Green Success Stories puts Venancio Méndez Levy, Senior Renewable Energy Consultant at Wood Group, a firm providing advisory, origination, permitting, and engineering services to clean energy developers, in The Green Spotlight. Venancio describes how his wilderness trips with his dad awakened his environmental awareness, and how he finds deep meaning in his current work focusing on the development, engineering, and construction of utility-scale solar projects. He likewise described his role in the C40 cities youth group, that helps get young people involved in solving the climate crisis. He strongly encourages any new graduate or college student reading this to consider the renewable energy industry as their career choice.
Tell us a bit about your sustainability journey.
I grew up in Latin America, and from a very young age, I would go to the wilderness with my dad. We would go camping for days at a time, sometimes we would fishing or scuba diving as well. I think this closeness to the outdoors and nature made me develop a special awareness of environmental issues from early on. On the one hand, I would connect with and admire nature. On the other, I would witness how human activity, e.g., overfishing and pollution, would damage and threaten the livelihood of the same ecosystems I was getting to enjoy. As I grew up, I knew I wanted to do meaningful work that contributed positively to the fight to protect nature and against climate change, the biggest threat of our lifetime.
Then, as a college grad, I wanted my professional journey to be aligned with those objectives. So when I graduated college and moved to Houston, I knew that the opportunity was in green energy. When I had the chance to pivot industries (I was working in highway construction when I first started) I made the move right on.
I have now been in the industry for almost 3 years, where I have focused on the development, engineering, and construction of utility-scale solar projects. Currently, I work as a Senior Renewable Energy Consultant at Wood Group providing advisory, origination, permitting, and engineering services to clean energy developers. In addition, to my professional commitments, I also serve as an active member of the C40 Cities youth group. C40 Cities is a global network of mayors and activities that are united in action to support the climate crisis.
Tell us a bit about the product or solution you offer.
The renewable energy industry is experiencing a boom like no other and its projected growth is expected to triple in capacity by 2030 to stay on track with the Paris goals. We are noticing this growth as we witness a tremendous amount of new solar and wind projects coming in the pipeline for the next 4-5 years.
At Wood, we are helping support this expansion by advising and providing integrated and customizable engineering, advisory, and origination solutions to energy developers at all stages of development. Our group provides high-quality site project development engineering services for utility-scale clean energy projects. From pre-FEED origination and conceptualization of layout to complex Power-to-X projects, we provide extensive technical and engineering capabilities as well as construction experience to help our clients with comprehensive value across the entire development life cycle of a project.
Share a green success story with us – how have you helped customers or other businesses in the fight against climate change?
In our recent project, we partnered with a client to conceptualize and design a utility-scale solar farm that has since become a beacon of sustainability in our region. By leveraging advanced modeling techniques and our deep expertise in renewable energy technologies, we were able to optimize the layout and efficiency of the solar panels, maximizing energy generation while minimizing environmental impact.
Through our collaborative approach, we not only met but exceeded our client’s expectations, delivering a solution that not only provides clean, reliable energy but also sets a new standard for sustainable development in the area. This project has not only contributed significantly to reducing carbon emissions but has also inspired local communities and stakeholders to embrace renewable energy solutions.
By focusing on innovation and sustainability, we continue to empower businesses to make a tangible difference in the fight against climate change, demonstrating that clean energy can be both economically viable and environmentally responsible.
This story highlights the positive impact of our industry expertise and commitment to sustainability, reflecting a tone of innovation, collaboration, and environmental stewardship.
What would you do with $1 billion dollars?
I would invest in facilitation efforts for increasing green financing opportunities in developing countries. It is known that the global north is the area majorly responsible for climate change, but sometimes it’s the least affected by it. Whereas countries in the global south are still struggling to provide basic needs such as electricity, food, access to clean water, and health care. Understandably, these countries don’t have the means to support the investments in energy transition technologies fast enough. There is an imminent necessity to enable bigger volume financing alternatives for countries to invest in climate change mitigation and adaptability.
What do you envision your industry looking like in ten years?
I envision this industry being the top job creator among energy sources, with a well-developed talent pool, and mature development of technologies that are still in the testing phase but will be critical in the decarbonization process such as green ammonia for shipping decarbonization and steel production. I envision a major adoption of residential solar BESS deployment, as well as electric mobility.
What would you like readers to take away from this article?
I would encourage any new graduate or college student reading this to consider the renewable energy industry as their career choice. We are living in exciting times with limitless opportunities to work in a job that is not only meaningful but also contributes positively to addressing climate change. The clean energy sector offers numerous advantages, including the chance to innovate and develop cutting-edge technologies in solar, wind, and other renewable sources. It’s a field where collaboration and interdisciplinary work are key, providing continuous learning and growth.
How should readers get in touch with you and/or your organization?
Venancio Mendez – venancio.mendez@woodplc.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/woodplc/mycompany/verification/
Kudos
Many thanks to Venancio Méndez Levy and Wood.
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