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“The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark.”
― Thomas Paine
Creating meaningful change in the world needs immense dedication and relentless curiosity. Dr. Joe Nyangon, with his vast knowledge regarding energy economics and policy, engineering systems, electricity market design, and clean energy transition, has the vigor to create and drive impactful change that moves people. Born in Kenya, Dr. Nyangon received a BSc in engineering from the University of Nairobi in 2004. During his BSc., he was elected into student government as President of the Engineering Students Association to represent more than 2,500 engineering students in the Student Organization of Nairobi University (SONU) Parliament. He also served as editor-in-chief of the Student Engineer Magazine. After his Bachelor’s, he moved to London, England, to pursue an M.Sc. degree in computing systems at the University of Greenwich, completed in 2005.
Dr. Nyangon has a multifaceted career as a scientist, international energy economist, engineer, author, and a designated expert on clean energy technology. In 2012, he earned an M.P.A. from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York City. Subsequently, he obtained a Ph.D. in 2017, which primarily revolved around energy economics, engineering systems, and energy policy from the University of Delaware under the tutelage of Professor John Byrne, the architect of the Sustainable Energy Utility model, which has been implemented by the State of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Sonoma County in California, and the Pennsylvania Sustainable Energy Finance program, among others. That robust background interlinking engineering, economics, and policy helps him form strong hypotheses for the big market questions now facing the world, such as whether the increasing investment in decarbonization and digital transformation may usher in acceleration in electric, transportation, and building sectors’ transition and convergence. Indeed, this relentless spirit and intellectually agile background “helps to approach issues differently,” he says, “The electrical power grid is the largest interconnected machine on Earth, connecting millions of businesses, homes, and industries. That is why we need to challenge and inspire the next generation to restlessly pursue new perspectives, new ideas, and new answers to complex global problems like grid modernization, climate change, and inequality.”
Early life and inspirations
As a child, Dr. Nyangon had excellent parents who encouraged his early interests in reading, science, and mathematics. His father, who was a science teacher and a school principal, was mathematically and orally gifted. His mother, a small business owner who loved storytelling and literature, taught him and his siblings to read before kindergarten. Growing up, he was interested in becoming a lawyer or catholic priest, yet upon reaching high school, he realized that he was not made to be either of those. When Dr. Nyangon got admission to the university to study engineering, he never looked back. In 2020, Dr. Nyangon completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in energy economics and engineering systems from the University of Delaware, United States. In 2021, he authored his first book titled Sustainable Energy Investment: Technical, Market, and Policy Innovations to Address Risk. Sustainable Energy Investment. The book explores the ways financial markets and institutions can support clean energy innovation to accelerate investment and the transition to a climate-resilient and clean energy economy. He currently leads the design and development of new field-engineered advanced energy solutions targeting decarbonization, digital transformation, and decentralization at the SAS Institute.
The former South African President, Nelson Mandela, has resonated with Dr. Nyangon the most with multiple inspirations to motivate him. With Mandela’s motivational words and work in sustainable development and creativity, Dr. Nyangon admired how he challenged leaders to embrace servant leadership. Dr. Nyangon was encouraged by how Mandela stepped down as President after serving only one term and believed that the nation would remain steady under changed leadership. Dr. Nyangon’s favorite quote from Mandela is, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Dr. Nyangon has actively taken a keen interest in empowering himself with education and advancing thought leadership in his field to inspire others to achieve their true potential.
Global challenges fuel ambition
Resource depletion, climate change concerns, and the transition to a clean energy future are the global challenges close to Dr. Nyangon’s heart. With Dr. Nyangon’s engineering background and knowledge of economics and regulatory policy, he has dedicated his career to tapping new tools of discovery, innovation, and connection—in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, high-performance computing. Dr. Nyangon believes that to unlock energy innovation, work to fix what is intolerable in society and make the already good—excellent.
Dr. Nyangon’s first job was working as an observer at international climate change negotiations organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In this role, he worked with the Canadian-based International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), participating in key energy and climate change negotiations held in Bonn, Geneva, Nairobi, New York, Viena, and Warsaw. Dr. Nyangon founded Sacital Energy Group, Inc., a New York-based energy and infrastructure advisory and consulting firm, in 2013, with support and collaboration of the Columbia Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Design.
He has been actively involved as an advisor and expert in various academic institutions, including at the Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines, the Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Delaware, the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment (FREE), and at the Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES Institute) in Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.
Thought leadership in clean energy innovation
Dr. Nyangon has collaborated with international universities in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and the U.S. national laboratories through the U.S. Department of Energy, leading to authorship of over 60 publications. Besides that, Dr. Nyangon currently serves as an Associate Editor of WIREs Energy & Environment and sits on the editorial boards of Energy Research and Social Science (ERSS) journal and the Journal of Smart Cities and Society. Previously, he was a consultant at the United Nations in New York and is a TED Fellow. Dr. Nyangon’s research has been published in, among others, Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy; Springer International; the Energy Journal; WIREs Energy and Environment; Energy Research and Social Science; and the Financial Analysts Journal.
Empowering others with his knowledge in science, technology, and public policy puts Dr. Nyangon in the middle of academia, industry, and government partnerships. He has inspired those who wish to support new discoveries and innovation by consistently pursuing excellence in research, technological advancement, and energy policy analysis. Dr. Nyangon has worked audaciously, creatively, and pragmatically to unlock clean energy innovation, promote sustainable energy investment, and empower utilities to embrace decarbonization and digital strategies. Individuals who work in the service of humanity make considerable differences in the world and continue to push others to follow their calling. Dr. Nyangon is one such individual who is making a positive impact in changing the world for the better.
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Photo provided by the author with written permission by Dr. Joe Nyangon