InfraWatt elects successor to the management board
After 10 years of activity, Ernst A. Müller will hand over the management of InfraWatt to younger hands next spring due to his age. In the future, Laure Deschaintre will take over the management of the association. She wants to commit herself to further exploiting the significant energy potentials for renewable electricity production and waste heat utilization from sewage treatment plants, waste incineration plants and water supplies.
Ernst A. Müller was the driving force and initiator behind the founding of InfraWatt. As managing director, he coordinated the association's fortunes from the very beginning and successfully positioned the association as a pivotal point on the subject of renewable energies between the various supply and disposal associations (VSA, VBSA, SVGW and VFS), the energy industry, the federal offices in Bern and the cantons. Thanks to a strong network, it has been possible to set important political accents and improve the framework conditions for energy investments, the association writes. With active information, education and training, as well as neutral advice for investors, operators of infrastructure facilities and planners, the organization repeatedly initiates significant energy projects, it says.
New managing director from April
The InfraWatt board, which is chaired by former Council of States member Filippo Lombardi, has announced Ernst A. Müller's successor: Laure Deschaintre from the company Planair SA will take over the management of the association from the beginning of April 2021. As an engineer with a master's degree in air conditioning, thermal and energy engineering, her practical experience and the management of projects (including with 18 EU partners), she brings extensive expertise in the energy sector and leadership experience. Her networking in the energy sector at home and abroad, as well as her multilingualism (F, D and E), would also strengthen InfraWatt as a Switzerland-wide association with an impact on neighboring countries.
As managing director, Ms. Deschaintre wants to ensure the right framework conditions for members to expand their important role in the energy market of the future, according to the media release.
InfraWatt turns 10 years old
InfraWatt was founded in January 2010 to promote the use of energy from wastewater, waste, waste heat and drinking water. Specifically, the aim is to support operators of wastewater treatment plants, waste-to-energy plants and water utilities in identifying and realizing economic energy potential. The aim is to increase renewable electricity production, including during the winter months. In addition, the association is working to increase the use of the huge amounts of waste heat from waste incineration plants and wastewater, which could be used to save around one-sixth of Switzerland's total heating requirements by 2050.2-free, the association emphasizes. InfraWatt can thus make an important contribution to Switzerland's energy and climate goals, it concludes.
Source: InfraWatt
