Barbara Flesche Of Statkraft Europe Elected President Of SolarPower Europe, Succeeding Aristotelis Chantavas

Following the Board elections on 7 May, Barbara Flesche, Executive Vice President of Statkraft Europe, has been appointed as the new President of SolarPower Europe, succeeding Aristotelis Chantavas. Her election comes at an important moment for the European solar and storage sector, which is undergoing rapid expansion while facing renewed focus on energy security and industrial competitiveness.

SolarPower Europe’s CEO, Walburga Hemetsberger, welcomed the appointment, noting that Flesche’s extensive experience at Statkraft—one of Europe’s largest renewable energy players—makes her exceptionally well suited to lead the association into what she described as the emerging solar-plus-storage era. She also thanked outgoing President Aristotelis Chantavas and Interim President Francisco Beirão for their leadership in previous years.

In her first remarks as President, Flesche said she is honoured to take on the role at a decisive time for both the sector and for Europe as a whole. She underscored that solar power and battery storage have become strategic assets for the continent, contributing not only to climate objectives but also to long-term energy resilience and industrial strength.

Flesche highlighted the strong progress made by SolarPower Europe in unifying the sector’s voice and establishing itself as a credible and influential stakeholder in shaping Europe’s energy future. She added that she looks forward to working closely with members, partners and the organisation’s team to continue strengthening the association’s impact.Alongside the election of the new President, SolarPower Europe confirmed two Vice Presidents.

Alexandra Sombsthay, Executive Vice-President at Akuo, was re-elected, while Stefano Lorenzi, CEO of 3SUN, was newly elected to the role. The association also announced the election or re-election of six Board Directors, representing a wide range of companies across the solar and battery storage value chain. Their confirmation reflects a broad strengthening of the Board’s expertise in regulatory affairs, corporate strategy, technology, market development and public affairs.

The Chair and Vice-Chair of SolarPower Europe’s National Association Committee, Paolo Rocco Viscontini from Italia Solare and Nold Jaeger from Holland Solar, were also confirmed as Board Directors. According to Hemetsberger, the collective experience and market insight of the new Board members will play a central role in advancing SolarPower Europe’s mission to make solar and battery storage the leading source of electricity in the European Union by 2030. With these appointments, the association’s Board now consists of 20 Directors in total, representing one of the broadest and most diverse leadership teams in its history.