Off-Grid to the Rescue: Rebuilding with Mini-Grids

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Time: 04:30 pm - 06:00 pm
Hall: ICM München
Room: Room 14 C

In this urgent and forward-looking session of the Intersolar Europe Conference, we will bring together voices and experience from Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Kenya to explore how solar and battery mini-grids are used where war has destroyed centralized power infrastructure. The initial focus is on the immediate, life-saving needs: Hospitals, schools and water supply systems. Then we move to the medium-term goal - interconnecting mini-grids, rebuilding a resilient infrastructure, creating new jobs and livelihoods. A major question is how we can train the local workforce, e.g. via vocational training, apprenticeships and certification programs, so that rebuilding is not only about hardware, but about people and enduring capacity. Join us to examine how off-grid solar transitions from an emergency stop-gap to the sustainable backbone of recovery and growth.

04:30 pm - 04:35 pmWelcome & Introduction

Lea Dunst

International Project Manager

BSW - German Solar Association

04:35 pm - 04:50 pmSetting the Scene

04:50 pm - 05:40 pmPanel Discussion

Vladyslav Sokolovskyi

Chairman of the Board of the Solar Energy Association of Ukraine

Solar Energy Association of Ukraine

Ing. Dereje Walelign Mera

Chairman

Ethiopian Solar Energy Development Association

Tobias Merkel

Managing Director

SOLAR23 GmbH

05:40 pm - 05:55 pmQ&A Session

05:55 pm - 06:00 pmClosing

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Speakers

Speaker

Tobias Merkel, SOLAR23 GmbH

Managing Director

Germany

Speaker

Vladyslav Sokolovskyi, Solar Energy Association of Ukraine

Chairman of the Board of the Solar Energy Association of Ukraine

Ukraine

Vladyslav Sokolovskyi is Chairman of the Board of the Solar Energy Association of Ukraine and a lawyer with 27+ years of experience in the energy sector.

Speaker

Ing. Dereje Walelign Mera, Ethiopian Solar Energy Development Association

Chairman

Ethiopia

Dereje Walelign is Chief Executive Officer of Lydetco PLC, a company engaged in Solar Photovoltaic and Solar thermal solutions. He is one of the founders of the former SEDA-E that has now transformed to ESEDA and served as its president for 10 years since its inception and currently serving as Chairperson of ESEDA (Ethiopian Solar Energy Development Association). He is also one of the 7 founders of Dalol Oil Co. and has served as its Chairman for 10 years. Dereje Walelign has earned his B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Technology. He started his career in the former Ethiopian Building Construction where he started his carrier as Site Engineer for the construction of Mugher Cement Factory and later as Project Manager for the construction of Jimma Health Science Institute complex. Eng. Dereje joined Shell Ethiopia Limited and worked for Shell for over 12 years by assuming various engineering roles. Whilst with Shell, he has worked as Project engineer, Equipment engineer, Operations Assistant for Assab installation. In his final years at Shell, he became Engineering Manager for Shell Ethiopia, Shell Eritrea and Shell Djibouti. After leaving Shell, Eng. Dereje established a company named Lydetco Plc in 1996 a pioneer in marketing solar systems. Lydetco is engaged in both Photovoltaic and large scale solar thermal systems including manufacturing of solar cooker. Lydetco has currently powered its 8 story mixed use building with solar photovoltaic independent of the grid which is groundbreaking.

Speaker

Lea Dunst, BSW - German Solar Association

International Project Manager

Germany

Lea Dunst holds two Master's degrees from the University of Freiburg and Sciences Po University of Aix-en-Provence, with a strong background in international relations and climate policy. Since 2015, she has worked in various capacities for NGOs, international organizations and consultancies. Before joining BSW-Solar, she managed international cooperation projects on climate adaptation at the consulting firm adelphi. In early 2022, Ms. Dunst started her current position at the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar). Since then, she has been actively involved in the management of events such as the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue and the "Women Energize Women" conference, as well as in studies and cooperation projects focusing on solar energy, especially in Africa.