This commentary provides an update on ongoing research on innovation in the electricity sector. This project aims to identify emerging technologies early, anticipate changes, and discern the key drivers and their connections in the innovation landscape. This research can serve as a toolkit for policymakers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other nations striving for economic diversification. Economic diversification can be realized by directing investments toward startups in the electricity sector. Such investments not only promote technological innovation but also reduce the reliance on oil resources, aligning with the overarching aim of diversified and resilient economies.
Rolando Fuentes
Former Research Fellow Dr. Rolando Fuentes was a research fellow focusing on business and regulatory models for the Utilities of the Future project.… Dr. Rolando Fuentes was a research fellow focusing on business and regulatory models for the Utilities of the Future project. He has extensive experience in the energy and environmental sectors as an academic and policymaker. Rolando was the director of international negotiations at the Mexican Ministry of Energy and later became director of hydrocarbons projects. Before joining the Mexican government, he was a fellow of the London School of Economics, where he lectured and taught courses in Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Policy, and supervised master’s dissertations. Rolando has also been an associate of the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies and IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates (IHS CERA), and was a recipient of the British Chevenning Scholarship in 2001.