TOP 10 Most-Read Thought Leaders of 2024 in Energy Transition

See our 2026 ranking of the Most Read Thought Leaders of the Year in Energy Transition

Discover also our 2024 rankings of the Most Read Thought Leaders in Carbon, Climate Change, Energy, Energy Transition, Environmental Sustainability, ESG, Green Tech, Nature, Social Responsibility, Sustainable Business and  Sustainable Finance and Overall. Explore how this year’s leaders compare to the most influential energy transition voices of 2022!

We are proud to present the most-read Thought Leaders in Energy Transition globally, as recognised by illuminem, the leading platform in sustainability information with 500,000+ loyal users and the largest expert network in the industry.

The authors listed below are part of a distinguished group of over 1,500 Thought Leaders publishing on illuminem. They include business leaders, scientists, academics, activists and policymakers from every corner of the globe. While their perspectives may differ, they are united by a shared mission: to address global energy challenges, promote a green energy transition, and drive innovation for a brighter, more sustainable future.

Please help us congratulate the TOP 10 Sustainability Thought Leaders of the Year in Energy Transition!

1️⃣ Jan Rosenow - Director of European Programmes at the Regulatory Assistance Project
Country: Germany 🇩🇪
Most-Read Thought Piece: Hydrogen is important - but heating with it is still a fairy tale
Profile: Dr Jan Rosenow is a principal and the director of European Programmes at the Regulatory Assistance Project and an honorary research associate at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute. Jan has several board appointments including the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, and is also considered by Onalytica among the 25 top influencers in Renewables and Future of Energy.

2️⃣ Frank Wouters - Chairman of the MENA Hydrogen Alliance and former Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Country: United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪
Most-Read Thought Piece: A strategic storage vision for Europe
Profile: Frank Wouters is chairman of the MENA Hydrogen Alliance and former Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He formerly acted as deputy director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency. After working on the energy transition for more than 30 years in various leadership roles, he is currently focusing on hydrogen projects.

3️⃣ John Calabrese - Professor of American University in Washington DC
Country: United States 🇺🇸
Most-Read Thought Piece: Driving the green transition: China-Gulf Arab cooperation in the “New Three” industries
Profile: Dr. John Calabrese is a distinguished professor at American University in Washington, DC, where he specialises in teaching courses on United States foreign policy. With a focus on global and regional dynamics, he is a recognised expert in the field. In addition to his academic and research endeavours, he serves as the book review editor for The Middle East Journal, contributing to scholarly discourse and fostering a deeper understanding of Middle Eastern affairs.

4️⃣ David McEwen - Director of Adaptive Capability
Country: New Zealand 🇳🇿
Most-Read Thought Piece: We're thinking about climate risk in the wrong way
Profile: David McEwen is a director at Adaptive Capability, providing TCFD-aligned climate risk, and net-zero emissions strategy, program and project management. He works with business people, designers and engineers to deliver impactful change and his book, “Navigating the Adaptive Economy”, was released in 2016.

5️⃣ Lolade Aluko - Marine Fuels Trader of Peninsula
Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Most-Read Thought Piece: The anticipated cobra effect of scrubber exhaust bans in European waters
Profile: Lolade Aluko is a Marine Fuels Trader of Peninsula, a global leader in marine energy solutions. She has previous experience in the financial services industry, with a focus on mining, metals, and industrial decarbonization. Lolade has a range of expertise in industries spanning renewable energy and global commodity supply chains.

6️⃣ Leon Stille - Director of Business Development and co-owner of Hovyu B.V.
Country: The Netherlands 🇳🇱
Most-Read Thought Piece: This is why carbon capture and storage is the third road to net zero
Profile: Leon Stille is director of Business Development and co-owner of Hovyu B.V., an innovative scale up company within the carbon capture storage and utilization space. He is also key lecturer for renewable gas and hydrogen for New Energy Business School, expert speaker on energy transition topics for several universities and often speaks and moderates at key industrial conferences and events. He also holds several advisory positions at the European Biogas Association, Hydrogen Europe and committee member sustainability of the international gas union. 

7️⃣ Michelle Arellano-Meza - Manager of the World Energy Council
Country: Ecuador 🇪🇨
Most-Read Thought Piece: The future is now: A youth-led energy transition
Profile: Michelle Arellano is an international affairs professional, with over 15 years of experience in the field. Her expertise lies in energy sustainability and climate change, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective that includes socio-economic insights to an often technocratic sector. She is currently leading the Future Energy Leaders programme of the World Energy Council, where she promotes clean and just energy transitions for a healthier, more inclusive future for all.

8️⃣ Yariv Cohen - Co-Founder and CEO of Ignite Power
Country: Israel 🇮🇱
Most-Read Thought Piece: Powering Africa: The World Bank's initiative to connect 300 million people to electricity
Profile: Yariv Cohen is the co-founder and CEO of Ignite Power, a company providing solar-based, life-enabling, distributed solutions across Africa, empowering communities with affordable and sustainable energy. Yariv has been a part of the renewable energy sphere for the past two decades, scaling innovation globally to help build a sustainable, inclusive future.

9️⃣ Oishika Basak - Fellow at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Country: India 🇮🇳
Most-Read Thought Piece: Green colonialism in the energy transition
Profile: Oishika Basak is fellow at UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a human geographer and a recent graduate from Utrecht University, where she did her Research Master’s in Urban and Economic Geography. Her research interests lie in the nexus of social-spatial (in)justices, and sustainability transitions from a feminist and decolonial lens. She is a Local Pathways Fellow with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth (UN SDSN – Youth).

🔟 Robin Mills - CEO of Qamar Energy
Country: United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪
Most-Read Thought Piece: Developing a modern energy mix – opportunities and obstacles
Profile: Robin Mills is a non-resident fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. In his full-time capacity, he is CEO of Qamar Energy, the Middle East energy consultancy, and author of “The Myth of the Oil Crisis”. He is a regular commentator on energy policy, economics, and the geopolitics of the Middle East. His expertise spans oil, gas, renewables, and the energy transition.

To the most read sustainability thought leaders in energy transition, congratulations on your well-deserved recognition. Your commitment to excellence has set a high standard for us all, and we are excited to see the continued growth and innovation that will undoubtedly define the future of sustainability initiatives in 2025.

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