As renewable energy expands, the systems that support wind, solar, and battery storage must operate with precision and security. Rami Al Idrissi has built his career inside this technical core, where operational technology, industrial networking, and cybersecurity directly shape the reliability of modern grids.

Today, Al Idrissi serves as a senior SCADA and controls engineer at Leeward Renewable Energy. He leads RF Defense Solutions, a startup focused on radio-frequency security for critical infrastructure. His work reflects two decades of hands-on engineering across nuclear stations, hydropower systems, onshore wind projects, and the first commercial offshore wind farm in the United States.

Early Life Across Three Countries

Al Idrissi’s resilience and worldview grew from a childhood shaped by conflict and migration.

“I was born in Kuwait in the 1970s to Middle Eastern parents,” Al Idrissi explains, noting that his family later moved to Cyprus because his parents wanted to explore a better future for their children. He remembers Cyprus as the period that taught him diversity, communication, and curiosity. He also discovered engineering there, choosing the science track in school because he “really enjoyed the electrical piece” of physics and electronics.

A family move to Canada at age 17 introduced another shift. Al Idrissi enrolled in a high-level electronics course and credits his teacher, Mr. Henderson, for recognizing his talent. “He saw the potential in me,” he recalls, and emphasizes how that encouragement shaped his direction at a time when his family faced financial hardship after losing their construction business abroad.

Education and Engineering Foundations

In Canada, Al Idrissi completed a community college electronics program with all A+ grades, then earned a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Lakehead University. Early jobs offered valuable hands-on experience in automation and process improvement.

Later, Al Idrissi advanced into control systems engineering roles across pulp and paper mills, the Niagara region’s infrastructure systems, and the St. Lawrence Seaway. These roles deepened his understanding of SCADA, PLC programming, and large-scale equipment upgrades.

Al Idrissi’s academic pursuits continued with a Master of Science in cybersecurity from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He completed his degree with a 4.0 GPA, specializing in cyber-physical systems and the protection of critical infrastructure.

Engineering Leadership in Renewable Energy

At GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Al Idrissi served as the instrumentation and controls engineering team lead. He then joined GE Renewable Energy as a lead SCADA and controls engineer for onshore wind projects.

From 2021 to 2025, Al Idrissi served as SCADA manager at Avangrid Renewables, where he played a pivotal role in the first commercial offshore wind farm in the U.S. Vineyard Wind leadership formally recognized him for his work in achieving first power and resolving a major aircraft detection lighting issue that had drawn public concern.

Al Idrissi credits much of his success to his ability to solve problems under pressure. He says his strongest skill is “finding solutions that others spend weeks struggling with.”

Looking Forward: Protecting the Grid’s RF Layer

Al Idrissi now focuses on developing new defenses against radio-frequency vulnerabilities that traditional cybersecurity tools overlook. “There’s an oversight in how RF systems are protected,” he notes, pointing to legacy devices still widely deployed in energy sectors.

Al Idrissi filed a patent application for a device designed to secure these systems, combining research and real-world application through RF Defense Solutions.

Supported by his wife and three daughters, who endured three years of his travel for offshore projects, Al Idrissi continues to push for safer, smarter, and more resilient energy networks.

“I believe the work I’m doing now can protect critical infrastructure in ways people aren’t addressing yet,” Al Idrissi says.

Al Idrissi’s dedication reflects a career defined by innovation and persistence. His work strengthens the systems that power modern communities and supports the future of secure renewable energy.