"The power industry plays a major role in achieving global decarbonisation goals. This requires unique perspectives, diverse talents, and innovative ideas women can bring into this male dominated industry. Therefore, it is important for women to join the power industry such that our future will be powered by the brilliance of all its people."
Who am I
I am Dilini Darmawardana, an Engineer at Transgrid specializing in grid integration of large-scale renewable generation projects such as wind and solar farms. I have a diverse background in the power system consultancy, having spent around three years conducting power quality studies, power system modelling, and network planning studies.
Why I chose a career in power
Power industry is going through a historic and a heroic transition from fossil fuel-based generation to renewable-based generation with an ambitious target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050 and thereby avoid the dire consequences of climate change. This has created a unique and exciting opportunity for the young professionals to join this flourishing industry, expose themselves to the cutting-edge technology and find creative solutions to the challenges we are facing today.
Where it all started
I selected Electrical Engineering due to the fascination I had towards the electrical engineering concepts during the first semester of my bachelor’s studies where I was introduced to a number of engineering disciplines. As I progressed through my studies, I developed a deep appreciation for the diverse range of study areas encompassed by Electrical Engineering, ranging from circuit theory to power electronics.
I developed a passion for Power Quality as I gained a greater understanding of the power system. With the rapid integration of power electronic interfaces such as solar and wind farms, there was an increasing concern related to the harmonic emissions in both low and high frequency ranges. This inspired me to pursue a doctoral degree in Power Quality where my work contributed towards better understanding of higher frequency phenomena in the electrical distribution networks.
My work experience.
What's next?
What excites me the most about the future of power industry is that it determines the very survival of all the living beings on this planet. The Earth would be inhabitable in the coming century unless we move away from fossil fuel to environmentally friendly energy sources to limit global warming. The strong global drive towards decarbonisation is a promising sign of the future of this flourishing industry.