Helmfried Meinel is permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector, Baden-Württemberg. He studied electrical engineering, with a focus on physical electronics. After getting his degree he worked as Research Associate at the Institute of Physical Electronics, University of Stuttgart, where his main focus was gas discharge physics. From 1984-1987 he was a member of the scientific staff of the Greens Parliamentary Group, where he was responsible for research and technology, renewable energies and climate protection. From 1990 he was head of the department of housing and energy at the Consumer Association of North Rhine–Westphalia. As a director he was first in charge of special consumer topics and member of the management board and later responsible for consumer rights and financial services. Since 2000 Mr. Meinel is board member of EnergieVision e.V. for the Consumer Association of North-Rhine-Westphalia.