Kenyan student wins University of Dundee Gneiss Energy Prize
Sharon Jelagat Kitony the winner of this year's Dundee Gneiss Energy Prize.
A Kenyan student at the University of Dundee has won the Gneiss Energy Prize for Renewable Transition. The prize recognises the best MSc Sustainability: Renewables Transition programme. Sharon Jelagat Kitony a Masters student, was selected as the winner for her thesis on renewable energy transition at the University of Dundee’s School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law.
Ms Kitony’s MSc thesis examined the critical role that clean cooking, electrification and carbon pricing will play in shaping a low-emission energy future for Kenya. It stood out due to its in-depth analysis, technical sophistication, and policy relevance to real-world sustainability issues in developing countries.
Kitony’s dissertation, “Decarbonising Kenya’s Energy Sector: Long-Term Policy Scenarios for a Sustainable Future Using the OSeMOSYS–MAED Soft-Linking Approach”, models four policy scenarios to guide Kenya’s transition to a low-carbon energy system.
Combining quantitative modelling with policy analysis, the study explored the impacts of energy efficiency, carbon caps, and carbon pricing on emissions reduction, energy access, and economic sustainability, delivering actionable insights to help policymakers design sustainable, inclusive, and economically viable energy strategies.
Awarded by Gneiss Energy, a company focused on the energy transition, the prize is specifically for students at the University of Dundee's Centre for Energy. The prize aims to encourage and recognise innovative work in renewable energy and sustainability. It recognises the best thesis submitted by a student on the MSc Sustainability and Renewables programme, which is delivered by the university’s world-leading Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP).
Fluent in English, Swahili and Mandarin, Ms Kitony is passionate about decarbonising energy and has now moved on from the university to complete an internship with the United Nations in Bonn, Germany.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the invaluable guidance of my supervisor, Dr Wattala Rohan Fernando; the expertise of OSeMOSYS specialist, Fernando Plazas-Niño; and the mentorship of Dr Vincent Onyango. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr Xiaoyi (Shawn) Mu, Head of our School, for his unwavering support and encouragement,” she said.
“I am profoundly grateful to the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP) for honouring me with this award, and to Gneiss Energy for their generous sponsorship. This recognition inspires me to continue contributing to sustainable energy solutions.”
Dr Xiaoyi (Shawn) Mu, Professor of Energy Economics and Director of the CEPMLP, said that Ms Kitony’s dedication to climate action, her technical expertise and her commitment to sustainable development and biodiversity conservation make her the ideal recipient of this year’s award. “Her work embodies the innovative leadership that the Gneiss Energy Prize seeks to promote.”
The Gneiss Energy Prize is awarded annually to the student whose final dissertation demonstrates the greatest academic excellence and practical relevance. The prize was established in 2022 by CEPMLP and Law School alumnus Jon Fitzpatrick, who wanted to recognise the pivotal role the university had played in his own career. It is named after the energy advisory firm Gneiss Energy, which Jon founded in 2016 and is currently its executive chairman.
Mr Fitzpatrick said that Ms Kitony has consistently distinguished herself as an exceptional student, and they are thrilled to see her hard work and perseverance recognised. “She is a truly deserving winner of this year’s prize,” he said.
