Omar’s Journey: Sustainable Energy
Omar’s Path to Sustainable Energy Leadership
Born and raised in Jordan, Omar embarked on an academic journey that led him to pursue a master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Futures at Imperial College London. With a background in Mechanical Engineering and a passion for promoting sustainability in Jordan’s energy sector, Omar's transition to higher education in the UK marked a significant milestone in his career. Now, Omar would like to delve into his experiences, research, and achievements during his time at Imperial College London, in his own words…
Academic Journey and Achievements
Studying “Sustainable Energy Futures” at Imperial College London, one of the top 10 universities worldwide, has been an extraordinary journey that I have cherished every step of. The “Sustainable Energy Futures” programme offers the perfect recipe to prepare future energy leaders.
I had the chance to investigate various decarbonisation pathways and technologies for various sectors, emphasis their techno-economic impact, and discuss how to promote sustainable practices by formulating carefully designed policies. I have also shared the programme with students from different academic backgrounds who share my enthusiasm for energy transition, offering the chance to broaden my knowledge and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration within the sustainability domain.
Furthermore, I have gone through a diverse array of teaching and assessment methods delivered by renowned energy experts and industry leaders. With this interesting setup, I have honed critical thinking and writing, modelling, and other interpersonal skills (presentation and debating). By possessing these skills, I’m able to take and recommend informed decisions among the various energy decarbonisation pathways and solutions, thereby reducing uncertainty of their future outcomes. Besides, I can effectively deliver my recommendations to a diverse audience.
Favourite Modules and Research Project
The “Sustainability Energy Futures” programme and its multidisciplinary set of modules investigates comprehensively sustainability pathways and solutions in various sectors. Nevertheless, if I were to choose, my favourite modules would be “Energy Economics and policy”, “Energy Transmission and storage”, and “Sustainable Transport”.
Within the 'Energy Economics and Policy' module, I had the opportunity to understand how to formulate and develop a mix of policies that can drive decarbonisation practices. Additionally, the 'Energy Transmission and Storage' module presents and investigates state-of-the-art solutions, which are capable of promoting higher shares of renewable energy into the grid. Given that Jordan aims to achieve a high share of renewable energy connected to its grid by 2030, this knowledge is invaluable for me to contribute to the national goal. Moreover, the 'Sustainable Transport' module's investigation of decarbonisation strategies for various transport modes was insightful, considering that Jordan's transport sector contributes significantly to emissions.
My master's research project is titled “Pricing Policy to Promote Renewable Energy Investments and Reduce Carbon Emissions in Jordan”. Jordan aims to increase renewable energy sources' contribution to electricity generation. However, achieving Jordan's future renewable energy targets is limited by the inflexibility of Jordan’s power grid. Price-based demand response programmes have the potential to provide flexibility to the grid.
As a junior policymaker in the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, through this project I aimed to inform the decision-making of introducing a price-based demand response programme in Jordan. This research project investigated the implementation of such a programme by analysing its contribution to Jordan’s sustainability targets and exploring the barriers to implementation through a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques.
This research journey has significantly improved my research skills. Moreover, it has underscored the importance of hard work and self-confidence in overcoming challenges and achieving success.
Key challenges and experiences
This journey has been shaped by many factors; however, I would say living aboard away from family and friends for the first time has been the biggest challenge of the journey. Besides, the programme has an intensive setup and high standards for excellence, leading to sleepless nights and some stressful moments. Such stressful moments were particularly more pronounced during the thesis period, the final part of the journey, which holds substantial weight in determining one’s final overall programme grade.
Despite all these challenges, I was determined to make the most of this journey and ensure it was worthwhile, transforming it into lifelong skills and memorable experiences. I proudly say that I achieved it, graduating with distinction. However, I can never forget the kind support from my mother, the friends I met at Imperial, and the great help provided by Imperial's Counselling Department, which was pivotal in managing stress and believing in my capabilities.
Recent Accomplishments
Graduating with distinction from Imperial College London is one of my proudest accomplishments, if not the proudest. It holds great personal significance, reinforcing my confidence and determination to continue striving for excellence in all my endeavours. Besides, my paper titled “Pricing Policy to Promote Demand Flexibility with Renewable Energy Resources in Jordan”, which is based on my master’s thesis, has been recently accepted in the proceedings of the prestigious 2024 IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) General Meeting. This meeting offers a venue for researchers and industry experts to share and discuss recent developments in power systems. By having my first paper published, I feel energised to conduct new research and publish it.
Plans for the Future
I work at the Jordan Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, where my responsibilities and duties encompass developing and formulating renewable energy, energy efficiency-related legislation and national action plans, and conducting renewable energy and energy efficiency-related studies. In the short term, I plan to return to my job and fulfil a contractual obligation I made with the Ministry, which has facilitated joining the “Sustainable Energy Futures” programme.
This obligation entails committing to work for the Ministry for a three-year period; however, I do not perceive working at the Ministry as something that I’m obligated to do. Rather, I aspire to play a leadership role in Jordan’s energy sector and strive to leverage the knowledge and skills gained at Imperial College, to address Jordan's energy security challenges by enacting sustainable policies and practices for a resilient energy future.
To this end, I’m leading the national efforts to reform energy efficiency legislation to create a comprehensive regulatory framework that advances energy efficiency in Jordan and address past challenges such as lack of awareness and accountability. Moreover, I strive to have a leading contribution in the series of actions and programmes initiated by the Ministry to create a hydrogen-based economy in Jordan and position the country as a regional player in the hydrogen export markets.
My mid and long-term plans are still open and I'm actively exploring opportunities that would contribute to my long-term goal of becoming an energy leader and help Jordan with its energy security and transition issues. One of the possible routes on this journey is to complete my PhD studies in a relevant field.
In this regard, I have initiated a discussion with an energy policymaking professor at Imperial College of London about a potential PhD opportunity. My PhD would focus on developing a transition plan to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050 through determining the right mix of technologies for each sector to mitigate its emissions.
Involvement and Support
The generous support I received from the Bseisu Foundation was the key to join the “Sustainable Energy Futures” programme and experience this invaluable journey. Acting as a mentor and supporting new scholars holds profound significance for me, especially as a way to give back to the Foundation that has supported me. I can see myself assisting incoming scholars in navigating their move to London, aiding in their settling process, and in studying-related matters for the students who are enrolled in energy-related programmes. This commitment stems from my deep appreciation for the support I have received, and the understanding of the challenges newcomers might face.