Overview
Prof. Izael Pereira Da Silva has a PhD in Power Systems Engineering from the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil). He is also a Certified Energy Manager (CEM). At present, he is a Professor at Strathmore University and the Deputy Vice Chancellor – Research and Innovation.
He started the Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC), which he led as the director from 2012 – 2017. Before working at Strathmore University, he was an Associate Professor at Makerere University, in the College of Engineering Design Arts and Technology (CEDAT), where he worked for 13 years.
He has strong interest in the following areas: Rural Electrification, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Policy, Sustainable Development and Demand Side Management. In line with this interest, he started the Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC), which aims at training, conducting research and providing consultancy services in energy related topics, promoting sustainable development and cooperation among countries. Prof. Da Silva has written extensively on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.
In March 2012, Prof. Da Silva together with other partners won a project sponsored by DFID and DANIDA, and managed by the World Bank to set up the first Climate Innovation Centre (CIC) in the world. It is housed in Strathmore and serves SMEs financially and technically to solve challenges posed by the adverse impact of climate change by mitigation and adaptation. Currently he serves on the Board of the Kenya Climate and Innovation Centre, which provides holistic, country-driven support to accelerate the development of locally relevant businesses dealing with clean energy technologies, water management and agri-business.
In 2013, he was honored by the Brazilian Government with the title of “Comendador da Ordem de Rio Branco” for his services towards education and poverty alleviation in Africa. In October 2014, after more than one year of efforts together with seven other colleagues, he managed to get the Association of Energy Engineers – AEE to approve the Association of Energy Professionals (Eastern Africa) as a chapter of AEE for the five East African countries plus Ethiopia and South-Sudan. Prof. Da Silva is the first elected President and life founding member of the Association of Energy Professionals Eastern Africa (AEPEA).
In November 2016, Prof. Da Silva was appointed to serve as Chairman in the Independent Power Producer, Power Purchase Agreement (IPP/PPA) taskforce, constituted by The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Kenya, to help reduce the electricity tariff. He is also a member of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) – (Atlanta, USA), Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE), Africa Europe Energy Partnership (AEEP), African Renewable Energy Technology Platform (AFRETEP), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).