Arthouros Zervos (1952 – 2024)- Tribute to a man that changed the world

… and he would not take offense that I am referencing renewable energy statistics in this eulogy. His political work was always factual and science-based. Armed with scenarios, technology paths and cost assessments, he took on the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Commission , when their projections grossly underestimated the future role and potential of renewables. They eventually had to change their models, as they appeared increasingly unrealistic against Professor Zervos’ research. How pleased he was in 2021, when the IEA presented its first Net Zero Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector, as the EU passed its Climate Law, legally obliging the EU to decarbonise its entire economy.

As scientific officer at the European Commission Arthouros established a research programme to test the world’s first multi-megawatt wind turbines. Zervos later became lead author of the White Paper on Renewable Sources of Energy in 1997 – a non-legislative proposal to double the share of European renewable energy from 6% to 12% before 2010 - that would form the basis of dacedes of European Union target-based renewable energy legislation,.

I was fortunate to witness his commitment, determination, political acumen and brilliance up close. As CEO of WindEurope at the time, I observed his tireless efforts to turn the White Paper targets into the legally binding renewable electricity targets for 2010, followed by the 2020 renewable energy targets, forging alliances and working with likeminded people in the institutions, including MEPs Claude Turmes and Mechtild Rothe, Beatriz Yordi , Hans Van Steen, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs , to name a few.

Meanwhile, he ensured that the renewable energy industries spoke with one voice in Brussels, by establishing EREC - EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY COUNCIL , headed by Christine Lins Lins and, later, Josche Muth Artouros Zervos took on the powerful fossil fuel and nuclear power lobbies in Brussels by uniting the renewable energy sectors - and we won. The renewable energy directives contributed greatly to breaking the power companies’ national monopolies on electricity production and distribution in the 2000s.

At a time when most of the established European electricity sector regarded renewable energy as a nuisance, and fought hard to keep it out of the grid, Arthouros firmly believed that wind energy would never reach its full potential in Europe, if WindEurope did not welcome the utilities to join the association. When adopted, the two EU renewables directives, provided long-term market certainty and used carrots and sticks to seek to turn power producers into renewable energy champions.

And instead of gloating, he fought to make the power companies see the prospects and business cases of a renewable energy future. Once convinced, he welcomed them with open arms into the global network of renewable energy industry organisations and policy arenas he established, ran and grew.

And as the large power companies lined up to join Europe’s wind energy association, Arthouros took the cause global, establishing the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) in 2005 with other regional wind energy associations around the globe and the tireless support of Bruce Douglas . Zervos became founding chairman of GWEC and stepped down in 2010. His successor as chair, Klaus Rave later said about him: “GWEC was his brainchild in the first place. He fathered and mothered it and could do so successfully because he was extremely well connected internationally.”

The EU Renewable Directives eventually created a domestic European market that allowed European companies to claim the global lead in wind and solar energy manufacturing and renewable energy project development.

Arthouros did not care about the nationality or the past or historic carbon footprints of any person, organisation or nation, as long as they contributed to a renewable energy future. Therefore, he also accepted when, in 2009, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou asked him to become chairman and CEO of PPC S.A. Public Power Corporation, Greece’s state-owned power company. Ioannis Tsipouridis (Dr) became CEO of PPC Renewables. Their task was to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy production in a company that was then one of Europe’s most CO2-intensive power producers.

Arthouros always insisted that it was the person – not the name of the corporation on the person’s business card - that determined a company’s attitude to wind power. He valued the opinion of a European Parliament assistant or junior staff at the Commission as high as that of an energy minister or an EU Energy Commissioner. And he seeked and found influence at all levels.

The last time I ever talked to Arthouros was two weeks ago. We were going to meet up in Athens for a coffee. He was not feeling well, so we decided to postpone our meeting. Naturally, had I known it would be the last time we spoke, I would have talked about more important things than coffee.

Today, as I mourn the loss of Arthouros, I am so very grateful that I had the chance 11 years ago in Vienna, as CEO of WindEurope, to present the 2013 Poul la Cour Award to him. Grateful, because it gave me the opportunity to tell him in person, and in a room full of wind industry people, what still holds true today and will hold true for decades to come:

“Entire industries, owe you an enormous debt of gratitude. Your work on either of the EU renewable directives would suffice for the Poul la Cour Award. It is more than gratitude – it is respect from all you engage with. It has been an honour and a privilege for me to work with a profoundly decent man, pursuing a noble vision and whose achievements have affected the working lives of all men and women in our industry and the personal lives of many of us, including me.”

Arthouros Zervos made, and will continue to make, a colossal difference in my life and in the lives of the millions of others in the global renewable industry, unfortunate not to have known you as well as I did.

You changed people. You changed policies. You changed companies. You changed the world.

Rest in peace, dear friend and mentor.