Women in Energy Photo Contest: Sara Suli

The Photographer Behind the Image

• Inspiration and background: 

  My fascination with energy began not in a lecture hall, but in the garage of an apartment building in a small coastal village near my hometown. Growing up with frequent water supply issues, I helped my father repair water pumps. Troubleshooting these problems sparked my curiosity about how systems work and inspired me to pursue energy as a way to create practical solutions for my community.

  From my perspective, one of the biggest challenges for women entering the sector is the limited support women receive to develop and advance in the energy sector. Gender stereotypes can create the perception that technical professions are more suited to men, while limited financial resources can make it difficult to afford training and professional development. More accessible training, mentorship and equal opportunities would help women build confidence, strengthen their skills and progress in the sector.

• Short biography:

  Sara Suli is an Electrical Engineer holding a BSc and MSc from the Polytechnic University of Tirana. She currently works as a SCADA/EMS Engineer at the Albanian Transmission System Operator (OST), where I contribute to the operation of Albania’s energy system.

  Her journey into the energy sector, however, began long before her professional career. It started in the garage of an apartment building in a small coastal village near my hometown. Growing up with frequent water supply issues, she often helped my father repair and troubleshoot our building’s water pumps. Getting her hands dirty, facing failures, and patiently trying again sparked my curiosity about how things work and, ultimately, her desire to use engineering to create practical solutions for my community.

  Later, during her studies, she learned about the principle of slip in induction motors: the rotor must remain slightly behind the rotating magnetic field for the motor to produce torque and keep moving. She often thinks of our journeys in the same way. We do not always move at the same pace as the world around us.  We may take an unexpected path, start somewhere different, or need more time to find our direction. But being slightly behind does not mean we are standing still.

  During her university years, she also began to see my role as extending beyond being an engineer. She wanted to become an active voice and contributor to our energy future. My international journey began in 2022 at the first European Youth Energy Forum (EYEF) in Lisbon, where she contributed to the position paper “The Role of Youth in the Future of the European Energy Transition.” In 2023, as part of Albanian Youth for Energy, she helped organize Albania’s first youth conference, “Youth Awareness and Empowerment Toward the Energy Transition,” advocating for meaningful youth participation in energy policy.

  Since then, her commitment to learning and contributing to the energy transition has taken me to several international and national platforms. She has participated in IRENA Youth workshops, including “Financing Youth Actions” and “Energy Transition Heroes,” contributed to youth energy discussions on the energy crisis and renewables, joined the Tirana Go SOLAR Energy Lab through EUKI and Polis University Projects, and most recently attended the Energy Community Summer School. These experiences have allowed her to learn from experts, exchange perspectives with young professionals from different backgrounds, and better understand how the energy transition is being shaped at regional and global levels.

  Today, she tries to bring these experiences back into my professional work and continue contributing to Albania’s energy future. For every young woman wondering whether she belongs in energy, she hopes her story sends a simple message: you do not have to start with all the answers. Start with curiosity. Be patient with yourself. Get your hands dirty, keep learning, and keep moving.  Because sometimes, a little slip is exactly what keeps us moving forward.