Lars Schernikau, PhD

Lars Schernikau, PhD is an expert in the global energy and commodities industry. With more than two decades of experience across global energy and natural resource markets, Schernikau’s work focuses on coal markets, energy commodities, and the economic and industrial foundations of energy production.

Schernikau began his career as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group in both the U.S. and Germany, where he developed deep expertise in international coal, ore, and steel markets. He also managed a wind farm in Germany for three years, giving him firsthand experience with renewable energy operations. He later held senior roles in energy trading and investment with firms active in global commodity markets.

Schernikau frequently speaks at international conferences and contributes to discussions on energy policy, resource economics, and global development. His analysis often examines the role of fossil fuels in supporting industrial growth and the challenges of transitioning to alternative energy systems at scale.

He is the co-author of Energy: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, which explores the economic, environmental, and technological dimensions of global energy systems. His work emphasizes the importance of reliable, affordable energy for economic development and critiques overly simplistic narratives about rapid energy transitions. He is also the author of The Unpopular Truth… About Electricity and the Future of Energy, which examines the economic realities of the transition from oil, coal, and gas to wind, solar, storage, and hydrogen.

Schernikau holds a PhD in energy economics and has studied at institutions including the Technical University of Berlin and Harvard University.

Interview Topics

• Grid-scale battery technology feasiblity
• Coal and geopolitics
• Energy commodities and global trade
• Germany and EU energy policy and reliability
• Wind and solar integration risks
• African and Asian energy policy
• Energy transition feasibility