About Us
Vision
We are working towards a future where climate and energy policy across Europe is evidence-based, existing carbon-free solutions are rapidly deployed, and investment is readily available for the next generation technologies needed to get all the way to net-zero by 2050.
Mission
To galvanise support across Europe for an ambitious decarbonisation agenda that includes every carbon-free energy technology.
About
Carbon-Free Europe (CFE) was launched by Third Way’s Climate and Energy program at COP26 to build international support for a technology-inclusive climate agenda and encourage governments to maximise the next decade to meet climate goals. With a presence in Brussels, EU Member States, the UK, and Washington, DC, CFE facilitates transatlantic collaboration on climate policy, innovation, and clean energy supply chains.
CFE conducts research to ensure policymakers and the climate community have access to comprehensive, robust analyses to make evidence-based decisions on net-zero strategies. As part of this, we assess the risks and tradeoffs of different net-zero pathways to advise governments on credible trajectories to 2050.
CFE advocates for technology-inclusive climate policies, which are essential for deep decarbonisation and to reduce Europe’s vulnerability to volatile energy prices. We also provide expert insights on contemporary issues, including the EU’s Green Deal, national energy and climate plans, and Europe’s energy security.
Our Funding
Carbon-Free Europe is financed entirely through European philanthropic grants from the Quadrature Climate Foundation.
Meet Our Team
Josh Freed
Senior Vice President for Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program, Co-founder of Carbon-Free Europe
As the leader of Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program, a Washington, DC-based think tank, Josh oversees the strategy to advance policies and change the conversation so that the United States gets to net-zero by 2050 as fast and equitably as possible.
Previously, Josh worked at the intersection of politics, advocacy, policy, and technology as a Vice President at GMMB, where he advised the senior leadership of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He also served as the Chief Policy Advisor for Representative Rob Andrews and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Representative Diana DeGette. Since 2009, Josh has led Third Way’s clean energy and climate advocacy efforts, helping establish the program as one of the nation’s top voices on clean energy innovation policy, and using every low and zero-carbon technology to take on climate change. This includes Third Way’s research on advanced technologies, as well as policy and communication on pathways to decarbonize the electricity, transportation, and industrial sectors while creating more jobs and economic opportunities. As part of this work, he regularly advises senior federal and global policymakers, philanthropies, academics, labor, and business leaders.
Lindsey Walter
Director of International Policy for Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program, Co-founder of Carbon-Free Europe
Lindsey is the Director of International Policy for Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program and co-founder of Third Way’s Carbon-Free Europe initiative, which provides research and advocacy for technology-inclusive climate polices across Europe. She oversees Third Way’s energy systems analysis and transatlantic portfolio, developing and advocating for evidence-based climate policies that rapidly deploy existing solutions and invest in the next generation of technologies and infrastructure to get all the way to net-zero. Lindsey is also on the leadership team of the Decarb America Research Initiative, an effort to analyze policy and technology pathways for the U.S. to decarbonize while highlighting the state-level economic and jobs opportunities of the clean energy transition.
Prior to Third Way, Lindsey worked at the Center on Global Energy Policy researching the geopolitics of clean energy. She also led a project for the New York City Mayor’s Office analyzing the impact of NYC’s climate policies on the energy cost burden for different demographics. Lindsey began her career in climate science and policy working at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory writing grants and contributing to scientific write-ups for Lamont’s Polar Explorer App. Lindsey earned her MPA in Environmental Science and Policy and her BA in Sustainable Development from Columbia University. She was a Fulbright Research Scholar at the Heidelberg Center for the Environment in Germany.
Alan Ahn
Senior Resident Fellow for Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program
As Senior Resident Fellow for Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program, Alan communicates the importance of carbon-free energy from an economic, climate, and national security perspective. He also helps demonstrate the economic benefits that investment in existing and advanced energy technologies offer for communities in the form of good-paying jobs.
Alan earned his B.S. in International Political Economy from Georgetown University and his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Before joining Third Way, Alan spent 10 years as the Director of Programs and Communication at the Global America Business Institute (GABI), where he managed research and policy dialogues on a range of clean energy issues. His principal focus at GABI was energy, with an emphasis on the value of innovation and international cooperation in advancing robust development and use of science and technology worldwide. During his time at GABI, he helped convene various stakeholders across different communities to foster multinational and industry collaboration on energy, including multilateral dialogues involving experts and officials from the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom. These forums typically revolved around developing international cooperation and coordination on specific issues, including capacity building for civil nuclear development in aspiring entrant states, spent nuclear fuel management, clean energy technology R&D, and facilitating the global deployment of low-carbon energy solutions.
Isabelle Chan
Senior Research Advisor for Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program
As a Senior Research Advisor, Isabelle leads and consults on research projects on behalf of Third Way's Climate & Energy Program and the Carbon-Free Europe Initiative. Her work aims to create data-driven solutions for short- and long-term net-zero goals and climate policies, enabling governments across the Atlantic to build reliable, affordable, secure, and clean energy systems.
Prior to joining Third Way, Isabelle worked at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Lab, New Hanover County's Soil and Water Conservation District, and various local nonprofits. Isabelle has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and minors in Nonprofit Management, Biology, and Geospatial Technologies from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. While attending university, she received the Dept. of State's Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in the Galapagos Islands and co-founded 350 UNCW, a local chapter of 350.org.
Ben Haley
Co-Founder, Evolved Energy Research
Ben is the Co-Founder of Evolved Energy Research and lead modeler for all deep decarbonization, policy, and infrastructure scenarios for the Carbon-Free Europe Analysis. Ben has unique experience developing energy system models to support energy transformation decision making. His models have been utilized by parties in the governments of California, Washington, New York, and New Jersey to support emissions target-setting and long-term planning; by utilities and other companies domestically and internationally to support strategic decision-making; and by NGOs and academic institutions to support advocacy and research activities.
Ben has a passion for problem-solving and a deep technical knowledge of energy, specifically in the growing interaction between electricity and other sectors of the energy economy. He has been the principal architect of all pathways modeling platforms and also led technical development on the RIO model.
Katie Pickrell
Principal, Evolved Energy Research
Katie bridges a background in economic analysis and modeling with expertise in corporate strategic planning and stakeholder engagement, helping corporate leaders integrate analytics into internal planning cycles and external advocacy efforts. She most recently led corporate development at Pacific Gas and Electric, where she was responsible for the utility’s ten-year strategic investment plan. In prior roles at PG&E, she managed the company’s Chapter 11 regulatory proceeding and exit financing equity raise, and created the nation’s second commercial electric vehicle tariff. She began her career in energy economics at E3, where she consulted to regulators, utilities, and technology companies, and contributed to early development of the Energy Pathways model. Katie holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and a BS in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford.
Elena Benaim
Policy Analyst, Carbon Pricing and Clean Energy Supply Chains
As a policy analyst, Elena Benaim leads Carbon-Free Europe’s work on carbon pricing and clean energy supply chains and works on transatlantic relations and trade policies. Her portfolio specifically includes Fit-For 55 files such as the Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism and the Emission Trading System.
Elena is also a non-resident fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and prior to joining Carbon-Free Europe, she worked as an associate for the Trade for Climate Campaign Programme of the European Climate Foundation and as a project assistant at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center. Elena holds a Bachelor of Laws from Università Degli Studi di Firenze where she focused her studies on European Union Law and International Trade Law. In 2020, she graduated with a master’s degree in Global Economic Governance and Public Affairs, a joint degree from Luiss Guido Carli School of Government and the Center International de Formation Européenne. This degree qualifies her as a policy officer in European and international organizations.
Francisco España
Communications Advisor
Francisco is Carbon Free Europe’s communications advisor, where he supports the initiative’s media relationships and communications needs. Francisco uses his unique experiences in eco-friendly fashion, marketing, and academia to help deliver on CFE’s net zero goals. Prior to joining the team, he worked as a professor of Humanities, Languages, and Literature in his home city of Seville, Spain.
He holds two bachelor’s degrees in Translation and Interpretation as well as Humanities from the Universidad Pablo de Olavide as well as a master’s degree in Philosophy Education from the Universidad de Salamanca.
Francisco speaks several languages fluently, which allows him to be an effective cross cultural communicator in his work with CFE.
General
1025 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036, United States
- info@carbonfreeeurope.org
Contact
- Lindsey Walter
- lwalter@carbonfreeeurope.org