For NFE’s Julian Villalon, the business of energy is also quite personal
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Meet Julian
Julian Villalon’s lifelong passion for engineering has always been about more than solving abstract technical problems. It’s also about truly improving the quality of life in any situation – even his own.
“As a child, I would repair all my older siblings’ toys so I could inherit them,” says Julian, now an Infrastructure Project Developer at our New Fortress Energy (NFE) facilities in Puerto Rico. “I built my first engine model at around 6 years old. I have always been an engineer at heart. I was drawn to building solutions, not just on paper but with my hands. Although my parents are not engineers, most of my uncles and a few cousins are. I grew up around it with them and loved our projects together.”
“As a kid I was drawn to the triathlon, as I saw it as the ultimate challenge both physically and mentally"
After earning his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, Julian began working with CMA Architects and Engineers LLC, Puerto Rico’s largest locally owned design firm. He became part of the management team and the business development team.
He joined us in October 2018, working as part of the development team, leading technical development to manage and monitor distributed energy projects, and partnering with sales colleagues to provide technical counsel and financial modeling for business development projects.
“I allocate most of my time to support development, sales and client relations,” he says. “I work a lot on liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure to support power generation and co-generation projects. We reclaim and use lost heat to create steam or cooling to greater reduce the electric demand and increase system efficiency.”
"I finished my first full Ironman triathlon in October 2016, and I plan to take up the sport again in the coming year”
Julian appreciates the opportunity to innovate with agility to help NFE drive growth throughout Puerto Rico.
“We’ve developed programs such as LNG-to-power, where businesses require little or no capital investment and lock in on a constant energy cost for the life of a contract,” he explains. “Adopting new business models takes years with other companies, but not with NFE.”
Julian’s decision to make the move to NFE reflects his interest in driving solutions from both a technical and personal perspective.
“I joined NFE to secure a bright future for our next generations,” he says. “I was blessed with a happy childhood with a growing economy, but this drastically changed while I was studying for my engineering degree. I want to offer our children the opportunity of prosperity and a growing economy once again. This can only be done if we solve the main concern of all industries looking to do business in Puerto Rico: energy. At NFE, we are fertilizing the ground where the coming group of entrepreneurs, engineers, and professionals will plant seeds that will eventually lead to a prosperous future for Puerto Rico and our children. I get satisfaction in knowing I am part of an awesome group of people and a greater vision that will reshape the economy of our island.”
