REMENA Alumni
Alumni Testimonials
Intro: Today I have the pleasure to talk to Djalila Ben-Bouchta, REMENA batch 12 graduate. Djalila, you joint REMENA with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Oriental Studies and graduated from the REMENA program with a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in 2019 with excellent marks.
Djalila, you are located in Cairo now. Tell us more about the projects in the MENA region and Sub-Saharan Africa you are involved in. What exactly is your current field of work?
Djalila: After my graduation from the REMENA program, I worked as Business Development Manager with a special focus on social impact & gender related issues for a start-up called Solera Power Vending Machine based in Zambia. We installed relatively small-scaled (25 kWp) solar powered containers in rural Zambia to enable access to electricity for productive use of activities. This means that we mainly focused on connecting existing businesses to enhance their productivity and income. These solar powered containers also brought new services to the villages, including health care, education, telecommunication, and agriculture related opportunities to just mention a few. Since mid-2020, I am working as Business Development Assistant Manager at Infinity Energy on utility-scale projects across Africa and the Middle East region. For me it is fascinating to see what it takes to realize large scale projects based on renewable energies. Working in the business development department means to connect all the dots between finance, legal, technical, procurement, government relations, environmental and social aspects that finally lead to the materialization of such projects.
REMENA: How much is your work related to Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency issues?
Djalila: The two companies I have worked with so far entirely focus on renewable energies, i.e. solar PV, wind power and waste to energy projects. In my first role at Solera, we focused on enabling rural business owners to switch from fossil fuels (mainly diesel generators) to solar PV. Now in my role at Infinity, we support governments and the private sector to use energy that is generated from a renewable energy source. Energy efficiency always plays a key role in all these projects to render all kinds of business models feasible.
REMENA: Your Master thesis focused on the topic “Gender and Energy for Sustainable Development“. Do you think that the use of energy differs by gender? Could women possibly make a difference when it comes to energy consumption?
Djalila: Research focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa shows that energy consumption entails a gender component because women and men engage differently in energy-related activities, mainly due to persisting inequalities in domestic work, and the disproportionately higher burden on women in that regard: Women and men participate in different business types, they use different energy resources and appliances, work from different locations, and their access to business enablers such as assets, finance, markets, infrastructure and skills varies. While men are typically involved in larger-sized enterprises that require higher electricity demands, female-led businesses predominantly rely on process heat and mechanical power operated on conventional fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and LPG. Female-led enterprises tend to be located closer to their homes and they are engaged more in the informal service sector, including businesses such as small retail, tailoring, hairdressing, food preparation, phone charging, and running hotels/restaurants. While women prioritize appliances that enhance their daily chores, men tend to prefer technologies related to entertainment such as television sets, radios, and sound systems, or that improve food and beverage consumption like refrigerators. Therefore, in my opinion it is crucial that both governments and the private sector adapt a gender lens for energy-related projects.
REMENA: What made you opt for a Master’s in Renewable Energy and why did you choose the REMENA program?
Djalila: After my undergraduate studies in Oriental Studies (or Middle Eastern Studies as it is called sometimes) I wanted to diversify my skills set and focus more on science and engineering. I had the impression that in order to contribute to sustainable development, especially in the North Africa and Middle East (MENA) region, I need to learn skills that can potentially change this region in the long run. Given my deep interest in the MENA region, the REMENA program as part of the German Arab Master’s Programs (GAMP) offering a double master’s degree awarded by both a German university and a university located in the MENA region was a huge incentive for me. I also enjoyed the interdisciplinary approach of REMENA, meaning the nexus between engineering focused subjects on the one hand and subjects like economics and politics of renewables, intercultural skills, and project management on the other hand.
REMENA: What makes REMENA special?
Djalila: REMENA represents a diverse graduate program that allows students of all kinds of academic and cultural backgrounds to develop and enhance their skills. The program is designed for a limited number of students which - from my perspective - increases the learning curve of each student. Additionally, we were able to learn from professors and lecturers of various backgrounds enabling us to see different work fields. Moreover, I personally benefitted from the excursions of political and technical nature a lot because they provided insights into what it looks like to work in the respective field.
REMENA: Would you give any advice to REMENA newcomers?
Djalila: The REMENA program was one of the most challenging, yet very inspiring and life changing times of my life. Not having an engineering background mainly contributed to this feeling. But I can say with certainty, that whoever is passionate about sustainable development, renewable energies, and energy efficiency not only from a technical but also in regard to political, economic, environmental and social issues and is willing to learn and improve themselves will not only graduate successfully from REMENA but will also be able to work in reputable organizations/entities in the energy sector and related fields across the globe.
REMENA: What makes the REMENA program special for you/what special benefit did you gain from it?
Djalila: REMENA laid the foundation for my career in the renewable energy industry and opened doors for me that I would have never been able to access without the skills I learned through REMENA. Until now, I am so grateful for all the support I received from the REMENA professors and lecturers.
REMENA: You have opened quite a few doors already: You have recently been awarded the ENI Award for young talents from Africa for your doctoral proposal based on your Master thesis. You have suggested a multi-disciplinary approach to the provision of energy services to enable the productive use of energy for women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa.
The ENI Award, considered as the “Nobel Prize for Energy” has become an internationally recognized award for research in the energy and environment sectors and the importance of scientific research for innovation. The young talents award includes a scholarship for doctoral research at the Universität Politecnico di Torino. The REMENA team cordially congratulates you on this award and is convinced that the motto holds true for you “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
Alumni Overview
See Master thesis topics and careers of our alumni.
REMENA Batch 19
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Modelling and Simulation of Lamination Process in Photovoltaic Modules
B.Eng. Electrical Power and Machines
Title of Master Thesis:
Security Constrained Optimal Unit Commitment for Inverter Based Resources Penetrated Systems using AMPL Optimization Software
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Correlation of the Electricity Production Profile of a Solar Thermal-CHP System for Industrial Purposes and Residual Load in the Electric Grid
Career:
- Company: Enbekon GmbH
- Position: Project Engineer for CHP and Solar Systems
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Modelling of Optical Gains from Solar Cell Fingers and Interconnector Ribbons in PV Modules
REMENA Batch 18
Diploma Energy Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Grid Impedance Emulation for Analyzing Inverters during a Grid Fault
Career:
- Company: ENVIRIA
- Position: Project Engineer
REMENA Batch 17
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Generation of Gridded Methane Footprints using WRFDA Model: Innovative Step Towards Quantifying Methane Emissions in the City of Hamburg
Career:
- Company: Sungrow Europe
- Position: Field Services Engineer Utility PV Solutions
B.Sc. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Development of a Hybrid Solar Water Desalination Unit
Career:
- Company: Specialist Technical Services (STS Group)
- Position: Data Center Project Engineer
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Development of a MPC Feasible Physicall Model for Fixed Based Off-Shore Wind Turbines
Career:
- Company: Ecopetrol
- Position: Trainee
REMENA Batch 16
B.Eng. Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Evaluation of Technology Chains for the Realization of Carbon Neutrality in Germany
B.Eng. Electrical Power and Machines Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Development of BIM-based Solar Components’ Models For Energy Performance Simulations
Career:
- Company: solarSTEP
- Poition: Project Leader
B.Techn. Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Development of an Online Transfer Learning Approach to Forecast Vertical Power Flows for Renewable Energy Systems
Career:
- Company: DERlab
- Position: Research Engineer
Diploma Industrial Computer Science
Title of Master Thesis:
Design of Energy Management System for Hybrid EV Charging Stations
Career:
- Company: RWE
- Position: Asset Manager - Battery Storage
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Implementation and Analysis of Grid-Friendly Control Strategies for Electric Vehicles
REMENA Batch 15
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Influence of the Methodology for Creating Multimodal Energy Demand Profiles on the Design of Energy Supply Systems for Quarters
B.Eng. Electrical Power and Machines
Title of Master Thesis:
Estimation of Wind Power Generation Curtailment Due to Grid Congestion with an Artificial Neural Network
B.Eng. Automobile Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Analysis and Enhancement of an Existing Fuel Cell System Model based on Simulink to Power a Modular Building
Career:
- Company: AE Driven Solutions GmbH
- Position: Project Engineer
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Influence of Model Complexity and Non-Linearity on Model Predictive Control with Application to Energy Efficiency in Building Energy Systems
Career:
- Company: Seidl & Partner Gesamtplanung GmbH
- Position: HLSK Planner
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Urban Climate Action in the Global South: A Case of Indian Cities
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Optimization of Energy System Components and Control Strategy for a Future Industrial Park
Career:
- Company: WETEC Systems GmbH
- Position: Project Lead Developer
B.Sc. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
A Measure of Ambitious Corporates' Renewable Electricity Procurement and the Impact in their Countries of Operation
Career:
- Company: Uniper
- Position: Market Analyst
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Application of Machine Learning Methods on Wind Turbine Service Reports
Career:
- Company: LORENZ Life Sciences Group
- Position: Solution Engineer
REMENA Batch 14
B.Techn. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Development of Low-Cost In-Situ Solar Absorbers for Enhancing Solar Radiation Harvesting
Career:
- Company: hep global GmbH
- Position: Associate Engineer
B.Eng. Electrical Power and Machines Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
(CFD) Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulation of Air and Dust Flow on Photovoltaic Panels
REMENA Batch 13
Diploma Energy Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Medium-scale Hydrogen Pipeline Network Design: An Optimization-Based Planning Method Considering the Existing Natural Gas Network and Allowing for Pipline Conversion
Career:
- Institute: University of Kassel - Department of Energy Management and Power System Operation
- Position: Research Assistant
B.Sc. Mechanical Power Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Design, Experimental Investigation and Economic Assessment of the Insulation and the Connection of the Modules of Medium Scale Sensible Heat Storages
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Design and Testing of a Battery Test Stand for the Measurement of Bipolar Batteries
Career:
- Company: Viessmann
- Position: Test Automation Engineer
B.Techn. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Defining Sustainable use of Resources of Buildings - Development of Resource and Climate Footprint Data
B.Sc. Electrical Power and Machines Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
A Cost-Benefit-Analysis of Substation Automation Upgrade in Egypt
Career:
- Company: Infinity Power
- Position: Techno-Commercial Manager
REMENA Batch 12
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Analysis of Aggregated Power Measurement Data using Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring Methods
Career:
- Company: ENERVIE - Südwestfalen Energie und Wasser AG
- Position: IoT Engineer and Product Developer
Diploma Chemical Engineering Processes
Title of Master Thesis:
Design and Simulation of Hybrid System for a Recycling Plant in Madagascar: Energetic and Economic Analysis of Photovoltaic System
B.Sc. Electronics and Communication
Title of Master Thesis:
Deterministic and Stochastic Total Cost of Ownership Analysis for Commercial Vehicles in Germany
Career:
- Company: WETEC Systems GmbH
- Position: System Engineer
B.Sc. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Buck Converter to Reduce Voltage Stress in Power Switches
Career:
- Company: Jurchen Technology GmbH
- Position: Electrical Engineer
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Energy and Exergy Analysis for Optimal Performance of a Combined Photovoltaic/Thermal Collector Using FEM Simulation
Diploma Energy Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Introduction of Single-Phase Inverter to Brazilian Market
Career:
- Company: SMA Solar Technology AG
- Position: Partner Development Manager (Commercial & Industrial Solutions)
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Influence of Energy System Integration on Standard Load Profiles in the Electric and Heat Demand Sectors
B.A. in Oriental Studies
Title of Master Thesis:
Gender and Energy for Sustainable Development in Egypt
Career:
- Institute: Politecnico di Torino
- Position: Doctoral Candidate
B.Sc. Electrical Power and Machine Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Synthesizing Electrical and Thermal Load Profiles for Non-Residential Buildings in Germany
Career:
- Company: Ramboll
- Position: Consultant
Diploma Energy Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
A Comparative Study of Support Vector Machines and Artificial Neural Networks for Short Term Load Forecasting
Career:
- Company: Ramboll
- Position: Senior Energy Consultant
B.Sc. Physics
Title of Master Thesis:
Conception and Design of a Charge Pump Based DC-DC Converter for Use in a Smart Sensor Platform
Career:
- Company: KRAFTWERK Renewable Power Solutions GmbH
- Position: Manager
REMENA Batch 11
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Impacts of Material Properties on Slagging Formation During Combustion
Career:
- Company: TA Europe
- Position: ESG Consultant
B.Techn. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Valorisation of Rice Straw as Waste to Bioenergy using DAUMEN Process Technology
Career:
- Company: Energiehaus Blechinger
- Position: Technical Planner
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Cleaning of Solar PV Panels by Mechanical Vibrations
Career:
- Company: Unternehmensgruppe UKA Umweltgerechte Kraftanlagen
- Position: Technical Consultant - PV Systems
B.Techn. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Cooling of Photovoltaic Panel Using Aluminium Foam Metal
Career:
- Company: Energiehaus Blechinger
- Position: Technical Planner
B.Eng. Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Soiling Effect in Photovoltaics Panels and Reduction using Vortex Generators
Career:
- Company: BELECTRIC GmbH
- Position: Electrical Engineer
B.Techn. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Data Farming for Manufacturing Systems as a Basis for Integration of Heat Pump Storage System
Career:
- Company: Seidl & Partner Gesamtplanung GmbH
- Position: HLSK Planner
M.Techn. Thermal Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Identifying Optimal Pellet Composition of Fixed Bed Gasification Using Agricultural Residues and Suitable Additives
B.Techn. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Portfolio Optimization for the Investment in District Heating Supply Systems
Career:
- Institute: Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI - Competence Center Energy Technologies and Energy Systems
- Position: Research Associate
B.Techn. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Design and Evaluation of Concentrated Photovoltaic-Thermal Solar Collector Prototypes: Compound Parabolic Concentrator and Pure Parabola
Career:
- Company: PV-Service GmbH
- Position: Solar Planning Engineer
B.Sc. Mechanical Power Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Optimization of Hybrid Energy System Using Thermochemical Storage
Career:
- Company: Etanomics Service GmbH
- Position: Project engineer
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Validating PV Plants' Measurements Through Defining a Set of Filters for Digital Twin
Career:
- Company: Evergy Engineering GmbH
- Position: Project Engineer
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Behavior Analysis of Thermally Activated Building Systems (TABS) in Respect of Different Building Applications
Career:
- Company: NSEG Pvt. Ltd.
- Position: Technical Consultant
Diploma Energy Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Thermodynamic Study of Gas Turbines and of its Heat Exchangers
Career:
- Company: PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
- Position: Senior Manager | Strategy and Management Consulting
B.Eng. Electrical Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Techno-Financial Feasibility of CCGT Power Plants in Combination with PV and Electrical Storage Systems
Diploma Industrial Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Design and Simulation of On-grid PV System for a Milk Processing Plant in Kenya
Career:
- Institution: Kindermissionswerk "Die Sternsinger"
- Position: Advisor Financial Cooperation
Bachelor Electrical Engineering and Automation
Title of Master Thesis:
Evaluation of Service Reports for the for the Analysis of Reliability and Operating Behaviour of Wind Turbines
Career:
- Company: Nordex SE
- Position: International Project Manager
Diploma Energy Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Energy, Exergy and Economic Analysis of the Integration of an Adsorption Machine into the Process of Olive Mill Solid Waste Management
Career:
- Institute: University of Lorraine
- Position: Researcher
B.Eng. Mechatronics Engineering
Title of Master Thesis:
Sizing and Detailed Engineering for PV-Diesel Hybrid with Battery Storage for an Island Grid
Career:
- Company: SMA Altenso GmbH
- Position: Application Engineer
B.Eng. Printing and Packaging Technology
Title of Master Thesis:
Investigation of metal based phase change materials and their metallic encapsulation for thermal energy storage
Career:
- Institute: Fraunhofer UMSICHT
- Position: Research Assistant
B.Eng. Industrial Electronics and Automatic
Title of Master Thesis:
Reduction of the Rotor Blade Root Bending Moment and Increase of the Rotational Speed Strength of a 5 MW IPC Wind Turbine based on a Stochastic Disturbance Observer
Career:
- Company: Navis Automotive Systems
- Position: Senior Resident Engineer