Maria Angeles Cano

Spanish-Mexican engineer leading renewable energy access in Latin America

Maria Angeles Cano is a groundbreaking engineer revolutionizing energy equity in marginalized communities. Born in 1983 in Barcelona, she co-founded Soluciones Solar in 2012, a social enterprise providing affordable solar solutions to rural Mexico. Her team developed the 'Solar Backpack' - a portable energy kit that powers homes and small businesses for $150. By 2023, the initiative had brought electricity to over 150,000 people in 12 states. Cano pioneered the 'Solar School' program, installing photovoltaic systems in 200 rural schools through partnerships with UNESCO. Her work was featured in the Netflix documentary 'Power to the People' (2020). She co-authored 'Off-Grid Energy Solutions', a textbook used in engineering programs across Latin America. Cano advises the Mexican government's National Energy Commission and chairs the Women in Energy Network. Her innovations reduced energy poverty rates in target regions by 40%, earning her the 2022 Global Energy Prize. She currently develops AI-driven microgrid systems through her startup GridFuture, aiming to connect 1 million homes by 2030.