Keynote Speaker
Prof. Dr. Sonja Wogrin, TU Graz

Prof. Wogrin obtained her Dipl.-Ing in Technical Mathematics from Graz University of Technology in June 2008, followed by a Master of Science in Computation for Design and Optimization from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in October 2008. She further solidified her expertise by completing her PhD at the Instituto de Investigación Tecnológica (IIT) at the Universidad Pontificia Comillasin in Spain in June 2013. Having served as a research associate and associate professor in the Industrial Organization Department, Prof. Wogrin currently leads as the Institute of Electricity Economics and Energy Innovation at TU Graz since August 2021. Her research primarily revolves around decision support systems, optimization, and generation capacity expansion problems.
Dr. Stephan Riezler, STEAG Power GmbH

Dr. Riezler earned his PhD in 1995, focusing on life cycle assessment as controlling instrument in strategic projects. He embarked on his professional journey as a controller at Thyssen Engineering GmbH from 1988 to 1990. Following the completion of his PhD, he served as an area controller at Thyssen Industrie AG until 1997. Dr. Riezler subsequently held various commercial positions at STEAG AG. From 2009 to 2011, he assumed the position of managing director at Evonik Trading GmbH before returning to STEAG AG in 2011. At STEAG GmbH, he initially served as the Head of the Trading and Optimization Back Office and later transitioned to the role of Head of the Front Office at STEAG Power GmbH.
Prof. Dr. George Kariniotakis, MINES ParisTech
Prof. Dr. George Kariniotakis is the head of the Renewable Energies and Smartgrids Group at MINES ParisTech’s Centre PERSEE. Prof. Kariniotakis received his PhD on the development of an advanced control system for the optimal management of wind-diesel power systems at the Ecole des Mines de Paris. In 2012, he habilitated at University Lille 1. His scientific interests are on renewable energy and demand forecasting, integration of renewables into power systems and electricity markets, management and planning of power systems. In connection with these interests Prof. Kariniotakis authored more than 320 scientific publications in journals and conferences. Furthermore, he has been involved as participant or coordinator in more than 50 R&D projects in the field of renewable energies and distributed generation. Prof. Kariniotakis coordinated several major EU projects in wind power forecasting and integration, such as Anemos (FP5), Anemos.plus (FP6) and SafeWind (FP7).