As a senior utility-scale engineer and expert in clean energy infrastructure, Oladipo Jegede aims to create lasting change. To date, he has led several major renewable energy projects in the United States, advancing global energy access through this work. Jegede’s journey reflects a unique resilience paired with technical excellence, embodying the qualities of an individual determined to drive the clean energy transition forward. Education and Career in Nigeria Education and Career in Nigeria Before he became a renewable energy project manager, Jegede pursued an education in Nigeria. He graduated from the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA)  university with honors and a degree in materials and metallurgical engineering. While in Nigeria, Jegede designed solar-powered streetlights that served hundreds of miles of roadway, ensuring that streets in the area were safer and easier to maintain. Transitioning to the United States Transitioning to the United States In Nigeria, Jegede asserts that what electricity may be accessible is also unreliable; however, his project revealed the transformative power of solar energy. Recognizing this, Jegede decided to dedicate his career to developing clean, reliable energy solutions that address global energy inequities. In pursuit of this goal, Jegede relocated to the United States to pursue a master's degree at Stevens Institute of Technology. Equipped with hands-on experience and a robust education, Jegede entered the U.S. workforce to bring his skills to some of the nation's largest clean energy projects. Focusing largely on utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects, Jegede has since emerged as a clean energy thought leader in his own right. Achievements in the U.S. Clean Energy Sector Achievements in the U.S. Clean Energy Sector Leading up to his current role as senior project engineer, Jegede has led several major U.S. renewable projects exceeding two gigawatts (GW) of solar plus 1.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) of BESS capacity. In addition to this, he has provided design oversight from 10% to issued for construction (IFC) across substations, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), grounding, and interconnection. To achieve these goals, Jegede has successfully coordinated with utilities groups and independent system operators (ISOs), including the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), CAISO, PJM, ISO-NE,NYISO and MISO energy markets. Overcoming Challenges and Learning Lessons Overcoming Challenges and Learning Lessons During his career, Jegede has overcome challenges ranging from scaling off-grid solar projects in Africa to gigawatt-scale systems in the U.S. In doing so, he has established himself as an expert capable of addressing challenges in the global energy industry. Jegede’s experience and expertise enable him to provide scalable technical solutions for essential energy projects worldwide. Through his journey from off-grid engineering to large-scale projects, from Nigeria to the U.S., Jegede has learned many lessons. Ultimately, he has come to recognize adaptability, communication, and continuous learning as critical technical skills; his advice for meeting their challenges is to focus on growth and impact, embracing obstacles as opportunities. Setting Sights on Africa Setting Sights on Africa Looking to the future, Jegede aspires to orient his engineering expertise toward bridging the energy gap in Africa. Now equipped with the knowledge of major clean energy systems, he aims to create connections and lead global projects. To achieve this, he hopes to establish an engineering firm focused on building energy infrastructure in Africa, while simultaneously promoting sustainable energy policy for future leaders.

This story contains new, firsthand information uncovered by the writer.

Oladipo Jegede’s Journey: From Nigeria to the U.S. Leading Clean Energy Innovation

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