the Agri-PV Program Manager of SolarEdge Technologies, leading the market analysis research, business development and strategy for the Agri-PV market. Noam holds an LLB degree from City, University of London and MBA from Warwick Business School.

After completing his studies in Industrial Engineering, Lars worked for five years as a Project Manager in the automotive sector. In 2022, he joined the Zimmermann PV Steel Group as a Project Manager in the areas of Agri PV and Ground-Mounted systems. Alongside his commercial and technical responsibility for the projects, Lars has also been involved in the development of Agri PV systems. Driven by his education and experience in steel construction, he works with the Zimmermann PV Steel Group to transfer Agri PV systems from the research project stage to technical and commercial utility-scale applications.

Sascha Krause-Tünker is responsible for the company business development. He has a strong focus on renewable energy and sustainability. Previously worked as a Consultant and Interim-Manager focusing on project management, IT und finance. He has broad experience in start-up, small- and medium sized businesses as well as big corporations, intersectoral with experiences in production, logistics, energy and services. In 2004 he completed Masters in Business Administration at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main in Germany.

In charge of the development and communication of the FFPA, I was naturally drawn to the renewable energy sector because of my ecological values. Working with and for farmers is a great addition of meaning in my day-to-day job. I’m a firm believer that agropv is a positive answer to the ecological, energetic, and agricultural challenges we are currently facing.

Since Netanel joined the company in 2021, he has been active in expanding Solargik's activities across various geographies, including Italy, Portugal, France, and Spain. Netanel is passionate about the evolving PV field, believing its constant challenges can only be addressed through innovative approaches.

Economist, MBA, former investment banker and venture capitalist, Carla initiated her journey in the Energy industry in 2008 where she was exposed to cleantech companies from all over the world. Her passion for innovation, willingness to learn and bring new business into the scene has never stopped since then. Working alongside with the best tech companies gives her inspiration, resiliency, and agility skills that she adopts on a daily base and helps her as a corporate innovation leader to succeed inside large energy players. Carla is 46, married and mother of two. Relating to people worldwide and exposed to different cultures, gives her motivation and creativity to carry on, and helps her to be open minded and forward thinking.

Adriaan Harthoorn is a visionary serial entrepreneur and the dynamic owner of multiple companies dedicated to revolutionizing the energy transition sector. Adriaan's entrepreneurial ventures, all interconnected through EF CONCEPTS BV. As owner and CEO of EF Concepts, Adriaan drives innovative energy solutions through subsidiaries like EF Solar, EF Charge & Storage, EnergyFreedom, EnergyFarming, and On-e-target. EnergyFarming is an innovative initiative that supports sheep farmers by providing dual income opportunities and securing their livelihoods while contributing to local energy supplies. It emphasizes collaboration and resource sharing, replacing traditional notions of scarcity with abundance and transforming profit maximization into community-focused sharing. Adriaan's unwavering commitment to sustainable practices and innovation in renewable energy is evident through his leadership and entrepreneurial activities. He continues to spearhead transformative projects that drive significant advancements in the energy sector, contributing to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.

Ronald Knoche is the current CEO of REM Tec and the Vice President of VnAP, The Association for Sustainable Agri-PV. VnAP was founded in 2023 with the aim of improving the framework conditions for the expansion of the technology, strengthening agricultural businesses in its implementation and promoting broad public acceptance of Agri-PV. Ronald is a passionate entrepreneur for innovative technologies since more than 25 years, with a large demonstrated funding experience for several companies.

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Since 2021, James coordinates global agrivoltaics innovation and projects for the ENGIE group via their R&D&I center Laborelec in Belgium. Interacting with project developers, farmers, engineers, equipment manufacturers, public authorities, civil associations, researchers, and other stakeholders in multiple languages, James assists ENGIE’s various teams develop national + regional strategies while steering agri-PV projects from early development to operations. James has worked in the PV and agri industries on 3 continents since 2005. In 2023, he completed a PhD on agrivoltaics + ecovoltaics at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, building on prior postgrad studies in renewables grid integration, controlled environment agriculture, as well as a graduate diploma in linguistics.

An environmental Engineer, David Lecoufle spent 20 years as project manager to plan and implement PV and Hybrid Power plants in Sub Saharan Africa. In 2021, David converted to being a farmer in organic Agroforestry on a 12ha farm in Southwest France. Since that time, David also develops AgriPV systems from a farmer perspective both for continental Europe and Sub Saharan Africa. David is convinced that AgriPV is a real solution to bring a number of benefits to agriculture in particular with respect to climate change.

A graduate of Ecole Polytechnique and ENSTA, Nicolas joined KPMG in 2020. A specialist in the automotive sector, supply chain optimization, purchasing and energy transition, Nicolas has 30 years' experience acquired in industry and in strategy and operations consulting. Prior to joining KPMG, he held purchasing and energy management positions on an international scale in major industrial and service groups. At KPMG, he leads the energy transition team, and assists clients in defining and implementing their energy transition strategy.

Angela Heinssen is admitted as a Rechtsanwältin (advocat) in Germany and is an expert in the current international AgriPV legislation. She is a legal adviser to GIZ India, Vattenfall Germany for approval procedures of Solarparks and different stakeholders and a member of the new German Association for Agrivoltaik (Bundesverband für nachhaltige Agri PV) and an elected member of the German Konsortium (working committee) for the new DIN SPEC 91492 Agriphotovoltaik with specific requirements for animal husbandry. Angela Heinssen studied international, European and German law in Göttingen, Kiel and New York with working experience in Brussels for the Directorate General Environment, the Association of the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Brussels, and the Institute for International Law in Kiel/ Prof. Rüdiger Wolfrum (former judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea). She grew up on a large-scale dairy farm with sheep and horses and kept more than 150 heads of beef cattle on her own land.

Luiggino is responsible for Marketing and Partnerships at Insolight. He brings extensive international management and entrepreneurship experience. He designed innovative marketing strategies, signed and implemented major sponsorship deals. He co-founded Solar Impulse SA, “Flying around the world with a solar airplane”, as Director and Board member, developing successful marketing, communication and partnership programs. He worked at Caterpillar & Logitech, then in Sport International Federations (UCI & FIVB) as Marketing Director, becoming a recognized sports marketing expert. He co-founded, consulted and managed various innovative companies. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering (EPFL), Business Administration (HEC UNIL) & Sports Management (IDHEAP). Photo credits to: Swiss Life / Marc Wetli

Miguel Herrero is a Senior Market Advisor at PVcase. He brings 6+ years of experience in energy and climate across the private, public, and civil society sectors. Miguel develops analysis, insights, and research on global solar market trends and provides strategic advice to PVcase management. Prior to joining PVcase, Miguel was Senior Policy Advisor at SolarPower Europe and a trainee in the cabinet of the EU climate and energy commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete.

Aymeric Olibet has extensive experience in Corporate Banking. In 2003, he started his career at BNP Paribas as Credit Analyst, first in Oslo, then in Brussels. Between 2006 and 2010, he has been based in Prague to open and develop a Representative Office for BNP Paribas’ investment banking’s activities. In 2010, after the merger between BNP Paribas and Fortis, Aymeric came back to Brussels to strengthen ties between the two banks and optimize cross-selling of investment banking services. Currently, he is working at BNP Paribas with a focus on: Low-carbon & Sustainable Transitions. Aymeric holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economy from Paris II, and a Master’s Degree in Finance from Neoma Business School.

Jean-Michel is an apple and pear grower from father to son in the south of FRANCE with an education background of agriculture studies and a diploma university of technology marketing techniques. we have two locations, one in CAVAILLON and one in AVIGNON. After 6 years observing the growth in AGRI-PV business, he decided to build a project with the expertise of BAYWA-re. In 2025 we are constructing together a 4.6 MW AGRI-PV. The new semi-transparent bifacial solar panels will be put above a new apple and pear orchard. As farmer member of a strategic orientation commitee of the National Agri-PV Research Program, this achievement will be available to INRAe scientists and other researchers.

Jean-Marc Nieznanski is Enrgy’s CEO, who has specialised in PV development for the past 20 years. Having managed an electricity company, his knowledge of PV coupled with that of the electricity market and distribution makes his strategy complete. From its start he has been involved in Agricultural-PV (Agri-PV), working with first-rate Agri-PV companies and with technical partners.

Dee Yon Chng (pronounced Dion) is a project manager for Solarplaza spearheading the following events in chronological order: Agri-PV 2023, Floating-PV 2023, Energy Storage Spain 2023, Romania 2024, France 2024. Prior to Solarplaza she helped co-found a "floating" coaching company, and worked as sustainability consultant. She is a strong believer in knowledge sharing around sustainability topics, with 10 years of chairman experience in facilitating a collaborative and fruitful discussion.

Aline Hallwood Thompson was appointed Marketing Director at Fruits Rouges & Co nine months ago. Aline's leadership reflects the company's broader commitment to sustainability and technological advancements. FR&Co's DNA is deeply rooted in innovation across its various operations, and Aline is focused on aligning marketing strategies with the company's forawrd-thinking ethos.

Andrés is CEO of ISIGENERE. Born and raised in Colombia, Andrés studied Computer Science and holds an MBA by the Kellogg Graduate School of Business in USA. Andres started his career working in software startups. After his MBA he worked for the consultancy McKinsey & Company in Spain where he advised clients in strategy and technology projects. Later on he moved to Santander Bank where he led the growth of the subsidiary of the bank from 1 country and managing 80 million euros of spend, to 11 countries and 8000 million euros of spend. Now in Isigenere, Andrés is leading the growth of the company in utility scale and self-consumption projects while continuing the innovation by creating new and better versions of ISIFLOATING, its floating solar system. the pioneering company in floating solar systems since 2008 when their first floating solar system was designed and installed in Alicante (Spain).