University of Athens Professor Dr. Tsani Wins EU Award for “Woman in Energy”

Dr. Stella Tsani, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Athens, has been named this year’s winner in the Woman in Energy category of the European Sustainable Energy Awards (EUSEW Awards). These awards honor exceptional individuals and projects for their innovation and commitment to energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Woman in Energy Award specifically recognizes women who lead outstanding initiatives that can accelerate the clean energy transition across Europe. It also highlights efforts to promote gender mainstreaming and advance equality and equal opportunities within the energy sector.

Dr Stella Tsani is known for her commitment to using facts to guide policy and support fair energy change. Her research connects economics and sustainability, helping governments in Europe and the Mediterranean create energy systems that meet climate goals. Beyond her academic work, Dr Tsani is also a passionate mentor, particularly for young women in the energy field. Her advocacy shows that the clean energy transition is not only smart and strategic but also inclusive and future focused.

Often seen as elite ivory towers, academic institutions may hold the answers to some of the key socio-political questions facing Greece and the wider European region. Can economic analysis deliver solutions to the country’s challenges around sustainable energy? As an academic, Stella Tsani is bridging research and action around energy and the environment, driven by a deep curiosity about how economies function and how economic choices impact society and the environment:

‘One of our main challenges in the clean energy transition is how to align economic systems with sustainable, low-carbon energy practices,’ she explains. ‘My work investigates energy policies that provide incentives for sustainable investment and bring renewable energy into existing markets without disrupting economies or communities.’

Connecting scientific research with evidence-based policy making

In order to bridge theory with practice, Dr. Tsani’s aim was to combine rigorous academic research in the clean energy transition and sustainable development with high-level policy engagement – including with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr Tsani also chose to engage in systematic work on energy transition and sustainable development as co-lead of the Sustainable Development Goals Working Group of the Global Young Academy, an international society of young scientists selected for their scientific excellence and commitment to engage with society.

Her work has contributed to practical advances by shaping evidence-based policy recommendations, fostering multi-sector collaboration, and supporting the financial mechanisms needed to drive sustainable energy transitions. Contribution to UNEP flagship initiatives and publications, for example, “will directly influence Mediterranean countries, including Greece, to adopt more sustainable ocean and coastal management practices that intersect with energy policy”.

‘Additionally, my work in clean energy policies and energy scenarios in Greece, Europe and beyond, provides countries with actionable guidelines to improve their clean energy strategies, ensuring both economic growth and environmental protection.’

Generations of sustainability leaders

In a traditionally male-dominated sector, Dr Tsani empowers her female students and is thrilled to see them thrive when they are given the opportunity to set up networks and identify solutions for sustainable energy: ‘What I find most inspiring are qualities such as resilience, intellectual courage, empathy, imagination and the ability to communicate complex ideas in ways that can mobilise action.’

She is passionate about education: ‘Empowering the new generation is at the heart of my work. They are the future leaders, innovators, and decision-makers who will carry forward the challenges and opportunities of the clean energy transition… By providing guidance, I aim to inspire the next wave of female scientists, policy leaders, and entrepreneurs in the clean energy sector,’ she says.

Dr Tsani believes her work on youth empowerment is highly replicable across different European regions, driving the EU’s climate ambitions: ‘By empowering communities, fostering innovation, and promoting the incentives that ensure sustainable energy investments, we can drive the EU closer to its ambitious energy and climate goals.’

Stella Tsani’s academic and professional profile

Stella Tsani is Associate Professor of Economics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, with expertise in sustainable development, energy, natural resource management, and economic policy. Her work operates at the critical intersection of science and policy, where she regularly contributes to high-level international initiatives.

She is a lead author for the 7th Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7), the flagship environmental assessment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), focusing on the economic and financial transformations essential for a global sustainability transition. Dr. Tsani also serves on the Board of Directors of the Euro-Mediterranean Forum of Institutes of Economic Sciences and is a permanent member of the MED 2050 foresight group.

Her international contributions include membership in the UNEP/Mediterranean Action Plan Working Group on Ocean Economy and Sustainable Finance, and expert involvement in shaping the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for the Water4All partnership. She was also an expert contributor to International Science Council delegation to the UN2023 Water Conference and its related policy brief.

Futhermore, Dr. Tsani is the lead editor of the Handbook of Sustainable Politics and Economics of Natural Resources, and she is a proud member of both the STEM Women global network and of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Dr. Tsani is investing heavily in the next generation of energy professionals, especially young women, leading the GY-Energy (Generation Youth Energy) network, an initiative hosted by the Department of Economics at the University of Athens. Established as part of the undergraduate Energy and Resource Economics course she teaches, GY-Energy promotes awareness, representation, and participation of students at all levels in energy and resource management policymaking—at national, regional, European, and global levels.

EUSEW Awards celebrate Europe’s best clean energy projects and leaders

Stella Tsani was one of three finalists shortlisted for the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2025 (EUSEW Awards) in the Woman in Energy category. The award recognizes women who lead outstanding activities that, if replicated, help to advance the clean energy transition in Europe. Particular attention is placed on efforts to drive the gender mainstreaming agenda and support equality and equal opportunities in the energy sector. The other finalists were Sophie Loots from Belgium, and Carmen Sánchez-Guevara from Spain. Sophie Loots is a champion of grassroots energy cooperatives in Flanders. Carmen Sánchez-Guevara is driving efforts to tackle the critical issue of summer energy poverty.

The European Sustainable Energy Awards highlight achievements that contribute to the EU’s Green Deal objectives and encourage others to adopt best practices in building a sustainable energy future. The nine award finalists have been selected by a high-level jury in three categories: Innovation, Local Energy Action and Woman in Energy and are submitted an online public vote.

The winners were announced on June 10 at the EUSEW Awards Ceremony, taking place during European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), the biggest annual event dedicated to renewables and efficient energy use in Europe, this year with the theme of ‘Powering a fair and competitive green transition. The event brings together public authorities, industry, NGOs and consumers to promote initiatives accelerating decarbonisation through clean technologies and solutions towards a competitive, fair and just transition both for people and businesses.

I.L.