The Energy Bridge: 1st Energy Transition Dialogue set a successful starting point
A groundbreaking initiative called The Energy Bridge takes on the mission to accelerate the energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe. For this reason the 1st Energy Transition Dialogue in Central and Eastern Europe took place at Climate Lab, Vienna. For this joint Initiative by The Energy Bridge and Vienna University of Technology (ACE TU Wien) Co-Founders Rahul Mishra and Daniel Schaub brought together representatives from academia, industry, policy makers and innovators to exchange valuable approaches regarding energy security, market integration and AI.
The inaugural event impressed with renowned guests such as Leonore Gewessler, the Indian Consul representative Navneet Singh Arora, the Chilean Consul Rocío Argomedo and Nicola Kofler and was attended by the audience from Wien Energie, APG, Analog Device, OMV, United Nations, IFC, World Bank, Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), politicians and startups.
The Energy Bridge – using Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest as their logo – is set to revolutionize collaboration within the energy sector through artificial intelligence technology. This AI platform called TEB Klub addresses the long-standing challenge of disconnection between industry professionals, academic researchers, policymakers and innovators in the energy transition landscape. By creating a centralized digital space, The Energy Bridge aims to facilitate knowledge sharing and partnership development across the entire energy value chain.
Looking ahead, TEB has announced its second major event scheduled for September 25th at TU Wien, focusing on academia-industry collaboration in Central and Eastern Europe.
Accelerating Energy Transition: From Policy to Implementation in Central and Eastern Europe
An early highlight of the event proved to be the keynote by Leonore Gewessler, Member of Austrian Parliament and former Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology: “To all the people who want to create an energy future together – I can tell you, your voice is crucial. It’s crucial for all the politicians who want to build the framework, the enabling environment for the energy transition, because without strong voices from the sector, it is much more difficult to do so.” As Gewessler pointed out, the European Union advances toward a fundamental transformation of its energy systems, shifting from centralized fossil fuel infrastructure to decentralized renewable solutions. This transition gains momentum through recent policy implementations and technological advances, as highlighted by the former Austrian minister.
Austria demonstrates remarkable progress in renewable energy adoption, achieving 95 % renewable electricity generation by 2024. The country installed over two gigawatts of photovoltaic capacity between 2023 and 2024, showcasing the feasibility of rapid renewable energy deployment. These achievements challenge previous assumptions about implementation timelines and technical limitations. The energy transition extends beyond renewable energy installation to encompass comprehensive system transformation. Smart grid development, infrastructure investment, and artificial intelligence integration emerge as critical components. These technological advances must align with policy frameworks to optimize system costs and maintain transition momentum.
As Gewessler stated, success requires collaboration across sectors, including startups, established utilities, academia, and policymakers. The integration of fresh ideas with existing infrastructure and expertise creates opportunities for innovation. This collaborative approach ensures the energy transition progresses efficiently while maintaining system reliability and affordability. In addition to her professional insights, the politician was pleased with the gender balance at the conference: “As a woman in energy policy, I’m absolutely thrilled to see so many women in this room. This is not at all usual in the energy policy.”
Navigating Energy Transition: Challenges and Solutions in Central Eastern Europe
Nicola Kofler, Head-Asset Development, Realisation & Management at Wien Energie went into detail about regulatory frameworks for renewables. As she pointed out, the energy transition landscape in Central Eastern Europe faces significant implementation hurdles despite clear renewable energy potential. Central Eastern Europe occupies a crucial position at energy crossroads, particularly following geopolitical shifts from the Ukraine war.
The region maintains significant untapped renewable potential, especially in solar radiation levels and hydropower capabilities. Current challenges include varying land ownership systems, disconnected permitting processes, and uncertain grid access timelines. Industry experts advocate for legally binding timeframes for grid access, harmonized permitting procedures, and coordinated infrastructure development to accelerate renewable energy adoption throughout Central Eastern Europe.
“The transition into renewables requires a regulatory framework. Of course, we should do it, even if there are obstacles, and it requires clarity. Otherwise, I think we have to go for the answer and take the risk. It’s not a question if we should do it. We should go for the solution. The question is how and how fast”, stated Kofler.
Jelisaveta Pavlovic, Senior Expert Renewable Power at OMV announced at the event that OMV has taken final investment decision of 140MW green hydrogen project in Lower Austria, one of Europe largest electrolysis plants. At this moment she got audience applause. Jasmina Trhulj, Head of Electricity Unit at The Energy Community Secretariat, highlighted issues around the integration of Renewables in the grid and non-EU member integration complexities in the second panel. Korbinian Kasinger, MD from kW-Solutions launched Charly, an intelligent energy manager made in Austria, which combines load management, dynamic electricity prices and billing within one solutions for EV at the lowest prices.
Startup Showcase proves the ongoing Innovation in Renewable Technologies
An exciting part of the forum was the startup showcase moderated by Kambis Kohansal Vajargah, Head of Startup Service, WKO. The event featured four upcoming companies developing solutions across risk intelligence, solar energy distribution, battery optimization, and energy market trading platforms. Austria’s energy sector maintains its position as one of the top three sectors for venture capital investment, demonstrating strong market potential for renewable energy innovations. The WKO supports startups through three core pillars: comprehensive business services, educational initiatives including e-learning platforms, and policy advocacy. This structure enables new companies to navigate regulations, access investors, and scale their operations effectively within the Austrian market.
The first startup Nexus.Group AI introduced their AI-powered risk intelligence platform, designed to help energy providers navigate complex regulatory requirements and supply chain disruptions. Their system processes open-source intelligence to deliver automated risk analysis and compliance recommendations, particularly relevant as the EU implements new critical infrastructure regulations. The startup Sonnnig presented a novel approach to corporate sustainability, transforming excess solar energy into employee benefits. Their solution enables companies to share surplus weekend solar production with employees, potentially doubling ROI on excess energy while offering workers up to 50 % savings on energy bills. This addresses both energy efficiency and employee retention, as research indicates 33 % of young professionals reject job offers from companies lacking strong climate commitments.
Floating Ground develops plug-and-play battery solutions for renters and apartment dwellers, democratizing access to energy storage. Their system optimizes charging and discharging based on energy prices, requiring no technical expertise from users while supporting grid stabilization. The final startup Marbl showcased their multi-market trading platform, combining weather data and market analytics to optimize battery assets across different energy markets. Their solution integrates day-ahead, intraday, and reserve markets, enabling battery operators to maximize revenue streams through intelligent asset allocation. The platform demonstrates particular promise as German battery capacity prepares for projected 16-fold growth in coming years.
Exploring the Role of AI in Energy Security
The last panel of the event discussed AI solutions for energy security, and the panelist shared their vision and addressed the apprehension around the use of AI for grids. Sherin Gharib from Austropapier shared the constraints of industry in using new solutions at large. Bharath Varsh Rao from AIT, Korbinian from Kw-solutions and Jesse Koskela from Ecophi also shared their solutions and vision. The energy forum came to a fitting end by incorporating a keynote by Moritz Thiem and Dominic Thiem from Thiem Energy which inspired the audience about ACE sportsmen as energy ambassadors.
TEB launched their podcast the same day, which will focus on their mission of connecting energy system and ecosystem and will feature people from industry, academia, innovators and policymakers. They will publish 50 podcasts by the end of October to gain understanding about the energy transition and incorporate the learning into TEB Klub.
The Energy Bridge: Two students drive Eastern European energy transition from Vienna
