Dubai, UAE – The Middle East Industry Association (MESIA) has been in the forefront of recognizing women who are in the field of renewable energy. Women’s participation in the energy sector is below that of the broader economy and varies widely across energy sub-sectors. Despite making up 48% of the global labor force, women only account for 32% in renewables. These gender gaps in employment vary across the different energy sub-sectors. Clean energy transitions will require innovative solutions and business models to be adopted and greater participation from a diverse talent pool.
Every year, MESIA recognizes the women who are currently empowering the renewable energy sector with the “MENA Solar Women of the Year” Award to spotlight the women champions of the solar industry.
2022 – Armita Bayat, Tek Solar | Nawal Alhanaee, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Armita Bayat is the Country Manager for Tek Solar. TEK Solar is leader, of the mechanical installation of large scale solar plants, in UAE with 350 MW installed and 195 MW under construction, in Jordan with almost 185 MW installed and is one of the first companies in Egypt where is building almost 126 MW.
Eng. Nawal Alhanaee is the Director for Future Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. She was involved in the Municipality affairs and projects since 2003, and she was as the Head of building section in 2006. In addition, she was as the head of building section and building material laboratory in 2008. After that, she was as the Director of project dept. in 2011 and she worked as Director of Engineering & Land dept. & head of building section from 2012 until 2017 and her work experience is 15 years in FM.
2021 – Tania Jarjur, Yellow Door Energy
Tania Jarjur works as General Counsel and provides legal support for the company’s operations in all markets. Tania previously worked with major US law firms on corporate and project development in the US and the MENA region before joining Yellow Door Energy. She has negotiated power projects ranging in size from 10 MW to 400 MW, using a variety of technologies and fuel sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and natural gas.
2020 – Joumana El Hosri, Sacotel Znshine
Joumana El Hosri is the CEO for Sacotel Znshine. SACOTELznshine is a joint venture between SACOTEL SAL, a member of the Fernand Hosri Group with 50 years of Middle East experience, and ZNSHINE PV Tech, a Tier 1 PV panel manufacturer with 30 years of experience. SACOTELznhine was founded to better serve the region by providing high-quality, reasonably priced products and services. Respond to developer and EPC requests with the factory’s full support.
2019 – Fatima Al Suwaidi, Masdar
Eng. Fatima AlMadhloum AlSuwaidi is the current Executive Vice President at PT PMSE (a Masdar-PJBI Joint Venture). PT Pembangkitan Jawa Bali Masdar Solar Energi (PMSE) is a joint venture between PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali Investasi (PJBI) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar). PMSE will develop, finance, construct and operate Indonesia’s first and largest floating solar power plant with a capacity of 145 MWac in the Cirata Reservoir, West Java. The expected commercial operation year is 2022.
2018 – Dr. Aaesha Alunaimi, DEWA
Dr. Aaesha Alunaimi is the current Director – Innovation Center for Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) Dr Alnuaimi has eight years of professional experience in solar power. Her duties focus on anticipating the future of solar power and improving the efficiency of its technologies; contributing to building a knowledge-based competitive economy in the UAE. Alnuaimi holds a PhD and Masters of Science in Microsystems Engineering with honours from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. Additionally, Alnuaimi is the first Emirati lady to specialise in nanotechnology for solar cell applications. She also worked on 30 peer-reviewed applied research papers in several international journals and conferences on solar power.