Amira Mohamed

Pioneered renewable energy solutions in Sudan through innovative solar technology initiatives

Amira Mohamed (b.1975) is a Sudanese engineer and entrepreneur whose work revolutionized rural electrification in sub-Saharan Africa. After earning her PhD in renewable energy from the University of Khartoum, she founded Sunlight Sudan in 1998, a social enterprise that developed affordable solar home systems tailored for desert climates. Her team's breakthrough was creating solar panels with 25% higher efficiency in high-temperature conditions, enabling villages like Kassala to achieve 90% electrification rates by 2005. Mohamed's TED Talk on 'Energy Equity in Arid Regions' has been viewed over 2 million times globally. Her work inspired the African Solar Initiative (ASI), now operating in 14 countries. Key innovations include:

• Portable solar microgrids for nomadic communities
• Biodegradable battery technology
• Community-owned solar cooperatives