The 2023 Rising Stars of the Profession: Nima Simon

Nima is a chemical engineer with proven industrial experience in gas turbine technology. She has worked with General Electric's HA class gas turbines to help improve the combustion design for efficient operability and reduced emissions. She has also worked on designing and commissioning the combustion component for several GE gas turbine products.

Nima has experience with data analytics and managing new product introduction projects. In her current role, she regularly manages carbon intensity and technical due diligence projects. She is tasked with many of the technical aspects of carbon intensity scoring for low carbon fuels, including assisting developers with pathways submission to CARB for processes such as dairy manure renewable natural gas, steam methane reforming or blue hydrogen, and green hydrogen, as well as other emerging technologies. In addition to assisting with pathway scoring, she also provides carbon intensity diligence services for transactions.

What would you say has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

I believe staying passionate and curious about solving problems has derived my success. I'm grateful for my experiences as an engineer which showed me how to approach problems with an open mind and find satisfaction in working through challenges or providing a framework to resolve technical challenges. I continue to use this same mindset in my current role as a consultant as I work with my clients to evaluate their projects from a technical, market or financial perspective. I also believe appreciating and implementing lessons learned is essential in the progression of my career. This has helped me to improve my work and share my learnings with my peers and mentees so that we can all benefit and grow as a collectively strong team.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I enjoy tackling a diverse range of challenges as the energy industry moves toward decarbonization – from managing the due diligence of new solar projects in the U.S. to performing technology or process evaluations for interesting fuels, such as hydrogen or dairy manure derived renewable natural gas, I've had the privilege to see a variety of solutions. A lot of my clients have the same passion as I do for addressing climate change and providing clean power or alternate options to fossil-derived fuels. My role as a consultant has also allowed me to speak at conferences such as Infocast's Hydrogen Hubs Summit and give me a platform to educate and collaborate with other key players in the industry. As a consultant in the independent engineering space, I am able to connect with project developers, investors and manufacturers to discuss new opportunities in the clean energy industry. I enjoy working with a variety of different backgrounds and learning from others on the technical and financial side of new projects and solutions in our evolving industry.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

My proudest achievement at ICF is supporting the financing and development of one of the first large scale hydrogen projects on the West Coast in the U.S. I provided hydrogen cost forecasts for the market risk analysis and had the opportunity to work with a variety of teams to get the project through financing. I was happy to be a part of such a trend setting project and I learned a lot about hydrogen as an innovative option for fuel in turbines.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." – Oscar Wilde. One of my mentors would talk to me about how she worked on allowing her personality to shine through at work and eventually she felt like she no longer had two personas: one at work and one outside of work. While this sounds simple, I think it's often difficult to bring your true self to work due to fear of judgment or the desire to blend in. I think this piece of advice is a great reminder for professionals at all stages in their career especially because your personality sets you apart from others, helps you build your brand and authentic interpersonal connections and fosters a more enjoyable workplace.

What does this recognition mean to you?

Being recognized for my efforts as a consultant motivates me to continue making an impact in my field. I'm grateful to be a part of a pool of strong individuals steering the path in their respective industries. I hope to network or collaborate with other consultants in different fields and inspire new consultants starting their careers.