It was around the time that Ricardo Hernandez Ramirez began attending preparatorio (high school) outside Mexico City that he began to have an awareness of the importance of electricity. “I walked past a substation every day, often saw crews working, and it got me thinking about how everything functioned. I came to realize that electricity drives everything,” he remembers.
Ricardo’s parents didn’t attend university, but they made sure their three sons did.
“My dad worked in construction, and when my brothers and I were 10-12 years old,he took us to work…not to learn how to do things, but rather to see how hard and tiring it was. We got the message: stay in school and study!”
Given his interest in electricity, electrical engineering was a natural choice for Ricardo’s degree. “I wanted to do work that would produce meaningful results for my country, in a field that would make a difference in people’s lives,” he recalls.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he spent a year completing his professional licensing (similar to a Professional Engineer license in the US). With that in hand, he started his first job with Sadeven Engineering & Construction, a company that specializes in performing work for the utility industry.
During his four years with the company, he primarily worked in and around Mexico City on projects for CFE (Comisión Federal de Electricidad, Mexico’s national utility). “I have fond memories of my time at Sadeven because many of my colleagues were young like me and we were all learning together. I also had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua and Honduras to work on projects, which was good experience.”
An internal reorganization at Sadeven prompted Ricardo to leave; a connection helped him land his next role as an electrical engineer for Gas Natural Fenosa, which has a Spanish parent. “Natural gas was a new technology for me, so there was a lot to learn. It was also a different corporate culture. But I’m very focused and adaptable, so I was able to adjust relatively smoothly.”
Through professional relationships he developed at Fenosa, Ricardo got to know people at Iberdrola, a multinational electric utility company headquartered in Spain. At the time, the company was developing several renewable energy projects in Mexico and was actively hiring new employees.
“It was a moment when renewables were quickly gaining popularity across Mexico, and it captured my imagination,” Ricardo recollects. “There was a lot of information about wind energy on television and on the internet, and I really wanted to work on these big machines. I also came to think of clean energy as a way I could build a positive legacy for my sons and help create a better future for them.”
“I still remember being in awe at how big and powerful the wind turbines were. Looking at them on a screen doesn’t prepare you for seeing them in real life!”
Ricardo landed a job doing project engineering for a wind farm Iberdrola was constructing for CFE, and his first visit to the site made quite an impression. “I still remember being in awe at how big and powerful the wind turbines were,” he says with a laugh. “Looking at them on a screen doesn’t prepare you for seeing them in real life!”
His first months with Iberdrola passed quickly and he was promoted to Chief Engineer, but Ricardo gradually began to realize the limitations of his position. He learned of an opening at what was then EDF Renewables Mexico, and an interview with his prospective boss piqued his interest: “He told me that if I came to work at EDF, I would have much wider professional opportunities, and that was very appealing to me. I love engineering, but there’s so much else to know in this industry.
Ricardo joined EDF in November 2017, and his first role was working on the Bluemex solar project, which presented another new technology for him. From there he went on to work in a wide range of areas, including substation design and engineering, wind and solar project design and engineering, and electrical system impact studies. “It was immediately clear that I had made the right decision,” he says. “There was a lot going on, and I had exposure to all kinds of new information I hadn’t had access to before. I was able learn about many elements of project development beyond just engineering.”
He’s now been with EDF power solutions for nearly eight years and recently took on his current title of Associate Development Manager. “I’m still involved with the technical side of things, but I have additional responsibilities that include managing budgets and cash flows as well as other matters, so my purview is much broader than just engineering.”
In reflecting on his career thus far and his approach to work, Ricardo credits his upbringing for shaping his worldview. “My core motivation has always been family and the values I learned at home,” he reflects. “My parents taught me the importance of being principled, treating others with respect, and above all, helping others. For me, the ability to find a way to help someone—even if they don’t ask!—is my greatest source of satisfaction.”
One of the things Ricardo likes most about working at EDF power solutions is the company’s flexibility and open-mindedness. “Big companies have a tendency to become very structured and even restrictive,” he observes. “It’s not like that at EDF. We have freedom to suggest new ideas, learn about areas outside our primary role, and plan our schedules—and as the father of two young sons, I really appreciate that.”
