Dr. Tareg Ghaoud is a highly accomplished utility industry expert with more than 25 years of experience in advanced power systems, smart grid technologies, and digital transformation. He currently leads the Smart Grid Integration (SGI) team at the DEWA R&D Center, where he drives innovative initiatives in grid modernization, grid analytics, and the digitalization of power transmission and distribution networks. With a strong academic foundation—including degrees from the University of Sussex (BEng), Imperial College London (MSc), and the University of Oxford (DPhil)—he combines deep technical expertise with strategic leadership in the development of future-ready utility solutions. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) from the IET, a Senior Member of IEEE PES, and a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), reflecting both his engineering excellence and digital product leadership.
Grid readiness for high renewable penetration
Experts from academia and industry discussing future-ready power systems and renewable integration.
Dr. Awad serves as the Vice President of Transmission Operation, overseeing the safe and reliable functioning of DEWA's Transmission Network. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, Canada, and brings over 25 years of extensive experience across various aspects of transmission network operation, planning, modeling, and strategy. His expertise has been gained through roles in many international organizations across the Middle East, Canada, and the USA. Additionally, Dr. Awad has authored and co-authored numerous research papers, patents and a book.
Dr. Sohail is leading the Power Systems department within Blake Clough Consulting managing a large team of power systems engineers. This includes the delivery and management of a broad range of complex power system studies including the full grid code compliance studies required for major Transmission and Distribution connected renewable energy projects. Through delivery of many of these complex power system studies Sohail has developed an expert understanding of the GB grid code and G99 engineering recommendations and is able to undertake studies within a variety of software packages including DIgSILENT, ETAP, PSSE, and IPSA, NEPLAN. Sohail has a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, MSc in Petroleum Engineering and PhD in Control and Power investigating converter topologies and the subsequent design of their control systems for integrating energy storage systems to the grid. He is also currently a contributing member of the CIGRE working group for the Feasibility study and application of electric energy storage systems embedded in HVDC systems.
Mohamad is an electrical power engineering and energy storage expert with over 15 years of international experience in renewable energy, energy storage systems, and power grid innovation. He holds an M.Sc. in Renewable Energies from the University of Kassel, Germany. His expertise spans the grid integration of renewable energy sources, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and the development of advanced technologies that support the transition toward more resilient, sustainable, and efficient power systems. Throughout his career, he has contributed to international projects from concept to commissioning, including utility-scale and industrial BESS deployments, product development initiatives, and grid modernization programs. Mohamad currently leads innovation projects focused on next-generation power system technologies and has contributed to the development of novel solutions in the fields of energy storage, power electronics, and grid infrastructure to enable the large-scale integration of renewable energy resources. He is also a co-inventor on multiple pending patent applications related to advanced energy and power grid technologies.
Prof. Ahmed Al-Durra is the Associate Provost for Research and Professor of Electrical Engineering at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, UAE. He leads the university’s research and innovation enterprise, overseeing institutes, centers, laboratories, and technology transfer activities, with a focus on advancing national priorities in energy transition, sustainability, health, advanced materials, and digital technologies. His research expertise spans power system stability, smart grids, renewable energy integration, fuel cells, and intelligent control, with more than USD 20 million in internationally and nationally funded research projects. He has over 470 scientific articles in top-tier journals and refereed international conference proceedings. He has supervised/co-supervised over 45 PhD/Master students. He leads the Energy Systems Control & Optimization Lab under the Advanced Power & Energy Center. He is an Editor for IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy and IEEE Power Engineering Letters, and Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications. He was awarded the UAE Pioneers Award – UAE Scientists (2018), and he is the winner of the prestigious Khalifa Award for Education - Distinguished University Professor in Scientific Research (2018-2019). He was awarded the Faculty Research Excellence Award-Khalifa University, 2020 and 2023 as well as the Leadership Impact Award, Khalifa University 2025.