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Rick Whitaker

Senior Advisor, Energy Rick Whitaker

Rick is the Senior Advisor, Energy at Chemonics, after recently serving as Chief of Party for USAID’s Sri Lanka Energy Program. He has forty years’ experience in formulating and implementing international infrastructure development and institutional strengthening programs. Energy Infrastructure is a particular specialty for him, with extensive work in renewable energy and energy efficiency, power plant development, utilities operations and restructuring, and advanced energy technologies.

His work has taken him to Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. During his career he has launched Africa’s first land transaction and biometric ID program; grown IRG’s Clean Energy practice 200% in 3 years; restructured USAID’s $2.4B Iraq infrastructure portfolio; resurrected the Liberia Electricity Corporation; introduced the world’s first fuel cell power plant to 13 countries; delivered renewable energy benefits to over 1 million Afghans; and installed sustainable urban mobility solutions in Sri Lanka.

Rick has an MBA, from Harvard Business School; a BS cum laude in Engineering from USMA West Point; and is a decorated Vietnam veteran.

by Rick Whitaker


Transforming Ukraine’s District Heating: Technology to the Rescue

Ukraine’s District Heating systems have been a critical part of the country’s support for its citizens for decades; however, the current state of its systems is inefficient and outdated fossil-fueled equipment that has contributed to an economic drag on the country’s energy sector for many years. These systems require significant costs to maintain and operate…