Brussels to the Bay: Energy transition and the Role of Clean Tech in a Transatlantic Perspective

The livestream of this event is now available by clicking here.

The EU has set the goal to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent. This "Brussels to the Bay" event will focus on the EU’s energy and climate strategy in achieving this ambitious goal. How can the EU reduce its dependency on Russia? What is the role of technology in the clean energy transition? And what are the lessons the EU could learn from California’s thriving renewable energy sector?

The event addresses these and other pressing questions in a conversation with one of Europe’s leaders of the clean energy transition, Ditte Juul Jørgensen (Director-General of the European Commission, DG Energy). Jørgensen discusses the path toward green and secure energy with Bernadette Del Chiaro, a leading voice on clean energy in California and the executive director of the California Solar & Storage Association. They are joined by Markus Zechner (adjunct professor at Stanford University), who explores how AI and other technologies can help accelerating the energy transition.

EU

Meet the Speakers

Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy, European Commission

Mrs. Ditte Juul Jørgensen took up the position of Director-General for Energy of the European Commission (DG ENER) in August 2019. She joined DG ENER from a position as Head of Cabinet for Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. Mrs. Juul-Jørgensen has 27 years of experience in the European Commission. Before serving as Head of Cabinet, she was Director of Legal Affairs and Trade in Goods in the Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade at the World Trade Organization, where she managed European Union policy and negotiations at the WTO and involvement in dispute settlement and trade in goods. Prior to her appointment as Director, she served as Head of Unit and Acting Director for dispute settlement and legal issues, as well as Head of Unit for Trade and Sustainable Development and Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Issues. Please check online for her bio -

Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director, California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA)

Mrs. Bernadette Del Chiaro has been serving as executive director of the California Solar & Storage Association since 2013 and has built the organization into one of the largest clean energy business groups in the United States with over 750 members. Prior to her work with CALSSA, Ms. Del Chiaro served as the Director of Clean Energy and Global Warming Programs at Environment California, a non-profit advocacy organization, as well as the Western States Regional Director for Environment America. Since 2002, Bernadette has been a leading voice in California on many clean energy initiatives including the Million Solar Roofs Initiative, the Solar Water Heating Initiative, Net Energy Metering, streamlined solar permitting, and the expansion of consumer incentives for energy storage.

Markus Zechner, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Mr. Markus Zechner is an adjunct professor at Stanford University in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. His research is aimed at accelerating the energy transition using AI decision tools. Currently, his work is focused on decision systems in safety-critical applications, notably within carbon capture and sequestration and geothermal projects. His endeavors seek to address high-impact, real-world problems in alignment with global energy shifts. Before his current appointment, Markus spent 10 years working in the subsurface energy industry.

Moderator: Eric Wesoff, Editorial director, Canary Media