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Meet the Team: Élise Chapelard, Project Management Intern

Paris, France, Monday 5 January 2025

Summary

  • Previously: Earned a mechanical engineering master’s at Cranfield University, becoming the first student from her French engineering school to complete the programme.
  • At Decade Energy: Supports project management across design, coordination, and deployment to help deliver new clean energy sites.
  • Why it matters: Her engineering background and drive to learn strengthen Decade Energy’s ability to execute projects that accelerate the energy transition.

Elise Chapelard is our Project Management Intern at Decade Energy

At Decade Energy, we’re building the infrastructure that will power the next era of mobility and clean energy. As Project Management Intern, Élise Chapelard contributes to this mission by supporting the technical, operational and stakeholder work required to bring charging and flexibility projects from concept to reality.

Building Skills Abroad

Her journey into energy began with a natural affinity for scientific disciplines, which led her to engineering, and ultimately to specialising in energy and environment. Always driven by the desire to do work that contributes to a more sustainable future, she sees the energy transition not just as a career path, but as a meaningful way to shape the world ahead.

Before joining Decade Energy, Élise completed a double degree at Cranfield University in the UK, earning a master’s in mechanical engineering. Stepping into a demanding programme without every prerequisite, she pushed through the challenge, integrated fully into campus life, and ultimately became the first student from her French engineering school to complete this track, paving the way for others to follow.

Stepping Into a New Chapter

What drew her to Decade Energy was the mix of impact, responsibility and team culture. “I wanted to work for a company that’s shaping the world of tomorrow,” she says. She valued the fact that the internship came with real ownership and a steep learning curve. Also, what struck her was how people-driven the team she met during interviews was. “In a fast-moving startup, cohesion matters.”

In her role, Élise supports project managers on tasks that keep complex deployments moving: preparing technical documentation, coordinating with partners, gathering site data, tracking progress, and helping ensure that design and operational requirements align. As an early-career engineer, she’s focused on turning academic knowledge into practical skill. “I know I still have a lot to learn,” she says, “but that’s exactly what motivates me.”

"I wanted to work for a company that’s shaping the world of tomorrow."
Outside the Office

Outside of work, Élise brings the same energy and creativity to her personal life. She practices classical and cabaret dance, runs, draws, paints, reads, and builds a growing collection of Lego Architecture sets: including a full Notre-Dame cathedral she once had to figure out how to transport across borders. She also loves theatre and follows the biathlon season religiously every winter.


Curious to connect, collaborate, or work with us?

The energy transition is collaborative and moving fast, and we’re proud of the team we’re building at Decade Energy. Stay tuned as we continue to grow, scale, and share what we’re learning along the way.

Curious to connect, collaborate, or work with us? We’d love to hear from you.

hello@decade.energy

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