Tej Gidda

For over 20 years, Tej Gidda has been a leading figure in the global shift to low-carbon energy systems. With a career rooted in integrating renewable energy systems and advancing biofuels, Tej is widely recognised as a thought leader in future energy and for his strategic approach to sustainability. As GHD’s Global Leader for Future Energy, Tej played a central role in shaping sustainable infrastructure and informing climate policy. His pioneering work in large-scale biogas, hydrogen and renewable natural gas projects has delivered practical, cost-effective solutions that extend infrastructure life and accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy. Tej’s portfolio includes technical advisory roles on high-impact projects such as Toronto’s Disco Road Organics Processing Facility expansion, renewable natural gas initiatives with Enbridge, and biosolids processing for Halifax Water. He has led feasibility studies, life cycle analysis assessments, and greenhouse gas quantification models. His expertise has shaped relationships with new clients and expanded relationships with existing clients through a technical lens, procurement strategies, contract structures and operational frameworks for both public and private sector clients.

A key aspect of Tej’s impact lies in applying emerging technologies to real-world challenges. He has led multidisciplinary teams globally, delivering complex projects in hydrogen, renewable natural gas, energy-from-waste systems and energy security—helping cities and regions meet ambitious sustainability goals. His work spans continents, with major contributions to facilities such as Toronto’s Dufferin and Disco Road Organics Processing Facilities, the Halifax Water Biosolids Project and California’s Rialto Bioenergy Facility—the largest food waste anaerobic digestion plant in the United States. Tej has also shaped waste-to-energy projects in Malaysia, Lao PDR, Indonesia and Australia. Further afield, Tej has managed carbon credit generation for landfill gas projects with the World Bank and contributed to Clean Development Mechanism initiatives in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. His involvement in feasibility studies has guided complex infrastructure development globally. He is regularly called upon for technical reviews, has provided expert witness testimony to several clients and provided strategic input into government advisory work. Tej is committed to supporting the next generation of engineers through teaching and research. He is an Adjunct Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Engineering. He is also a founding member of the Industry Advisory Board at the University of Guelph’s College of Engineering. With more than 80 international presentations and peer-reviewed research papers in leading journals, Tej’s thought leadership continues to shape global energy discourse. He has represented GHD at major international conferences, including COP28, Future Energy Asia and Reuters Energy Live, sharing his insights through keynote addresses and panel discussions. At COP29 in Baku, Tej reinforced GHD’s role in sustainability, stating, “We have the skills, the science and the technology to act now. The challenge lies in scaling solutions and ensuring parallel progress between production and demand.” Tej’s influence in the global energy transition continues to grow and his strategic contributions are helping position GHD at the forefront of sustainable infrastructure and climate resilience, driving real-world progress in decarbonisation and the circular economy.