Meet our Team Lead, BESS & PtX Integration, Aditya Surendran

Q&As with Aditya

Who are you?
My name is Aditya Surendran and I come from India. I have an engineering background, with a keen interest in sustainability and green initiatives. This motivated me to come to Denmark for my Masters degree and now it’s been 5 great years here in Copenhagen.

How would you describe yourself?
I maintain a “glass half full” perspective and always try to find fairness in any situation. I enjoy collaborating with others and learning from them, something that resonates with European Energy’s cooperative work culture. I am very career-oriented and enjoy participating in multiple projects, allowing me to understand complex topics and push myself out of my comfort zone. I also seek leadership positions whenever there is an opportunity. I love traveling to new places and exploring new cultures, cuisines, and local practices. I believe that experiencing diverse cultures and backgrounds teaches us valuable lessons about respect and open-mindedness. I try to make a conscious effort that everyone feels welcomed and comfortable, allowing me to learn more about them and listen to their stories. Anytime you would like to visit for help or just to chat, you will likely find me greeting you with a smile and eager to listen.

What do you do at European Energy?
I have been part of European Energy for more than 3 years now, currently working as “Team Lead – BESS & PtX Integration” within the Project Development department. My primary role is to support project development focused on Battery and Power-to-X projects across the various markets where European Energy is active. The goal is to share knowledge gained across these markets and apply it for efficient development in these emerging sectors. Additionally, I support the team with internal processes within the project development department.

How do you try to be a creative enabler of the green transition?
I feel grateful for the opportunity to work in a role that allows me to engage with multiple markets and collaborate closely with proven technologies such as onshore renewables, as well as upcoming innovations like Power-to-X and Battery Storage. Over the years, I have been able to see how different countries and markets are trying to promote sustainability not just within the electricity sector, but also extending to industries like heavy metals and transportation.
In my short time here I have seen a lot of new renewable projects coming online, integrating innovative solutions to make projects more efficient and at the same time preserve the local surroundings. But as a company we do understand that there is a long way to go in ensuring that nations not just reach their goals but do so in an efficient and sustainable way. My exposure to different markets has helped me to observe and adapt to unique challenges and come with innovative solutions. This has also allowed me to use these learnings and apply to other markets enabling effective knowledge sharing at a global level. Additionally, it has given me the opportunity to leverage on the collective global expertise that European Energy has across different departments.

What are the best things about working at European Energy?
At European Energy, I find the freedom to innovate and experiment with different solutions, a culture that has positioned us as leaders in key areas. It is also exciting and a standout feature for European Energy on how quickly we have been able to build a global culture within the company and allow internationals to be integrated completely to the company’s values and vision. European Energy’s close knit structure has made sure that one can express their opinions easily with their managers/management. Additionally, our work culture aligns with the Danish way of having an efficient work-life balance indicating the importance that the company gives to the well-being and growth of individuals.

Why is it important for you that European Energy is a driving force in the green transition?
When it comes to green transition, a lot is being done but looking at the grand scheme of things, very little is being done. In terms of building renewable projects, I believe there is always room to do it more sustainably, and I feel European Energy shares that vision. We are always working on integrating innovative solutions in regions and sectors facing challenges in enabling the green transition. What sets us apart is our open-mindedness to opportunities and how we back ourselves to find solutions where others might think twice. This has allowed us to grow at the rate that we have in the past few years. Key examples are our growth within the Power-to-X sector and the close development work we are doing with Agri-PV and hybrid projects.
I have always imagined my career and work having a positive impact on the planet. While many companies focus on this mission, what draws me to European Energy is their passion and vision to work at a global scale integrating different sectors. I am excited to see what new solutions we are going to bring to the table in the coming years and push the boundaries further.

What are the best things about your colleagues?
The best thing about my colleagues is our shared passion for sustainability. Working in an international company, everyone brings their own ideas and solutions to projects. This creates a collaborative environment where we discuss and understand challenges together. Given that we work in a company where departments are interlinked in more than one way, it is important that we collaborate with each other closely at each stage of the project. I have noticed that people from different teams are always willing to help and share their expertise, which helps us prepare better for projects from the beginning. Apart from work, I enjoy chatting and bantering with my colleagues about various topics, be it the TV shows that we are watching or an incredible football game that just happened – and of course about the weather because that’s a key topic when you live in Denmark.

European Energy has six core values. In it together, Excitement, Inclusion, Agility, Trust & Courage, and Ambition. What are the most important values for you and why?
I believe all the six core values build the company’s vision and depicts the correct image to people both working within the company and for external stakeholders. “Excitement”, “Agility” and “Ambition” are some of the values that stand out for me. They show our strong commitment to what we do. I have seen a sense of excitement within myself and my colleagues when a complex challenge is presented to us. This primarily stems from the confidence we have gained from being ambitious in our previous ventures, where we have faced some setbacks but a lot of success. When I was young, my dad used to tell me that in life one should always look upwards towards the people who act as leaders in the society regardless of their role. It’s a mindset that acknowledges the potential for setbacks but values the ambition and courage to learn from them and move forward. I see this same attitude reflected in our company through our values.

What has been your best experience so far at European Energy?
Every day working here is an interesting experience, especially for someone early in their career like me. All the day to day exercises and tasks are very intriguing and generally, there are challenges that I have not come across before, making them more exciting. However, if I had to pick one, it will be from our company trip to Sweden. The Events Team managed to do an excellent job in executing a trip for more than 500 people and plan interesting sessions and panels for everyone. I was lucky enough to get the chance of being part of the panel and share the stage with some of my colleagues. We had a brief conversation about the trust culture within the company and discussed with the audience through polls what’s working and how we can improve. It was also great to see all employees showing up for the sessions in the morning, given I know how we all partied the previous night.

What do you like to do outside work?
Outside of work you can generally find me playing any racket sport or planning the next holiday trip with my friends. One thing that is very close to my heart is doing theatre, be it stage play, street play or short films. I spent a good part of my growing up years doing theatre, and there’s nothing quite like the rush of being on stage performing in front of hundreds and bringing out their emotions through your stories. Theatre for me is not just about being creative, but it’s also a means for you to build your personality and build a pathway where you can play characters that you might not get to be in your daily life. Additionally, there are so many aspects to theatre from set design, story writing, narration, acting, etc. One has the freedom to participate and build in a role where they feel the most comfortable.