Knud Erik Andersen is a true industry pioneer and one of the earliest champions of a 100% renewable energy future. Today, he is the CEO of European Energy, a leading Danish renewables firm responsible for building some of the world's largest wind and solar farms.

Erik started drawing plans for wind turbines in school, and with a group of other students began to develop, understand and optimise turbines, creating one of the first home-made turbines on a summer holiday.

In 2004, Erik sold his second company and saw the potential to “define energy production in the future” by leading the transition to 100% renewable energy. He launched European Energy with co-founder Mikael D. Pedersen with a vision to leverage wind capacity as a significant force in the global transition to a fossil free society.

Since then, the company has expanded significantly, with 400% growth between 2021-22. The team is moving into construction, grid infrastructure and access as well as innovative technology. European Energy have completed more than 100 wind and solar power projects in 11 countries across Europe as well as Brazil, Australia and the United States.

At European Energy Erik and the team utilise latest technology to create value for partners and society as a whole. They are focused on scale in order to grow the 2-3% of electricity that comes from wind and solar in the global economy.

Throughout the years, European Energy has developed, constructed and acquired renewable energy projects with a total capacity of approximately 1 GW and with a value of more than one billion euro.

Today, European Energy is building a multimillion-dollar solar power farm in southern Denmark. As the biggest installation of its kind in northern Europe, it will provide enough power to supply more than 75,000 households. Eager to inspire future generations of green energy champions, European Energy has donated a solar panel test site and helped to establish a PhD position with the Technical University of Denmark. 

Useful links:

EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2021

Erik Andersen issues Green Bonds

European Energy 

 

Knud Erik Andersen&nbsp;is a true industry pioneer and one of the earliest champions of a 100% renewable energy future. Today, he is the CEO of European Energy, a leading Danish renewables firm responsible for building some of the world's largest wind and solar farms.
Erik started drawing plans for wind turbines in school, and with a group of other students began to develop, understand and optimise turbines, creating one of the first home-made turbines on a summer holiday.
In 2004, Erik sold his second company and saw the potential to &ldquo;define energy production in the future&rdquo; by leading the transition to 100% renewable energy. He launched European Energy with co-founder Mikael D. Pedersen with a vision to leverage wind capacity as a significant force in the global transition to a fossil free society.
Since then, the company has expanded significantly, with 400% growth between 2021-22. The team is moving into construction, grid infrastructure and access as well as innovative technology. European Energy have completed more than 100 wind and solar power projects in 11 countries across Europe as well as Brazil, Australia and the United States.
At European Energy Erik and the team utilise latest technology to create value for partners and society as a whole. They are focused on scale in order to grow the 2-3% of electricity that comes from wind and solar in the global economy.
Throughout the years, European Energy has developed, constructed and acquired renewable energy projects with a total capacity of approximately 1 GW and with a value of more than one billion euro.
Today, European Energy is building a multimillion-dollar solar power farm in southern Denmark. As the biggest installation of its kind in northern Europe, it will provide enough power to supply more than 75,000 households. Eager to inspire future generations of green energy champions, European Energy has donated a solar panel test site and helped to establish a PhD position with the Technical University of Denmark.&nbsp;
Useful links:
<a href="https://www.ey.com/en_au/weoy/class-of-2021/denmark">EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2021</a>
<a href="https://renews.biz/71982/european-energy-issues-green-senior-bond/">Erik Andersen issues Green Bonds</a>
<a href="https://europeanenergy.com/">European Energy&nbsp;</a>
&nbsp;

Energy Trailblazers is a podcast and video conversation series hosted by renowned interviewer Holly Ransom and created by the founders of Energy Disruptors: UNITE. The Calgary-based initiative has been awarded for its in-person conferences designed to accelerate global clean energy and climate solutions by uniting the world’s boldest trailblazers.

In collaboration with EY, the team is rallying the most inspirational entrepreneurs, business leaders and global thinkers in energy, finance, investment, technology, automotive, public policy, and creative sectors to move the conversation forward and understand how we catalyse the human change necessary for clean energy adoption.

We believe conversations about our clean energy future should be as relevant around a kitchen or classroom table as they are around boardroom or political tables. Only audacious creativity and unprecedented collaboration between diverse groups will ensure we evolve fast enough to outpace our global energy and climate challenges.

We’re here to fuel a new energy conversation and it starts with you.

Energy Trailblazers is a podcast and video conversation series hosted by renowned interviewer Holly Ransom and created by the founders of Energy Disruptors: UNITE. The Calgary-based initiative has been awarded for its in-person conferences designed to accelerate global clean energy and climate solutions by uniting the world&rsquo;s boldest trailblazers.
In collaboration with EY, the team is rallying the most inspirational entrepreneurs, business leaders and global thinkers in energy, finance, investment, technology, automotive, public policy, and creative sectors to move the conversation forward and understand how we catalyse the human change necessary for clean energy adoption.
We believe conversations about our clean energy future should be as relevant around a kitchen or classroom table as they are around boardroom or political tables. Only audacious creativity and unprecedented collaboration between diverse groups will ensure we evolve fast enough to outpace our global energy and climate challenges.
We&rsquo;re here to fuel a new energy conversation and it starts with you.

Energy Trailblazers | hosted by Holly Ransom | powered by EY

Energy Trailblazers with Holly Ransom

This week our trailblazer is Erik Anderson, the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of European Energy, and one of the earliest champions paving the way to a 100% renewable future.     Erik was sketching plans for wind turbines back in school and today he’s building multi-million dollar wind and solar farms across the world, including the largest solar enterprise globally, in Denmark.     We hope you enjoy the story of this humble entrepreneur on a mission to power the world. We’re here to fuel a new energy conversation and it starts with you.

Trailblazer 12 | Knud Erik Andersen | Renewable Pioneer

Promo Trailblazer 11 | Elisabeth Brinton | Energy Visionary & Change Agent

Elisabeth Brinton is Executive Vice President of Shell’s Renewables & Energy Solutions (formerly New Energies) business, steering the company’s work in power, renewables and lower-carbon technology. This role covers Shell’s work in wind and solar, new mobility options such as electric vehicle charging, Nature Based Solutions and laying the foundation for an integrated lower-carbon power business.


In 2021, Elisabeth joined the Anglo American Board as an ESG focused non-executive director where she is a member of the board's sustainability committee. 



Elisabeth is a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur and utility industry veteran that is passionate about the role electricity and technology can play in moving the world towards a lower carbon energy system. Throughout her career Elisabeth has grown energy and technology businesses in some of the world’s largest markets including the USA and Australia.

Elisabeth joined Shell in 2018 from AGL Energy, Australia’s largest integrated energy company, where she was Executive Vice President, New Energy. There she helped to increase adoption of renewable energy, build the world’s first residential virtual power plant and grow and sell a profitable smart metering business.

Previously, Elisabeth was the Corporate Strategy Officer for PG&E Corporation, the US utility company that specialises in renewables, customer solar, energy efficiency and electric mobility. 


From 2008 to 2013, Elisabeth was Chief Customer Officer of Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and held founding and management roles in four successful Silicon Valley start-ups including, Loudcloud, a web infrastructure company that went public in May 2001. 

Useful links:

MORE INFO

​Elisabeth Brinton World Economic Forum​

​Elisabeth Brinton LinkedIn

Elisabeth Brinton Shell

Elisabeth Brinton is Executive Vice President of Shell&rsquo;s Renewables &amp; Energy Solutions (formerly New Energies) business, steering the company&rsquo;s work in power, renewables and lower-carbon technology. This role covers Shell&rsquo;s work in wind and solar, new mobility options such as electric vehicle charging, Nature Based Solutions and laying the foundation for an integrated lower-carbon power business.
 In 2021, Elisabeth joined the Anglo American Board as an ESG focused non-executive director where she is a member of the board's sustainability committee.&nbsp; 
Elisabeth is a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur and utility industry veteran that is passionate about the role electricity and technology can play in moving the world towards a lower carbon energy system. Throughout her career Elisabeth has grown energy and technology businesses in some of the world&rsquo;s largest markets including the USA and Australia.
Elisabeth joined Shell in 2018 from AGL Energy, Australia&rsquo;s largest integrated energy company, where she was Executive Vice President, New Energy. There she helped to increase adoption of renewable energy, build the world&rsquo;s first residential virtual power plant and grow and sell a profitable smart metering business.
Previously, Elisabeth was the Corporate Strategy Officer for PG&amp;E Corporation, the US utility company that specialises in renewables, customer solar, energy efficiency and electric mobility.&nbsp;
 From 2008 to 2013, Elisabeth was Chief Customer Officer of Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and held founding and management roles in four successful Silicon Valley start-ups including, Loudcloud, a web infrastructure company that went public in May 2001.&nbsp;
Useful links:
MORE INFO
<a href="https://youtu.be/CNbvxVDU8u4">​Elisabeth Brinton World Economic Forum​</a>
<a href="https://nl.linkedin.com/in/elisabethbrinton">​Elisabeth Brinton LinkedIn</a>
<a href="https://www.shell.com/inside-energy/net-zero-by-2050-the-sooner-the-better.html">Elisabeth Brinton Shell</a>

This week our Energy Trailblazer is Elisabeth Brinton, the super impressive Executive Vice President of Renewables and Energy Solutions at Shell. A self-professed tree-hugger, provocateur, and change agent, the dynamic conversation connects an array of dots across green financial frameworks, storage, clean tech infrastructure, ESG shareholders, innovating within a big firm and many other elements of the clean energy value chain.    The thing we love most about Elisabeth is that she always anchors to the end solution: a 'just' energy transition.    Elisabeth passionately encourages us all to use this moment in time to bring everyone along on the journey. We’re here to fuel a new energy conversation and it starts with you.

Trailblazer 11 | Elisabeth Brinton | Energy Visionary & Change Agent

Francesco Venturini is the highly successful Chief Executive Officer of Enel X, the innovative business unit charged with creating an energy ecosystem through electric mobility, electrification, digitalization and the provision of new energy services at the residential and commercial level to pave a new energy future and at the same time creates value for our shareholders.

Born in New York (USA) in 1968, Francesco graduated cum laude in Economics from the University of Rome La Sapienza, where he also served as assistant professor of Banking Strategies and Techniques during the academic year 1991-1992.

He is a London Business School alumnus and he received an MBA from MIT’s Sloan Business School in 2015. Francesco served as Financial Controller for Elsag Bailey Process Automation, and later became Chief Financial Officer for several companies of the Elsag Bailey Process Automation and Hartmann & Braun groups in both the United States and Brazil.

He joined the Enel Group in 1997 as Head of Administration and Management Control at Enel S.p.A., contributing to the company listing on the New York and Milan Stock Exchanges. Mr. Venturini later became Head of Internal Audit within Enel's Distribution and Market Division, and subsequently Head of Sales Administration within the same division.

Traditional utilities as we knew them are trying to survive in an evolving scenario where margins are squeezing because of increasing competition and disruptive innovation. In 2009, Francesco was appointed Head of Finance in Enel Green Power. Afterwards, he took on the role of Head of Business Development and later, in 2011, as Head of the North America Area. He was named Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Enel Green Power in May 2014.

Enel began shifting it's attention from the “asset” to the “service” dimension of the business, moving from being pure commodity vendors to service providers. To this end, Enel is was keen to harness inspiration from new trends and technologies to develop its own activities through a new Global Division called Enel X (e-Solutions). Francesco was appointed Enel's Head of Global e-Solutions in May 2017 and CEO of Enel X in November 2017. 

Francesco intends to continue leading the business to be a key sector player by coupling profitability with sustainability and by creating value for our customers in each segment in which they operate.

Francesco Venturini&nbsp;is the highly successful Chief Executive Officer of Enel X, the innovative business unit charged with creating an energy ecosystem through electric mobility, electrification, digitalization and the provision of new energy services at the residential and commercial level to pave a new energy future and at the same time creates value for our shareholders.
Born in New York (USA) in 1968, Francesco graduated cum laude in Economics from the University of Rome La Sapienza, where he also served as assistant professor of Banking Strategies and Techniques during the academic year 1991-1992.
He is a London Business School alumnus and he received an MBA from MIT&rsquo;s Sloan Business School in 2015. Francesco served as Financial Controller for Elsag Bailey Process Automation, and later became Chief Financial Officer for several companies of the Elsag Bailey Process Automation and Hartmann &amp; Braun groups in both the United States and Brazil.
He joined the Enel Group in 1997 as Head of Administration and Management Control at Enel S.p.A., contributing to the company listing on the New York and Milan Stock Exchanges. Mr. Venturini later became Head of Internal Audit within Enel's Distribution and Market Division, and subsequently Head of Sales Administration within the same division.
Traditional utilities as we knew them are trying to survive in an evolving scenario where margins are squeezing because of increasing competition and disruptive innovation. In 2009, Francesco was appointed Head of Finance in Enel Green Power. Afterwards, he took on the role of Head of Business Development and later, in 2011, as Head of the North America Area. He was named Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Enel Green Power in May 2014.
Enel began shifting it's attention from the &ldquo;asset&rdquo; to the &ldquo;service&rdquo; dimension of the business, moving from being pure commodity vendors to service providers. To this end, Enel is was keen to harness inspiration from new trends and technologies to develop its own activities through a new Global Division called Enel X (e-Solutions). Francesco was appointed Enel's Head of Global e-Solutions in May 2017 and CEO of&nbsp;<a>Enel X</a>&nbsp;in November 2017.&nbsp;
Francesco intends to continue leading the business to be a key sector player by coupling profitability with sustainability and by creating value for our customers in each segment in which they operate.

This week our trailblazer is Francesco Venturini, CEO of one of the world’s most innovative energy solution companies, Enel X. Told to ‘go out and break things’ Francesco insists that the company’s incredible success has never been about innovation for innovation’s sake. Rather, a critically disciplined focus on value generation.   Serving half a billion people with electricity every day puts this leader in a very powerful position to help accelerate the energy transition. We’re here to fuel a new energy conversation and it starts with you.

Trailblazer 12 | Knud Erik Andersen | Renewable Pioneer

Energy Trailblazers | hosted by Holly Ransom | powered by EY

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