Year - 2026
National Young Energy Leader Award
Dr Manal Al Shafi
Senior Research Engineer in the New and Renewable Energy Department at KAHRAMAA
Dr Manal Al-Shafi has rapidly established herself as one of Qatar’s leading young professionals in sustainable energy, combining technical excellence, impactful research, and practical implementation to advance the country’s clean energy transition. As Senior Research Engineer in the New and Renewable Energy Department at KAHRAMAA, she leads renewable energy research collaborations, has developed KAHRAMAA’s first formal research procedure, and serves as both the department’s AI Ambassador and Excellence Ambassador. She also represents KAHRAMAA as an adviser to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) while contributing to the enhancement of the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy.
Her career has progressed through key technical roles, where she contributed to renewable energy deployment, smart grid development, and collaboration across Qatar’s energy innovation ecosystem. Academically, she earned a PhD in Sustainable Energy from Hamad Bin Khalifa University with distinction, following master’s and bachelor’s degrees in sustainable energy and industrial engineering. Her outstanding academic performance has been recognised through Qatar’s prestigious Education Excellence Award. Her research has achieved international recognition, with an h-index of 7, over 600 scholarly citations, numerous publications in leading journals, and a published book chapter in Elsevier’s Comprehensive Energy Systems.
Dr Al-Shafi’s doctoral research addresses one of the energy sector’s most strategic challenges: developing technically viable underground hydrogen and natural gas storage systems using advanced reservoir simulation technologies. A key contribution of her doctoral research was pioneering the investigation of underground hydrogen storage in Qatar’s partially depleted North Field gas reservoir, highlighting its potential for large-scale hydrogen storage and future energy security. Her research supports renewable energy integration, energy security, and long-term decarbonisation while providing practical pathways for implementing Qatar National Vision 2030.
Her research spans hydrogen technologies, renewable energy storage, life-cycle assessment, carbon management, and energy systems optimisation. Through high-impact publications, collaborative research, and practical implementation within KAHRAMAA, she has translated scientific innovation into national strategies, institutional best practices, and technology assessments. Her combination of scientific excellence and strategic vision positions her among Qatar’s outstanding young leaders in sustainable energy.