Wednesday, September 30, 2026 I 12:00pm–1:00pm CET I Language: English
Batteries, hydropower, demand response, and cross-border electricity trade in a rapidly expanding solar market.
During the webinar participants can submit their questions to get them answered by the experts in the live Q&A. In addition, both the recording and the speakers' presentations will be made available on our digital content platform The smarter E Digital after the webinar.
David Wedepohl, German Solar Association (BSW), Managing Director International Affairs
David Wedepohl first came into contact with the solar industry while working for a US consulting firm before joining the German Solar Industry Association as Head of Market and Communications and spokesperson for the association. Today, he is responsible for all of the association's international activities outside of the EU. This now includes projects and partnerships in and with Africa, Latin America, Asia and the USA. He is a broadcast journalist trained at the international broadcaster Deutsche Welle and has studied and worked on both sides of the Atlantic. He earned his US degree as a Fulbright Scholar. He gained professional experience as a press and public diplomacy officer at the German Embassy in Washington, DC, and in the communications department of DaimlerChrysler AG. Since 2023, he has also been Managing Director of the non-profit branch of the solar and storage sector, BSW-Solar gGmbh.
Dr. Johannes Eckstein, Fraunhofer ISI, Senior Researcher
Dr. Johannes Eckstein joined the Business Unit Climate Policy within the Department of Energy Policy and Energy Markets as a researcher and project manager in 2019. His work focusses on the intersection of climate policy and industry, particularly on innovative funding instruments such as the EU Innovation Fund and Carbon Contracts for Difference. A second pillar of his expertise is energy system modeling and related policy questions. e.g. the relevance of hydrogen for decarbonization. Alongside studies with EU coverage, his geographic focus areas are the Western Balkan countries and Southeast Asia. He leads and participates in projects related to the international, EU or national context.
Johannes Eckstein studied meteorology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, spending an exchange year at Istanbul Technical University. He then worked as a scientific associate at the KIT, specializing in climate modeling, and completed his Ph.D. on atmospheric trace gases and water isotopes in 2017.
Senad Šepić, Renewable Energy Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (OIE BiH), President of the Steering Board of the Energy Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Senad Šepić is President of the Steering Board of the Renewable Energy Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (OIE BiH) and Founder of the Sarajevo Energy Forum (SEF), one of the leading regional gatherings focused on energy and the energy transition.
He is Director of TPC d.o.o. Sarajevo and EnerTrack d.o.o. Sarajevo, companies active in solar energy project development, electromobility, energy solutions, and data- and AI-driven engineering and design.
His work focuses on renewable energy, energy infrastructure, flexibility, innovation, and regional cooperation, connecting technology, investment and sustainable energy development.