Alumni Spotlight: Rishabh Kapoor

Graduating with a mechanical engineering degree in 2010, Rishabh Kapoor joined India’s largest power producer, NTPC, and over the next 12 years progressed into increasingly senior management roles. He was ultimately leading a team of 10 engineers and more than 400 contractors in projects to increase the energy efficiency of coal power plants, but recognized that there was only so much that could be done to reduce emissions.

“From the stack of the power plant I was working in, I could see the pollution and the harmful effects it had on the ecosystem,” he says. “I wanted to use my skills to help in the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and contribute to more sustainable practices. I was also exploring educational opportunities to enhance my managerial skills.”

Rishabh explored programs in India, the US, Australia and Canada — including MBAs and traditional engineering master’s degrees — but found none that offered the MEL’s distinctive combination of technical depth and leadership development.

“The MEL was the perfect blend. I could deepen my knowledge in renewable energy, policy and efficiency, while also strengthening my managerial and leadership capabilities. That unique mix is what convinced me to apply.”

Courses with real-world impact

The Master of Engineering Leadership in Clean Energy Engineering combines technical courses (which make up about 60% of the curriculum) with courses in business and leadership through UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School. For Rishabh, the hands-on projects in his technical courses were pivotal.

“Projects on the impact on emissions of energy conservation measures in multi-residential buildings, or doing a life-cycle analysis of hydrogen production and distribution in the Lower Mainland, were very practical,” he says. “We could see the real impact of the technologies we were studying.”

And in his business courses, Rishabh describes working with two start-ups in the Creative Destruction Lab, where he was involved in writing their market analyses and marketing strategies, as life-changing. 

“I’ve always been involved on the technical side of things,” he says. “But this course enhanced my knowledge of how strategy shapes innovation and how business is actually done, with start-ups going into the market and pitching their ideas to investors to secure funding.”

For his capstone project, Rishabh partnered with BC Hydro to analyze energy storage options for a utility company – assessing battery energy, hydrogen energy and hydro storage – to determine which one was the most cost-effective and sustainable. “This was my first time doing a full technical and economic analysis,” he says. “And it was a turning point, helping me land my first job after graduation.”

Launching his career in clean energy

Rishabh began applying for jobs during his final term and landed his first role — as a project manager in sustainability at Radiance Energy — within a month of graduating. As the first engineer to build out the company’s solar and battery division, he worked on solar, battery energy storage and EV charging initiatives across Canada and internationally. “It was very rewarding to apply everything I’d learned in the MEL and see it translate into real projects,” he says.

After a year at Radiance, Rishabh joined BC Hydro as a technical professional in measurement and verification, supporting industrial and commercial customers in implementing energy-efficiency projects.

“I wanted to work on more diverse projects, and BC Hydro gives me that opportunity,” he says. “I’m contributing to energy efficiency across the province, and the work feels meaningful.”

He is currently overseeing more than 25 projects across BC, verifying energy savings by analyzing project data and modelling consumption patterns, and working with technologies that range from HVAC systems and chillers to pumps, compressors, solar and battery storage.

He also finds his life is now more balanced. “In India I worked six days a week, often at odd hours. Here I have time for myself — for trekking, dragon boating, meeting friends. I’m able to focus on my health and hobbies again.”

Rishabh’s advice for students who are considering the MEL? Embrace it as a transformational experience. 

“The MEL gives you the opportunity to network and build meaningful relationships and connections. Even if you’re hesitant at first, you’ll learn how to connect with people. And the MEL Alumni network is a very strong community. My advice is to reach out to graduates of the program and stay connected while you’re studying.”