Mohammed Yunus Khan

Pakistani solar engineer leading rural electrification through community-owned microgrids

Mohammed Yunus Khan is a pioneering engineer whose work in renewable energy has brought electricity to thousands of off-grid communities in Pakistan. Born in 1988 in a rural Sindh village, he experienced first-hand the challenges of living without reliable power. After earning an engineering degree from NED University in 2014, he founded Solar Joule in 2020 - a social enterprise deploying decentralized solar microgrids in remote areas.

His innovative community ownership model ensures local residents manage and benefit from the energy systems. Each microgrid serves 50-200 households, providing electricity for lighting, irrigation pumps, and small businesses. By 2025, Solar Joule had installed over 1,200 systems across 3 provinces, powering 85,000+ lives. This has enabled students to study after dark and farmers to extend their growing seasons.

Mohammed's approach uses locally produced solar panels and employs villagers as technicians. His TED Talk on Energy Democracy inspired similar initiatives in Bangladesh and Nepal. In 2023, his work was featured in a National Geographic documentary about renewable energy innovations.

He developed the SmartGrid 3.0 system, which includes battery storage and IoT monitoring. This technology allows real-time energy management and has reduced system maintenance costs by 40%. His partnership with the World Bank's Lighting Global program has expanded access to financing for rural cooperatives.

Mohammed's vision extends beyond electricity - he promotes energy literacy through workshops teaching communities to optimize solar usage. His Solar Academy trains young people in renewable energy installation, creating sustainable jobs. Recent projects include connecting fishing communities in Balochistan with solar-powered desalination units.