ABOUT
About Us
Blue Engine Energy's team, lead by Dr. Leon Ciccarello, has over 30 years' combined experience in large scale energy generation, including commercial solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, coal, and gas installations. Blue Engine Energy was created to apply that knowledge and expertise to develop sustainable, affordable distributed energy solutions both as a merchant generator and in combination with clients that desire energy security in the face of increasingly frequent grid outages and catastrophic weather events.
Blue Engine Energy's management has extensive experience in the energy sector, including:
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Design and implementation of over 20 large-scale commercial solar installations.
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The creation of software that operates the buy/sell transactions for the largest power grid in the US (PJM) with over 2 billion notational transactions a day.
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Ownership of a national utility equipment manufacturing company.
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Counsel to the largest green energy conference in the United States.
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Day-to-day management and operation of 85 municipal solar systems.
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Design and supervision of a submerged hydropower turbine system in Hudson River, NY
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More than 50 strategic consulting engagements concerning large-scale energy installations.
Blue Engine Energy systems use only renewable sources of energy, and are carbon-neutral.
Blue Engine Energy Team
Christopher James, JD | Chief Development Officer
Mr. James has practiced commercial law as an attorney in Portland Oregon since 1974. His practice he focused on business litigation and transactions, with a concentration in distribution, technology and real estate. Recently his focus moved to shareholder realization through limited auction sales and corporate development. He has been general counsel to companies that became NYSE listed and other private companies that reached more than 1B in annual revenue.
In the energy vertical Mr. James has represented clients with innovations and applications in solar technologies, polycarbonate composites, passive solar architecture, and related fields. Mr. James was also counsel to The Modern Energy Conference in Denver Colorado, a premier annual alternative energy conference including solar, wind, wave, nuclear and geothermal technologies.
For the last 30 years Mr. James has enjoyed the highest rating (AV) awarded from his peers and judiciary. Most recently he founded and operates a non-profit that investigates stem cell therapy for a fatal childhood disease and he has helped organize new innovations in alternative (clean) energy to bring to market.
His undergraduate degree is from the University of Oregon (BS), and his law degree is from the University of Oregon Law School.
Greg Nilan | CFO
Mr. Nilan is a management consultant who has provided financial and operational consulting servicers over the past forty years. His focus has been financial and market feasibility, financial projections, development and operations for a wide variety of real estate projects. He received his degree from Washington State University and California Polytechnic University Pomona specializing in finance and business in the hospitality industry. His areas of expertise include airport terminal concessions and major hotel and resort projects throughout North America as well as all types of food and beverage operations. Additionally he has been involved in development, financing and operations at major visitor destinations including sports arenas and stadiums, amusement parks and Olympic Games
Arek Fristensky, JD | Corporate Affairs Coordinator
Mr. Fristensky is an attorney with experience assisting businesses with civil litigation and commercial transactions, as well as experience in environmental and natural resources law, including water rights litigation. He earned his law degree at Lewis and Clark Law School, a Masters in Hydrologic Science from University of California at Davis and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science at the University of Oregon.
Lynsey Horne | Senior Project Manager
Lynsey Horne is a government programs specialist and project developer at Blue Engine. Experienced in program management, research analysis, sales, and project coordination, she also has a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies (emphases in natural resource economics, ecology, and sustainability) from Auburn University. She is driven by a desire to couple emerging technologies to provide clean energy solutions.
Before coming to BE, Ms. Horne ran a food equity-focused nonprofit in Vancouver, WA. This role required regular collaboration among governmental and other community organizations to achieve food waste minimization, inform certain public development projects, engage the community, and promote equitable access to healthy food for underserved populations. Ms. Horne still serves with this nonprofit on a volunteer basis as President of the Board of Directors.
In her role at Blue Engine, Ms. Horne acts as a liaison between BE and governmental programs and other stakeholders to evaluate both public and private opportunities in the ever-evolving renewable energy landscape. Her legislative, technical, financial, and environmental analyses help inform strategic direction and risk management to ensure the success of BE projects.
Leroy C. Goecks (Advisor)
Mr. Goecks was born and raised Oregon. He obtained an engineering degree and in 1967 started his own company Pacific Utility Equipment, Inc. (PUE). He grew PUE until it was the second largest final stage manufacturer of utility equipment in the United States. He sold it to Terex, a publicly traded company in 2002. He also established and owned Pacific Truck Colors, Inc., and sold it to Teamshares, a publicly traded company in 2021. He acquired Classic Exhibits Inc. (name changed after acquisition) and remains the owner. www.classicexhibits.com.
Mr. Goecks is a founding member of Blue Engine Energy, LLC, a clean energy company. Mr. Goecks remains active in business endeavors, including clean energy initiatives.
In Memoriam
One of our key founding members, Dr. Leon J. Ciccarello, recently passed unexpectedly. His vision has been central to our mission and company goals since inception . We will continue to realize his vision and our path of continued development and operations moving forward.
