Rich Hilt

Rich Hilt has been involved in the energy business -- some in CleanTech, others in NotSoCleanTech -- for over 35 years.

Rich worked on gas turbine engines for M1 Battle Tank, the engines on the 747, and on the Navy’s Tomcat Fighter.

In the 70s he worked for a Fortune 100 company doing energy management to help reduce a $100 million/yr energy bill. He changed light bulbs, looked for steam leaks, reduced energy peak demand, and was involved in operating industrial sized power plants – including an ancient coal stoker boiler.

In the 80s he was in DC working on strategic issues for the deregulating natural gas industry. He used one of the early Global Climate Models to evaluate how the gas industry could avoid building coal gasification plants. Rich helped get the industry back into the electric utility business – a $10 billion market. He worked with the International Energy Agency, US Department of Energy, US Natural Gas Companies and the Danish Oil & Gas industries to establish an international technology transfer organization.

In the 90s he was involved in the deregulation of electric utilities. Rich co-authored a landmark market research study of the impact of deregulation on California industrial and commercial customers. He built a distributed generation business serving the energy needs of Big Box Retailers.

He’s contributed his skill to several energy startups. Some on their way up and others on their way down.

Most recently he was a Founding Partner in Arare Ventures -- first time VCs focused on CleanTech -- that morphed into LiveFuels, an algae-to-biofuels startup.

Rich has been quoted on electric deregulation issues in the New York Times. The Wall Street Journal interviewed him concerning the financial health of nuclear power plants. His description of the “smart methane molecules” introduced by Enron’s Ken Lay was highlighted in a Business Week sidebar. He was a regular contributor to McGraw-Hill’s Electrical World Magazine and has been interviewed for Moscow Evening News.

He has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, a Masters of Science in Thermal Sciences, a Master of Arts in Economics, and the PhD in Public Policy.

Rich is always looking for new opportunities in CleanTech in order to atone for his past sins.

Employer:	Arare Ventures/LiveFuels, Inc., Menlo Park, CA
Position:	Founder & Vice President, Strategic Partnering & Government Relations
Time period:	January 2005 - December 2007
Description:	A Venture Capital Fund focused on CleanTech investments, beginning with active participation in the creation of an algae-to-biofuels startup company.

Employer:	nowPower, Inc., Menlo Park, CA
Position:	Vice President, Strategic Business Development
Time period:	January 2001 - December 2005
Description:	A Distributed Generation company established to build, own, operate, maintain and finance energy systems for large commercial and small industrial customers. Responsible for identifying strategic market opportunities, establishing and negotiating energy service agreements with customers.

Employer:	Schlumberger/CellNet Data Systems, San Carlos, CA
Position:	Strategic Marketing Manager
Time period:	January 1999 - December 2000
Description:	A wireless data communications company providing critical customer information to electric, gas, and water utilities. Managed the business development and marketing of a new Web-based product for the delivery of individual utility customer information for use in customer service, market research, and operations.

Employer:	Bright Line Energy, Inc., Palo Alto, CA
Position:	President & CEO
Time period:	January 1995 - December 1999
Description:	A company providing strategic business intelligence related to the energy industry. Published studies and provided consulting services which defined new pathways for existing energy companies to expand their markets and improve their margins. Developed business models for several start-up companies attempting to sell into the energy market.

Employer:	Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Position:	Manager, Strategic Planning
Time period:	January 1992 - December 1994
Description:	An organization that manages a $600 million R&D program for the electric power industry. Led teams composed of corporate officers from major electric utilities in establishing strategic priorities for the organization. Identified opportunities for major companies in the electric power industry to reshape their businesses in response to changes in the industry environment.

Employer:	Gas Research Institute, Washington, DC
Position:	Assistant Director, Strategic Planning & Analysis
Time period:	January 1981 - December 1991
Description:	An organization that manages a $300 million R&D program for the natural gas industry. • Managed a strategic analysis program that supported gas industry initiatives in Federal legislation and regulation resulting in new business opportunities whose value exceeded $10 Billion. • Created a new multinational organization for the transfer of technologies.

Employer:	FMC Corporation, Philadelphia, PA
Position:	Energy Coordinator
Time period:	January 1974 - December 1980

Employer:	Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, East Hartford, CT
Position:	Combustion Development Engineer
Time period:	January 1973 - December 1974

Employer:	Avco Lycoming, Stratford, CT
Position:	Compressor Development Engineer
Time period:	December 1971

University:	University of Pennsylvania
Time period:	1978 - 1985
Degree:	Public Policy, PhD

University:	Temple University
Time period:	1976 - 1977
Degree:	Economics, MA

University:	University of Denver
Time period:	1972 - 1973
Degree:	Thermal Science, MSc

University:	University of New Haven
Degree:	Mechanical Engineering, BEng

Books:

Winning in the Competitive Wholesale Power Markets: How the Top Electric Utilities Fare Under New FERC Rules, UDI/McGraw-Hill, September, 1995. The Market for Electric Energy in California, Bright Line Energy, Inc./SatisfactionWorks, Inc., February, 1996. Measuring the Competition: Operating Cost Profiles for U.S. Investor Owned Utilities – 1995, UDI/McGraw-Hill, September, 1996. Measuring the Competition at the Plants: Allocating Costs for Steam Electric Generation – 1995, UDI/McGraw-Hill, May,1997. Bidding for the Future U.S. Electric Power Supply Business – Who’s Buying? Who’s Selling? Who’s Winning? UDI/McGraw-Hill, July, 1998. U.S. Electric Power Plant Sales – 1999, UDI/McGraw-Hill, July 1999.

Memberships:

American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Association for Energy Economics Vice-President for Finance (1992-1996) National Petroleum Council Transmission and Storage Task Group, Committee on Natural Gas (1990-1992)