NIM Industry Insights Series – Powering a Green Industry. Electrification: The Key to a Competitive, Net-Zero Future

Urban Peyker is the Head of the Industry, Enterprise, and Financing department at the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. He leads initiatives to promote sustainable industrial practices and drive Austria’s transition to clean energy. Previously, he managed programs on Smart Grids, Hydrogen and Industrial Decarbonisation at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). He has also worked as an energy efficiency consultant and as an energy market analyst. Peyker plays a key role in funding and supporting projects that enhance energy efficiency, sustainability, and climate innovation. His leadership contributes significantly to Austria’s climate goals and the advancement of green technologies.

Luciano Martini has more than 25 years’ experience on research and innovation (R&I) activities dealing with renewable energies grid integration, applied superconductivity, and smart grids. He is the Director of the Green Powered Future Mission (GPFM), one of the seven international R&I Missions launched by Mission Innovation, Chair of the Executive Committee of the IEA TCP ISGAN, the International Smart Grid Action Network, Coordinator of the EERA JP on Smart Grids, and GB member of ETIP SNET. Luciano provides technical support to the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, has a vast experience in international cooperation activities and has been repeatedly recruited as an independent expert to review publicly funded R&I projects.  

Jonathan Moncada Botero is a researcher in process engineering and techno economic analysis working in industrial decarbonization projects. Jonathan is currently the task manager of task 19 on Electrification of the Industry Energy Related Technologies and Systems Technology Collaboration Program (IETS – TCP) of the IEA. He works at TNO on topics such as solar hydrogen, biomass based fuels, integrated biorefineries, and system level modelling for defossilization strategies. His work combines detailed process modelling with broader assessments of value chains and sectoral impacts. Jonathan collaborates with partners across Europe and contributes to international initiatives focused on clean industrial technologies. 

Veronika Wilk leads the research field ‘Efficiency in Industrial Processes and Systems’, which focuses on the decarbonisation of thermal energy in industry with technological research on industrial heat pumps, thermal storage and high-temperature process heat, as well as on the optimal design and efficient operation of industrial processes to increase energy and resource efficiency. She has been working on energy efficiency technologies for over ten years and is also responsible for demonstration projects on high-temperature heat pumps. She studied chemical engineering at TU Wien and successfully completed her PhD in energy process engineering in 2013.   

Doris Hofbauer is a Project Manager specializing in refrigeration and heat pump technology, and she plays a pivotal role in advancing sustainable building systems. Her current work focuses on the development and implementation of climate-friendly refrigeration and heat pump technologies that rely exclusively on natural refrigerants. She is particularly committed to decarbonizing industrial processes by leveraging waste heat and previously unused energy sources. For over five years, she has been dedicated to the planning, modernization, and energy optimization of building services systems, with an emphasis on revitalizing existing installations to enhance energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.  

Daniel Rennie joined Calix in 2014 and has since worked closely with global experts and industrial leaders through EU-funded projects aimed at demonstrating the viability of breakthrough of this CO₂ capture solution. Under his leadership, the first Leilac project was launched at Heidelberg Materials’ plant in Belgium. It is capable of separating multiple tonnes of CO₂ per hour. This success led to the creation of Leilac Limited in 2021 as a subsidiary of Calix Limited. Daniel previously worked in the power sector and held positions at the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute, where he managed the European CCS Demonstration Project Network.   

Emma Mooney is the Lead Industry Energy Analyst in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transition of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Her work in the IEA is in demand side management with a focus on industrial energy efficiency and energy management and behavioural change. Emma has over 20 years’ experience in sustainable energy management, and has worked in the private, public and research sectors. She is a Chartered Engineer with a Masters in Energy Management, an MBA, and a Doctorate on the topic of industrial waste heat recovery. Currently contributing to global energy transition efforts at the International Energy Agency, Emma is passionate about driving impactful change through evidence-based policy, cross-sector collaboration, and pragmatic innovation.     

Ada Barbara Del Corno, Ada graduated in Physics with top honors from the University of Milan in 1990. She began her career working on experimental activities for the development of diagnostic instrumentation based on laser technology, applied to electric power generation plants. This work led to the development of patented solutions. Subsequently, she focused on studies, simulations, and optimization of energy management in plants, initially in the nuclear sector and, in recent years, in the district heating field. The most recent product developed is an atlas of the potential for waste heat recovery through district heating. Ada participated in several European projects (PASSAM, MAGNITUDE), and served on the EXCo committee of the IEA_DHC.  

Polar Night Energy’s Sales Manager Juha Niemi has over a decade of international experience selling complex, capital-intensive industrial solutions. With a degree in Energy Technology and a strong understanding of both engineering and business, Juha bridges technical feasibility with commercial value, guiding customers through long sales cycles and ensuring reliable outcomes. Dedicated and calm under pressure, he focuses on building lasting partnerships and delivering real results.  

Dr Alan Monaghan, Global Mission Coordinator of the Net-Zero Industries Mission, is a physicist, specialising in developing and delivering executive level strategy and change programs, from organisational restructures and project delivery capability establishment, through to the special risk management needed for technology development, implementation and commercialisation. He is currently the Senior Vice President of the global Technology & Expert Solutions team for Worley’s Resources sector, where Worley’s global SME pool is engaged to provide high priority customer solutions, across innovation and solution validation, through to project delivery, including leading their First of a Kind technology delivery and external technology partnership programs.