Benjamin Ost has been Manager for Energy Policy and Communication at Mittelständische Energiewirtschaft Deutschland (MEW e.V.) since 2022. He studied political science and economics in Berlin, Potsdam and Greifswald. Before joining MEW, Ost worked for the Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (BVMW) in the Federal Economic Senate.

At MEW, he is responsible for hydrogen, heavy goods traffic and security of supply. Ost also represents the interests of medium-sized member companies, organizes the association's internal work and is responsible for external communication, for example by hosting the podcast Talking Energy.

Bachelor and Master of Science: Degree program: Applied Natural Science, focus: Analytical Chemistry; TU Bergakademie Freiberg;

since 02/2023 research assistant at TU Bergakademie Freiberg:TU Bergakademie Freiberg:

• Collaboration in the research project “DeCarTrans”
• Carrying out extensive analyses of different process streams (gas, liquid and solid analysis)
• Chemical-analytical evaluation of the experiments
• Preparation of a doctoral thesis

Based in Brussels, Gabriel is the Manager of Stratas Advisors' Global Renewables and Decarbonization practice. He specializes in delivering in-depth research and analysis on global markets for biofuels and alternative fuels as part of Stratas' core services, while also offering ad hoc consulting support. Prior to joining Stratas, Gabriel honed his expertise as an energy data analyst at the Belgian Energy Ministry. He holds a master's degree in Economics from the University of Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium).

Jörg Schröder is a graduate engineer in mechatronics/combustion engines and has been working at the German Biomass Research Centre in the Renewable Fuels in Transport working group since 2010. His field of research includes the technological assessment of current and future biorefinery products in the context of vehicles, infrastructure and future demand. In this context, he is also active in the national standardisation committees for gas and liquid gas fuels and in the Transport Working Group of the European Biogas Association (EBA). At the DBFZ, he is currently investigating the sustainable implementation of green refineries and acts as editor of the DBFZ report ‘Monitoring renewable energies in transport’.

• Studies of Technical Chemistry, University of Greifswald
• 1989 - 1997 Scientific Assistant, Department of Chemistry, University of Rostock
• 1998 Doctorate in the field of analytics and environmental chemistry at the University of Rostock (Dr. rer. nat.)
• since 1999 Scientific Assistant at the Chair of Piston Engines and Internal Combustion Engines, University of Rostock
• since 2001 Head of the Fuel and Lubricant Research Group
Activities in committees and associations:
• Mineral Oil and Fuel Standards Committee of the DIN, subcommittee 632.2 - Fuels for vegetable oil compatible combustion engines - Fuel from rapeseed oil, Working group Standardization of Vegetable Oil Fuel and Working Committee 663 - Used Oil Tests
• UFOP expert commission “Biofuels and Renewable Resources”
• Technical Committee of AGQM Biodiesel

Sarah Tschirner studied chemistry at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and completed her doctorate in technical chemistry at the Technical University of Braunschweig in 2022. Since 2023 she works as a scientist in the division fuel at the Bundeswehr Research Institute for Materials, Fuels and Lubricants (WIWeB) in Erding. The focus of her work is the processing of individual scientific projects within the topic future energy supply of the German Armed Forces.

2011 - 2015: Bachelor's degree in Chemistry at the Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg.
2015 - 2019: Master's degree in Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich
2019 - today: Research and Development Tecosol GmbH
2019 - today: Chief Chemist REC Reliable Engineering Concepts GmbH 2021 - today: Doctorate at the Faculty of Sustainability at Leuphana University Lüneburg

Dr Uta Weiß has over 25 years of experience in various areas of the energy industry (natural gas, electricity and liquid fuels). After studying chemical engineering, she completed her doctorate at the Institute for Chemical Reaction Engineering at the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg.
In 1998, she began her career in the exploration/production and transport sector of the gas business at BEB Erdgas und Erdöl in Hanover. Back in Hamburg, she worked for Hamburgische Electricitätswerke (now Vattenfall) from 2001.  From 2003-2005 she worked in the Rhineland as Hub Contract Manager and Deputy Managing Director for HubCo/EuroHub, the then operator of the natural gas trading hub in Northwest Europe.

She then built up the Public Affairs division at Marquard & Bahls (now Mabanaft GmbH&Co.KG) and was additionally appointed Managing Director of GMA (Gesellschaft für Mineralölanalytik und Qualitätsmanagement) in 2012.

In September 2021, she was elected Chairwoman of the Board of MEW e.V. (Mittelständische Energiewirtschaft Deutschland).