• Dii Desert Energy was launched in 2009, as an industrial initiative in Germany, initially called ‘Desertec Industry Initiative’. Dii’s initial aim was to explore the potential of renewables in the desert areas of Northern Africa and the Middle East, to improve market conditions and examine the synergies to be captured through connecting the European and MENA power markets. Our pioneering work is widely recognized thanks to the study ‘Desert Power 2050’, already pointing in 2012 at the possibility to have almost 100% renewables in the Middle East and Europe. Furthermore, our book ‘Emission free energy from the deserts’ by Paul van Son and Dr. Thomas Isenburg has been recently published in English and German and it describes how the crazy ‘Desertec idea’ has become a reality in North Africa and the Middle East.
  • A decade later, we have broadened our scope in this highly dynamic and fast-moving environment. Today, we seek to change the entire energy system, starting with various forms of Renewable Energy (RE) generation, transmission and transportation, flexible demand, new technologies & innovations on powerfuels, storage facilities, e-mobility, smart cities, all in the spirit of our mission: energy without harmful emissions! Whilst focusing on large projects, the activities also cover solar rooftop, hybrid projects and small-size wind and hydro installations, which are pivotal in supplying emissions-free energy to all people. In that respect, Dii identified over 1,250 renewables projects in the MENA region.
  • By connecting the international industry active in the MENA region with authorities and institutions, Dii Desert Energy focuses on practical conditions along the energy value chains, leading to tangible and profitable projects for Dii partners and for markets in general, and to the benefit of local and international stakeholders.
  • To date, Dii’s industry network includes the main drivers ACWA Power (KSA) and CEPRI/State Grid of China and 40 Associated Partners and Shareholders from 25 countries across MENA, Europe, Africa and Asia.

BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN PEOPLE

Fadi Maalouf

CTO & Director IPP & EPC


Frank Wouters

Chairman of the Adv. Board


Monica Hashemi

Director Operations Compliance


Alexander Sarac

External Legal Director


Valeria Maria Aruffo

Director External Relations


Sasha Gaede

Director of Mediterranean


Shereen Bashi

Head of Finance & Control


Gerhard Hofmann

Co-Head of Communications


Thomas Isenburg

Co-Head of Communications


Karim Megherbi

Director Transaction Advisory


Paolo Bruno

Co-Lead Working Group


Danny Achkar

Smart Cities and ESCO Initiative


Lars Waldmann

Director Power to X and Storage


Lutz Cleffmann

Media Relations


Sibi Vetha Raj

Research & Data


Chiara Aruffo

Director of Research


Sophia De Francesco

Director of Events


 
 

Chairman

 

Frank Wouters

Senior Vice President


Reliance Industries Limited and Chair, Advisory Board, Mena Hydrogen Alliance
 

Members

Dr. Ahmed Ali Al Ebrahim

CEO


GCCIA, Saudi Arabia

Sami Al Angari

Vice Chairman and CEO


Al Gihaz, Saudi Arabia

Mustapha Bakkoury

President


Masen, Morocco

Hussain Al Nowais

Chairman


AMEA Power, UAE

Dr. Cetin Nazikkol

Chief Executive Officer


Asia Pacific Africa, thyssenkrupp, Germany

Khalid bin Hadi al Yafei

CEO


Siemens Enegry, Oman

Harry Boyd-Carpenter

Managing Director, Green Economy and Climate Action


EBRD, UK

Waleed Salman

Executive Director


DEWA, UAE

Antonio Iliceto

Energy Systems and Power Transmission Expert, Chairman


CIGRE, Italy

Paddy Padmanathan

Non-executive Board Member


ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia

Joachim Meister

SVP Global Power & New Energy


Worley, Australia

Mohammed Jameel Al Ramahi

Chief Executive Officer


Masdar, UAE

Jamila Matar

Director & Head of Energy Division


League of Arab States, Egypt

Peter Terium

Managing Director Energy


NEOM, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Bertrand Picard

Founder


Solar Impulse Foundation

Yalou Li

Deputy Director of State Grid Simulation Center


China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI), China

Prof. Ad van Wijk

Professor


TU Delft, Holland

Rory O’Neill

Executive Chairman


Europagrid, Ireland

Adamo Screnci

Board Member


France

Khalid Rashid Al Zayani

Honorary Chairman


Al Zayani Investments B.S.C. (c)
Vice-Chairman - Investcorp Holdings B.S.C.

Alexander Sarac

Partner


Addleshaw Goddard

Peter Terium

CEO


ENOWA, Saudi Arabia

Katherina Reiche

Chairwoman


National Hydrogen Council and Chairwoman, Board of Westenergie AG, Germany

Ebubekir Koyuncu

CEO


Air Products Qudra

Frank Yu

Global Vice President, Hydrogen Energy Business,


Envision, China

Aymane Taud

President & CEO


Nareva, Morocco

THESE ARE OUR DIFFERENT TOOLKIT INITIATIVES

  • The Dii Toolkit Initiative “Establishes RE Knowledge Base” thus enabling talent connection, opportunity creation, & therefore renewable energy implementation acceleration

  • The objective is to provide RE industry stakeholders, both private and public, with access to state-of-the-art measures & techniques (tools) which enable accelerated and smooth energy transition

  • In the ever-evolving energy markets, the power of information and in particular know-how, innovation, & collaboration, are key success factors