Abdul Kalam Maldives

Innovative Maldivian engineer developing renewable energy solutions for small island nations

Abdul Kalam (b. 1978) is a Maldivian renewable energy pioneer whose solar storage innovations are transforming energy access in island nations. As CEO of Kalam Solar Technologies, he developed the first wave-energy hybrid systems specifically designed for atoll environments. His patented WaveSolar Hybrid System combines solar panels with wave energy converters, providing reliable power to remote islands at 40% lower cost than diesel generators.

Kalam's most impactful project is the Nationwide Renewable Energy Grid initiative launched in 2016, which has connected 85% of the Maldives' 200 inhabited islands to renewable energy. This work reduced the country's carbon footprint by 2.3 million tons annually and saved $150 million in fuel imports. His UN case study has become a model for Pacific Island nations like Tuvalu and Kiribati.

In 2020, he founded the Island Energy Alliance, a nonprofit training 500+ engineers annually across 12 island countries. His TEDx talk "Powering Paradise" has been translated into 15 languages. Kalam's work earned him the 2021 Global Energy Prize and inspired the Maldives' 2030 Carbon Neutrality Plan.