IEA Energy Innovation Forum 2026
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Energy innovation is today a key focus for many governments worldwide, for its potential to contribute to developing secure, sustainable and affordable energy systems, and to drive industrial competitiveness and economic growth.
For more than fifty years, the International Energy Agency has collaborated with governments, industry leaders and international experts to advance dialogue and shape priorities in the field of energy innovation. Ambitious policy frameworks and action to mobilise investment are essential to drive energy innovation.
Now in its third annual edition, the 2026 Energy Innovation Forum will bring together high-level government representatives with senior executives from corporates and start-ups, as well as representatives from the investment and research community, to review recent advances and participate in in-depth exchanges on selected topics related to energy innovation policy and development of the innovation ecosystem.
To inform discussions at the 2026 IEA Energy Innovation Forum, the IEA will launch the 2026 edition of The State of Energy Innovation report on the morning of the Forum.
This event is by invitation only.
A look at the Energy Innovation Forum
Schedule
All times in Paris time
Feb 18, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Welcome and keynote speeches
WATCH
09:30 - 10:30
The State of Energy Innovation 2026
WATCH
11:00 - 13:00
Breakout session: Technology innovation for resilient electricity grids
11:00 - 13:00
Breakout session: From here to gigawatts of fusion energy
11:00 - 13:00
Breakout session: Scaling up emerging sustainable fuel pathways
13:30 - 14:30
Technology innovation and supply chains at the heart of national competitiveness strategies
WATCH
15:20 - 16:20
Progress with large-scale first-of-a-kind projects
WATCH
16:20 - 17:45
What to watch and where to act over the next 12 months
WATCH
Photos
"Energy innovation has become a strategic priority for governments around the world with energy security and industrial competitiveness at the top of the agenda, countries that sustain investment in research, demonstration and early deployment will be best"
Fatih Birol
IEA Executive Director
Participants
Co-hosts
Sophie Hermans
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth, The Netherlands
Fatih Birol
Executive Director, International Energy Agency
Speakers
Marco Arcelli
Chief Executive Officer, ACWA Power
Kjetel Digre
Chief Executive Officer, Aker Solutions
Stephen Jones
Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OECD, Australia
Elisabeth Zehetner
State Secretary for Energy, Startups and Tourism, Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Austria
Akshat Rathi
Senior reporter, Bloomberg News
Julia Reinaud
Senior Director, Breakthrough Energy
Tim Hodgson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Canada
Rick Needham
Chief Commercial Officer, Commonwealth Fusion Systems
André Aranha Corrêa do Lago
COP 30 President
Sara Moradi
Deputy Head of Fusion Science, EUROFusion
Dan Jørgensen
European Commissioner for Energy and Housing
Teresa Ribera Rodríguez
Executive Vice-President, Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, European Commission
Joanna Drake
Chair, Steering Committee, Mission Innovation and Deputy Director General of DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
Stephen Rowan
Vice-President, European Patent Office
Vaitea Cowan
UK Lead, Fifty Years
Vera Silva
Chief Strategy and Technology Officer, GE Vernova
Gerhard Salge
Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Hitachi Energy
Stephan Köhne
Managing Partner, HyIron
Shinichi Kihara
Director General for Energy and Environmental Policy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan
James Opiyo Wandayi
Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Kenya
Satoshi Konishi
Chief Executive Officer, Kyoto Fusioneering
Shintaro Matsumoto
Executive Director, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan
Terje Lien Aasland
Minister of Energy, Norway
Marc Spieler
Senior Managing Director, NVIDIA
Dorus Bakker
Financial Director, Porthos (Porthos CO2 Transport and Storage)
Greta Drumstaite
Head of Policy & Advocacy, Raizen
Selda Gunsel
Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Technology, Shell
Sara Aagesen Muñoz
Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain
Elena Fjørtoft
Head of Department, R&D - Grid Infrastructure Onshore & Offshore, Statnett
Ola Hansén
Public Affairs Director, Stegra
Charlotte Roule
Chief Executive Officer, Storengy
Aurore Belfarge
Co-founder, SusTechable
Sophie Hermans
Minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth, Deputy Prime Minister, The Netherlands
Greg de Temmerman
Director Deeptech and Spin-Off Excellence, Techleap
Kiki Lauwers
CEO, Thorizon
Sorin Grama
Co-founder and CEO, Transaera
Mart Duitemeijer
Managing Director, Global Business Development, VEIR
Lee McDonough
Director General for Net Zero, Nuclear and International, United Kingdom
Ed Miliband
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, United Kingdom
Non-government (companies, international organisations, finance, academia)
Steve Kelly
President & General Manager, 1PointFive
Stefan Kapferer
CEO, 50Hertz Transmission GmbH
Paolo Perani
Sustainability Manager, ABB
Sandiswa Qayi
Director, AET Africa
Viviana Cigolotti
Chair, AFC TCP
Timur Topalgoekceli
Special Advisor to the Board, Agora Energy Technologies
Anna Svensson
Co-lead Energy, AI Sweden
Delphine Roma
VP DeepTech Marketing, Air Liquide
Fridtjof Unander
Senior Advisor, Aker Solutions
Fredrik Ekström
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Alfa Laval
Madeleine Gilborne
Vice President Energy Division, Alfa Laval
Sele Inegbedion
Head, Innovation Hub, All On
Nemunas Biknius
CEO, Amber Grid
Julie Gosalvez
Executive Director Decarbonation, Ambition Loop
Jesper Schramm
Chair, AMF TCP
Jiajun Cen
Founder & CEO, Aquabattery
Gatis Junghans
Member of the management board, AS Augstsprieguma tīkls, Latvia
Razib Dawood
Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Energy
Reza Edriawan
Special Officer to the Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Energy
Pradeep Jacob Tharakan
Director-Energy Transition, Asian Development Bank
Fabio Lancellotti
Partner, Aster Capital
Mohamed Taha El Ouaryachi
Co-founder, Atarec
Maxime Vassieu
Business Development Manager, Axens
Cristina Corchero
CTO, Bamboo Energy
Xavier Moya
CEO, Barocal /University of Cambridge
Nicole Iseppi
Director, Global Energy and Innovation, Bezos Earth Fund
Melina Fohrenbach
Senior Director, Portfolio Strategy & Impact, Blisce
Daniel Betts
CEO, Blue Frontier, Inc.
Devashish Paul
CEO and Founder, BluWave-ai
Martin Bengtsson
Head of Legal, Blykalla
Thorsten Loehl
Vice President, Borealis
Markus Wråke
CEO, Calentix Energy
Sam Thivolle
Chief Operating Officer, Capsol
Anne-Isabelle Etienvre
Chairman, CEA
Xavier Litaudon
Research Director and EUROfusion Project Leader, CEA
Fred van Beuningen
Managing Partner, Chrysalix Venture Capital
Philippe Adam
Secretary General and CEO, CIGRE
Lea Romm
Associate, Electricity Program, Europe, Clean Air Task Force
Dymphna van der Lans
CEO, Clean Cooking Alliance
Jean-François Gagné
Head of Secretariat, Clean Energy Ministerial
Richard Youngman
CEO, Cleantech Group
Michael Apicelli
Head of Secretariat, Climate Club
Cindi Bough
Managing Director, Climate Investment
Daniel Nathan
Chief Project Development Officer, Climeworks
Greg Degen
Head of International Affairs, Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Krysta Biniek
UK Program Director, Constructive
Gabriele Callegarin
CEO, Core Energy Consortium
Patrik Möller
Co-founder & CEO, CorPower Ocean
Catharina Belfrage Sahlstrand
Head of Strategy, CorPower Ocean
Thabo Hlalele
Energy Centre Head, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Erin Bobicki
CEO, CURA Climate
Haruka Degawa
CVC Investment Strategist, Daikin Industries
Andrea Ramirez Ramirez
Professor, Delft University of Technology
Sarah Lamaison
Co-founder & CEO, Dioxycle
Bart Tonnaer
Director, Directie
Loes Knotter
Executive Director, Dutch Platform Renewable Fuels
Peter Molengraaf
Chairman, Dutch Topsector Energy
Hermann Stockinger
CEO, Easelink
Stephane Dupre La Tour
Deep Tech and Digital Tech VP, EDF
Mauritius C.M. Van de Sanden
Scientific Director, Eindhoven University of Technology Eires
Marc Senouci
Head of Power System Insights and Research, EirGrid
Elena de Benavides
Head of corporate venturing and innovation ecosystem, Elewit
Frederic Dunon
CEO, Elia
Varun Sivaram
Founder & CEO, Emerald AI
Jean Van Wetter
CEO, Enabel
Simona De Iuliis
Head of Technical-Strategic Support Unit I Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources, ENEA
Alessandro Dodaro
Head of Department, ENEA
Riccardo Pozzi
Global Head of European & Rest of the World Public Affairs, Enel Group
Dean Rizzetti
Regional Co-Director - Policy, EnergyLab Cambodia
Rafik Ammar
Policy Director, eNG Coalition
Edoardo Fiorentini
Head, Magnetic Fusion Initiatives, Eni
Drew Marsh
Chair & Chief Executive Officer, Entergy Corporation
Karolina Daszkiewicz
Innovation Strategy and Stakeholders Manager, ENTSO-E
Ambrogio Fasoli
Vice President for Academic Affairs, EPFL
Chiara Bustreo
Chair, ESEFP TCP
Brian O’Gallachoir
Chair, ETSAP TCP
Giacomo Aiello
Senior Materials and C&S Engineer, EUROfusion
Jose Campos
Associate - Energy Transition, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Arvid Tuerkner
Managing Director, Ukraine and Moldova, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Viktor Veefkind
Observatory Stream Lead Technology Intelligence, European Patent Office
Nick Appleyard
Head, Applications and Solutions Department, European Space Agency
Giuseppe Borghi
Head, Φ-lab Division, European Space Agency
Tim Heijmann
Energy Lead in SEF Stakeholder Engagement Facility, European Space Agency
Cillian Totterdell
Policy Manager, Form Energy
Nobuo Tanaka
Chairman, Steering Committee, Former IEA Executive Director
Christopher Hebling
Director International, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems
JC Btaiche
Founder and CEO, Fuse
Andrew Holland
CEO, Fusion Industry Association
Milena Roveda
Chief Executive Officer, Gauss Fusion
Vera Fernandes De Paiva Da Silva
Chief Strategy & Technology Officer, Ge Vernova Electrification Systems
Rhea Hamilton
Managing Director, General Atlantic - BeyondNetZero
Grace Peach
Vice President, External Relations, General Fusion
Gaelle Netzer
Chief Strategy Officer, GenF
Lindsay Fitzgerald
Chief Advocacy Officer, Gevo
Nicola Clarke
Senior Geologist, GHG TCP
Louise Burrows
Head of Policy and Advocacy, Global Renewables Alliance
Bruce Douglas
CEO, Global Renewables Alliance
Bogdan Popescu
Senior Lead, Energy Market Development EMEA, Google
Devon Swezey
Senior Manager, Global Energy and Climate, Google
Rhian Mari Thomas
CEO, Green Finance Institute
Hélène Loncin
Head of Venture Capital, GTT
Larissa Lee Beck
SVP, Global Policy and Commercial Strategy, HIF Global
Aurianne Legris
Investment manager, Honda
Giao-Minh Nguyen
Co founder & President, HStar Space
Ivana Jemelkova
Chief Executive Officer, Hydrogen Council
Paul Armand Lucchese
Chair, Hydrogen TCP
Stephan Köhne
Managing Partner, HyIron
Mark Freymueller
Energy & Hydrogen Europe CEO, Hyundai
Johanna Mossberg
Chair, IETS TCP
Ambuj Sagar
Professor of Policy Studies and Head, School of Public Policy, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Mariano Berkenwald
Head of Strategy, Ineratec
Tim Boeltken
CEO, Ineratec
Elena Bou
Cofounder & Innovation Director, InnoEnergy
Fabby Tumiwa
Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Essential Services Reform
Ana Maria Ibanez Londono
Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge, Inter American Development Bank
Jassim Alshirawi
Secretary General, International Energy Forum
Lina Murad
Head, International Relations, International Energy Forum
Rinke Zonneveld
CEO, Invest-NL
Luca Mezossy-Dona
Co-founder, Chief Growth Officer, IONATE
Noe Van Hulst
Vice Chair, IPHE
Alain Jacques Becoulet
Deputy Director General, ITER Organization
Dennis Schulz
Chief Executive Officer, ITM Power
David Maisonnier
IEA FPCC Chair; Founder and CEO, IZI Fusion
Takeya Kenichi
Director, Kansai Electric Power
Eiji Ohira
Head of Hydrogen Business Development, Kawasaki Gas Turbine Europe
Rebecca Groen
Interim CEO, Komercon
Si Woo YOON
Vice President, Korea Institute of Fusion Energy
Devrim Celal
Chief Flexibility and Marketing Officer, Kraken
Kidus Asfaw
CEO, Kubik
Kimberly Budil
Laboratory Director, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Jeremy Harrison
Senior Consultant, LCP Delta
Serhat Aydogdu
Private Equity Investor, LeapFrog Investments
Christian Rood
CEO, LeydenJar Technologies
Ghada Nafie
CEO, Litus
Gregor van Ackeren
CEO, Magnoric
Dawud Al Ansari
President, Majan Council
Wilfried Breuer
Managing Director, Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen
Sarah Jordaan
Associate Professor, McGill University
Jisung Won
Senior Business Development Officer, MIGA, the World Bank Group
Bernt Erik Westre
CTO, Minesto
Eleonor Webster
Head of Secretariat, Mission Innovation
Bill Green
Director Hoyt C Hottel, Professor of Chemical Engineering, MIT
Tatsuya Hoshino
Executive Strategist, Methanol & Ammonia Division, Mitsui & Co.
Naoaki Chisaka
Senior Advisor to CEO for EMEA, Mizuho Bank
Gerard Ostheimer
CEO, Molecule Group
Fumiaki Ebihara
Director General, European Office, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Mitsuhiro Yamazaki
Director,International Affairs Section, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Colm Murphy
Director of Major Projects, National Energy System Operator (NESO)
Andre Faaij
Chairman of the Board, Netherlands Energy Research Alliance
Tim Heijn
Managing Director, Northern Lights
Carol Berrigan
Executive Director, International Government Affairs and Supply Chain, Nuclear Energy Institute
Marco de Baar
Director, NWO Institute DIFFER
Arnold Lumsdaine
Private-Public Partnerships Lead, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Adam Baylin-Stern
Senior Manager, Policy and Engagement, Occidental
Frantisek Ruzicka
Deputy Secretary-General, OECD
Mariusz Kownacki
Head of Sales, OGRE AI
Afnan Hannan
CEO, Okra Solar
Andres Rebolledo
Executive Secretary, OLACDE
Souad Nassir
PPA Director, ONEE Morocco
Philippe Hoeblich
CEO & Co-Founder, PAYGAS
Yashraj Khaitan
CEO & Founder, Polaris grids
Pawel Chorazy
Managing Director of European Funds, Polish National Development Bank
Marta Postula
President, Polish National Development Bank
Arturo Dominguez
Strategic Networks Lead, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Robert McGinnis
CEO, Prometheus Fuels
Chris Jackson
Founder & CEO, Protium
Srinivas Siripurapu
Chief Innovation, Sustainability and R&D Officer, Prysmian
Daniel Mugnier
Chair, PVPS TCP
Mats Lindelöw
CEO, Qurrent AB
Silvia Maria Bruno de la Cruz
Chief Innovation & Technology Officer, Redeia
Agata Hidalgo
Head of Public Affairs and Media Relations, Renaissance Fusion
Victor Prost
Head of Stellarator Design Integration and Construction, Renaissance Fusion
Rushad Nanavatty
Managing Director, RMI
John O'Donnell
Chief Innovation Officer, Rondo Energy
Michele de Nigris
Director, RSE
Luciano Martini
Director, RSE
Bert Stuij
Manager National Programmes / Energy, RVO
Prafull Sharma
SVP Strategy Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric
Till Stenzel
Partner, SET Ventures
Selda Gunsel
CTO/Executive Vice President Technology, Shell
Nils Klippenberg
CEO, Siemens AS
Jaap van Kampen
Vice President Innovation Center Berlin, Siemens Energy
Maya Stoyanova
Investment Director, SiteGround
Simon O'Connell
CEO, SNV Netherlands
Manoj Kumar
Founder & CEO, Social Alpha
Manuel Garcia-Munoz
Chair, Spherical Tori TCP
Fernando Llaver
CEO and Founder, Splight
Thomas Vadora
Co-founder and CTO, Splight
Carole Chapelotte
Head of EU Affairs, Storengy
Akinwale Aboyade
Global Vice President for Public Policy, Sun King
Philipp Lückerath
VP Strategy & Growth, Sunfire SE
Monica Gullberg
Senior Advisor Climate and Energy, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
Diederik Peereboom
Secretary General, T&D Europe
Birte Holst Joergensen
Senior Researcher, Technical University of Denmark
Olivier Furdelle
Managing Director, Teranga Capital
Carlo Fiorina
Associate Professor, Texas A&M University
Carsten Schmitt
Senior Director Research & Development, thyssenkrupp nucera
Berend Vreugdenhil
Senior Scientist Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals, TNO
Henk Jan Vink
Managing Director, TNO
David Kingham
Founder and Senior Advisor, Tokamak Energy
Dorothee Lahaussois
Senior Manager, Toyota Motor Europe
Stephan Koehne
CEO, TS Group
Richard Beake
UK Country Manager, Type One Energy
William Morris
Chief Scientist, UK Atomic Energy Agency
Torsten Kolind
Managing Partner, Underground Ventures
Ophelie Drouault
Programme Officer, UNFCCC
Simon Stiell
Executive Secretary, UNFCCC
Manasa Suresh
Associate Industrial Development Expert, UNIDO
David Reiner
Professor of Technology Policy, University of Cambridge
Peter Taylor
Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems, University of Leeds
AbuBakr Bahaj
Professor, Head of Energy and Climate Change Division and Sustainable Energy Research Group, University of Southampton
Franz Zöchbauer
Managing Director, VERBUND
Oliver Sartor
Chief Economist, Voltalis
Tuomas Paloviita
Manager, Business Development, Wärtsilä Energy
Enguerrand Ducene
VP Commercial Contracts EMEA, Westinghouse
Diana Paez
Senior Director, Energy & E-mobility, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan
Espen Mehlum
Head, Energy, Centre for Energy and Materials, World Economic Forum
James Rockall
CEO, World Liquid Gas
Cemil Cihan Özalevli
Energy Projects Director, Young Guru Academy
Andreas Hauer
Director, ZAE Bayern
Downloads
Session: Progress with large-scale first-of-a-kind projects
Breakout session: From here to gigawatts of fusion energy
Breakout session: Scaling up emerging sustainable fuel pathways
All times in Paris time
Feb 18, 2026