#TSEP 222 Power Beyond Politics: Surviving the Storm When Policy Changes

Podcast Intro
“Powering Through: The Resilience of Renewables” is a
feature series of The smarter E podcast, recorded on-site at The
smarter E 2025 in Munich. Spanning six episodes, the series
highlights the critical role of resilience in the global energy
transition. It explores how electricity networks, renewable
energy companies, research institutions, and public policy
development intersect to build a more robust and sustainable
energy future.


Episode Intro
Electrons may not be political – but energy policy certainly
is. From solar and wind to battery storage and e-mobility, the
pace and scale of clean technology deployment are shaped by
public policy. And 2025 has been another year of seismic shifts
in the policy landscape.


In this episode of Powering Through, we explore what it takes to
create resilient, long-term energy policy and how to build
lasting public support for the clean energy transition.


The speakers


Abigail Ross Hopper is the president and CEO of
the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national
trade organization for America's solar and storage industry. She
currently serves on the board of directors of RE+ Events, the
Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society at Dartmouth,
the Consumer Energy Education Fund, and Earthday.org.

Jenny Chase is a solar analyst with BloombergNEF
having founded its solar team in 2006. The team provides market
research for financial and corporate clients on solar demand,
supply, price, technology and investment. She authored Solar
Power Finance Without the Jargon in 2019.


Walburga Hemetsberger has been the CEO of
SolarPower Europe since 2019. She has been working in Brussels
for more than 20 years predominantly in the energy sector. Before
joining SolarPower Europe, Walburga headed the VERBUND
Representation Office in Brussels and was a Board Member of
Hydrogen Europe.


Host


Jonathan Gifford is the co-founder and Head of
Content at Climate Copy, a clean-energy communications agency.


Company Introductions
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy in the
United States. SEIA works with its 1,200 member companies and
other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs
in every community and promote competition and the growth of
reliable, low-cost solar power.


BloombergNEF provides clear perspectives on
global commodity markets and the technologies driving the energy
transition, empowering decision-makers to navigate disruptive
trends in an evolving energy economy.


SolarPower Europe is the premier association for
the European solar PV sector, uniting more than 300
organisations. Based in Brussels, it shapes regulations and
business landscapes for solar’s growth in partnership with its
members. It helped found the RE-Source Platform, Renewable
Hydrogen Coalition, and the Energy Storage Coalition, and
actively engages in EU and international projects, fostering
partnerships with 40+ organisations globally.