Zaid Aldawsari earned his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (Power and Control) from the University of Colorado at Denver in 2016. He currently serves as a Senior Academic Researcher, Electrical Engineering Department Manager, Energy Strategy Team Leader, and Acting Director of the joint center between KACST and the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) at the Future Energy Technologies Institute at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

With over 15 years of experience in the energy sector, Zaid has led numerous national and international projects focused on renewable energy integration, smart grid development, and power system reliability. His work supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and net-zero 2060 targets through research and innovation in sustainable energy technologies.

In his current roles, Zaid contributes as a research collaborator to a joint project with MIT and KFUPM, developing frequency control Ancillary Services for distributed energy resource (DER)-rich power systems. As Electrical Engineering Department Manager, he is responsible for upgrading KACST’s labs to national and international standards, advancing smart metering technologies, and leading solar energy deployments.

He has led the electrical engineering teams in several strategic field projects, including the Multi-generation project with SEC in Riyadh, which involved SVC (Static VAR Compensator) and STATCOM (Static Synchronous Compensator) technologies to enhance power quality and grid stability, and the standalone solar energy system project with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) in Jeddah, where he oversaw the design, commissioning, and operational phases.

Zaid has successfully managed partnerships with major stakeholders such as the Ministry of Energy, SEC, ACWA Power, and Lucid Motors, contributing to power system strategy in Saudi Arabia, advanced forecasting systems using AI, grid modernization, and clean energy integration.

He is an entrepreneur and co-founder and COO of QUEED SA, a startup company specializing in smart energy mentoring using AI, and the founder and CEO of Smart Saudi Nexus, a startup company focused on energy auditing powered by AI technologies.

Zaid has published research including “Data Analytics Applications in Standardizing Transformer Capacities in Substations” and “Comparison of energy consumption between non-inverter and inverter type air conditioners in Saudi Arabia.” His innovation in the sector was recognized with a 4th-place award and a top 10 ranking out of over 300 submissions in the SERA Energy Innovators 2024 Competition, organized by the Saudi Electricity Regulatory Authority.