Project Experts

• Patrick Willems - Team Leader
• Ralf Walther – Regional Task Manager
• Vladimir Nikolaev – Senior Expert
• Marina Lastovskaya – Senior Expert
• Alexei Sankovski - Project Manager on behalf of the consortium ICF International, COWI (Denmark) and IGPEE (Russia)
• Polina Botsokha – Junior Expert
• Elmira Karazhaeva – Junior Expert and Project Assistant

Regional Experts

• Vitaly Zhukoborskiy – Senior Expert
• Anton Popov – Junior Expert

• Vitaly Butusov – Senior Expert
• Bogdan Bogdanov – Junior Expert

• Yuri Archangelskiy – Senior Expert
• Gediminas Shukys – Junior Expert

Patrick Willems (Belgium) – Team Leader

Patrick Willems has unique experience in managing sizeable privatisation projects and large investment programmes in the energy sector as well as leading multi-cultural project teams in general.  Mr. Willems is an MBA graduate with 23 years of professional experience in investments facilitation and business ventures in energy projects. He enjoys 10½ years of continuous direct presence in the energy sector in Russia, Europe and Kazakhstan, with a clear emphasis on electricity, natural gas and renewable energy sources.  The ICF Team Leader has hands-on experience in developing and implementing energy policies, involving public and private stakeholders. He advised the Russian Government on energy savings issues during a 2003 Tacis Project. He has advised the Belgian Government and the European Commissioner for Fair Competition on the possible impact of the proposed merger of Suez and GDF on the energy mix offer in the Belgian territory. He served a total of 2 years as long-term and short-term expert in Tacis energy related projects, gaining extensive experience in Project Cycle Management and Logical Framework Analysis. Thus, he is quite familiar with EU PRAG procedures. Mr. Willems is specifically experienced in forging sustainable and effective public-private partnerships in Russia and between Russia and the EU. Over the last 6 years, he has been active in the Russian/CIS energy sector, also in the gas sector working out a gas storage project with Gazprom export arm Gazexport. His keen interest in renewable energy sources has allowed for several business ventures, investment projects and technology transfers between Europe and the CIS countries. A senior partner with Eunergo, he led pioneering innovative energy savings projects, including cogeneration, bio, wind and hydro power, further gaining marketing experience of Kyoto Protocol related trading mechanisms. Mr. Willems has critical expertise in collaborating with the international financial community in arranging project finance. He worked for over 10 years on investment promotion and joint ventures establishment, developing pro-active business plans in cooperation with major banks as Fortis, KBC, ING, EIB, Paribas, ABN-AMRO, SGV, and international lending institutes such as EBRD and IFC.  For the last couple of years, he has specialised in attracting venture capital funds both in the EU and in the CIS. Mr. Willems has proven valuable knowledge in dissemination practices in his capacity as the Managing Partner for 7 energy know-how transfers SME ventures. In his earlier days he lectured for 10 years as distinguished professor in financial planning, investment analysis, and budgeting tailored primarily to energy related SMEs. Mr. Willems is fluent in both English and Russian.

 Ralf Walther (Germany) – Regional Task Manager

Ralf Walther has a unique combination of RES knowledge and over 20 years of international project management experience in senior management positions. In particular, Dr. Walther  has thirteen years’ of experience as a resident Senior Project Manager, Team Leader and Key Expert of six major Tacis/EuropeAid projects in Russia. He also led PIU in Serbia and serves as Project Manager in Tajikistan managing the work of multi-national and multi-disciplinary teams against tight deadlines and budgets. Dr. Walter has a proven track record of high-level policy, legal, economic, financial and technical advice in the energy and RES sector.  His experience includes the formulation of energy policies and programmes, preparation of structural reforms in the energy sector; assistance in institutional and utilities management and operations, including, management strengthening, restructuring, privatisation and capacity building of and in public, municipal and private utilities/companies, assistance in the transformation to market economy conditions, and economic cooperation with the EU.  His practical experience on knowledge transfer, international cooperation and introduction of advanced Western RES energy technologies, includes: hydro-power and biomass in the Republic of Karelia, Russia; rehabilitation of small-scale hydro-power plants in Kaliningrad region, Russia; and assessment of the feasibility of RES and energy efficiency and RES projects in Russia, NIS and Eastern Europe (according to the Kyoto protocol’s financing mechanisms). Dr. Walther is an acknowledged expert in the preparation and development of energy investment projects, including the preparation of feasibility studies and business plans, the assessment of local and national conditions to attract increased foreign investment, the preparation of tender documents and tender procedures, as well as contract documents under IFI requirements and FIDIC conditions for international clients, including the European Commission, World Bank, NIB/NEFCO and others and the implementation of investment projects. His regional project development experience includes rehabilitation of the DH system based on biomass energy resources of Sortavala, Republic of Karelia, financed by NIB/Nefco; construction of two boiler houses in Ekaterinburg, financed by Russian investors/BOOT scheme, rehabilitation of three power stations – 80 m Euro financed by the EC in Serbia and rehabilitation of Dushanbe water supply system – 13,6 m USD financed by World Bank loan in Tajikistan. Dr. Walther is fluent in English and Russian.

 Vladimir Nikolaev (Russia) – Senior Expert

Vladimir Nikolaev has gained diverse experience working with solar and wind energy in the USSR and Russia as well as project management, energy strategy, market research and energy saving analysis skills. Currently, Mr. Nikolaev is the Director of the Research & Information Centre “ATMOGRAPH” and has been on this post since 2002. Early in his career (1980-1984), he was a Senior Scientist at the Moscow Physical-Technical Institute and was involved in hydrodynamic and computer modeling of mass and heat transfer in fluid and gas flows. Later, he worked at VNIIGMI-WDC B– State Institute of Hydro-Meteorological Information– World Data Center B and was responsible for data control, statistical and computer modeling of atmosphere parameters, and space and temporal distribution. For 15 years afterwards, Mr. Nikolaev was the Head of Department of Atmospheric Research where he organized  and managed the Centre activities, designed and developed projects, worked out atmosphere parameters data bases and did computer and statistical modelling. Mr. Nikolaev’s knowledge is specifically relevant to Russia, as he has broad experience working in the region. In particular, he has done analysis of the efficiency of renewables for the Ministry of Fuel and Energy and for Science Ministry of the USSR as well as for the Industry and Power Ministry and for the Ministry of Economical Development of the Russian Federation; analysis of the energy saving situation and mechanisms, including Kyoto mechanisms, to enhance energy efficiency in Russia. Mr. Nikolaev also has broad experience of work on international projects and programs (ISO, ICAO, Tacis) as the organizer of joint activity, and projects designer and executer. Mr. Nikolaev is fluent in English and has about 80 scientific publications and papers in the field of renewables’ analysis, atmosphere resources, ecology, etc. He has conducted feasibility studies of wind and solar energy potential for more than 30 regions of the former USSR and Russian Federation. 

Alexei Sankovksi (Russia) – Project Manager on behalf of ICF International, Cowi (Denmark) and IGPEE (Russia)

Alexei Sankovski has extensive experience in climate change issues and climate change capacity building in the NIS as well as diverse management and coordination skills. Dr. Sankovski graduated from the Moscow State University and subsequently received his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, GA, USA. Since joining ICF Consulting in 1994, he developed unparalleled experience and expertise in global climate change issues, including mitigation measures and policies; GHG inventories; climate change impacts and adaptation; modeling and projecting GHG emissions; and work with Joint Implementation/Clean Development Mechanisms projects. Dr. Sankovski was a Lead Co-Author of the IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios (2000) and the Working Group III Contribution to the IPCC Third Assessment Report (2001); assisted with the development of national, regional, and sectoral GHG inventories and Climate Action Plans in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Bulgaria, and Hungary; led the development (including financing) of over 20 CDM/JI projects in NIS. For the last twelve years, Dr. Sankovski has been consistently involved in evaluating and building climate change institutional capacity in the Former Soviet Union. He delivered training and technical assistance under multiple regional assistance programs, including those supported by EU/Tacis (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus); CIDA (Azerbaijan; Kazakhstan; Uzbekistan); EC DGE (Russia); UNDP/GEF (Russia); U.S. EPA (Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan), U.S. AID (Ukraine); U.S. Country Study Program (Eastern Europe and NIS); the World Bank (Georgia); EBRD (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan). Mr. Sankovski has direct hands-on experience and knowledge of major NIS industries, including coal mining, power generation; iron and steel production; natural gas sector; district heating and forestry.  During numerous trips to the region, he has personally collaborated with many key NIS climate change stakeholders in governmental, business and NGO circles. At ICF International, Dr. Sankovski conducts day-to-day management of multiple projects with a combined budget of over 5 million Euros. He manages project staff and budgets; conducts quality assurance and control of key deliverables to clients; prepares progress reports. He is an effective personnel manager with experience of simultaneously managing and coordinating dozens of staff at 3-4 ICF offices and subcontractors worldwide. Based on consulting experience in more than 30 countries, Dr. Sankovski gained solid partnership building skills. Over the last 5 years, he has successfully managed the ICF contribution to five major climate change capacity building projects in the NIS, with a combined budget of over 3 million Euros. Dr. Sankovski is fluent in English.

Polina Botsokha (Russia) – Junior Expert

Through her professional development, Polina Botsokha has gained rich experience working with the Kyoto Protocol and its mechanisms and various governmental agencies. She started her career at the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation where she analyzed environmental protection regulations and prepared proposals for a listing in the area of environmental protection and safety for ecological organizations of the CIS. Later, she worked at the Ministry of Economical Development and Trade of the Russian Federation where she was involved with the Arctic Council and prepared analytical materials, interacting with various ministries and maintaining correspondence with participating countries. She also attended international conferences on the steady development of the North and Arctic regions. Deepening her expertise on the issues of the North, Ms. Botsokha worked on a Russian – Canadian project that provided assistance to indigenous nations of the North (INRIPP-II); she was an expert for ecological projects within the framework of the Кyoto Protocol. She was responsible for supporting various pilot projects and training groups, organizing and implementing the All-Russia Scientific-Practical Conference on the social development of the Russian North as well as developing and implementing public awareness and educational projects relevant to climate change. Ms. Botsokha’s TACIS experience began with the project “Institutional Support of Kyoto Protocol Implementation in the RF” during which she promoted the Kyoto Protocol through seminars, conferences, round tables in various places in Russia and Europe; cooperated with federal authorities, national and international organizations; identified and evaluated new Joint Implementation project opportunities. At ICF International, Ms. Botsokha has been working on the project “Removing barriers to improving management and control systems in the Russian Federation District Heating (DH) Sector by implementing Kyoto Protocol Flexible Mechanisms”; her responsibilities included cooperation with federal authorities, financial institutes and various organizations, writing reports, monitoring Russian legislation in the Russian Energy sectors and Kyoto Protocol, analyzing existing CDM methodologies and preparation of proposals for European Commission tenders (TACIS ) and for other tenders. Ms. Botsokha is fluent in English.

Elmira Karazhaeva (Russia) – Junior Expert and Project Assistant

Elmira Karazhaeva has diverse expertise in several professional fields. Early in her career path, she was involved in education moving from a teacher of English as a foreign language to Assistant Professor at North Ossetian State University to Assistant Coordinator and Director. As Assistant Coordinator, she was responsible for monitoring and translation of international projects and reports; implementation of study abroad programs (organisation/processing; documentation); educational advising; liaise with international organizations and chief offices (negotiations, correspondence, assistance in holding meetings, round tables, etc). As a Director, Ms. Karazhaeva was managing Saint George International English Language School, a branch of UK Educational Company in Vladikavkaz. Later, Ms. Karazhaeva completed a foundation course and post-graduate studies at Moscow State Linguistic University named after Moris Thorez. In 2004, she started working for the Technology Centre EU-Russia as junior expert and provided organizational and technical assistance for the senior expert in identification of prospective investment projects, attraction of funds of international financial organizations for implementation of energy projects in Russia, organisation of round tables. She was also in charge of creating an information support system and a common information space for distribution of the advanced power technologies in Russia and the EU and know-how transfer. In 2006, Ms. Karazhaeva became Assistant of the Executive Manager for a GEF-financed project “Development of institutional and financial mechanisms to foster the implementation of investment projects to utilize coal-bed/mine methane in Russia using the EU countries experience”, where she assisted the executive manager in the organization of a seminar for key coal producers, investors and environmental and policy makers, prepared analytical materials for dissemination (environmentally oriented coal-bed/mine methane projects), provided translation services. Ms. Karazhaeva is fluent in English.

Vitaly Zhukoborskiy (Russia) – Senior Expert in the Astrakhan Region

Vitaly Zhukoborkiy is the manager of the Astrakhan regional team of the Project. In 2006-2007, Mr. Zhukoborskiy was also involved as a regional senior expert in another Tacis EuropeAid project titled “Energy-efficiency at the Regional Level in Archangelsk, Astrakhan and Kaliningrad Regions” (120746/C/SV/RU). Mr. Zhukoborskiy has been doing research and teaching for 40 years at the Department of Electric Technology of the Astrakhan State Technological University (AGTU) where he obtained his Ph.D. and became Department Chair. His responsibilities included organization of the research and teaching process at the Department, coordination of the scientific project “Industrial Energy Saving” and personnel management. As part of the “Industrial Energy Saving” project, Mr. Zhukobosrkiy managed the development of the regional program “Electrical Energy Saving”; organized scientific-practical international conferences “Regional Problems of Enhancing the Quality and Saving of Electrical Energy”; coordinated the government-funded scientific project “Enhancing Industrial Energy-Use Efficiency”. In 1998-2007, Mr. Zhukoborskiy was the President of the ‘Scientific-Industrial Association “Sigma”’ (LLC) in Astrakhan, where he provided financial, investment, analytical, engineering, scientific-technical, marketing and legal services; he also managed innovative projects and property complexes and technology transfer. In 2007, Mr. Zhukoborskiy became the Director of the public enterprise in the Astrakhan Region “Astrakhan Regional Centre of Energy Saving”. His responsibilities include company management; initiation and coordination of collaboration with local, regional, federal and European organizations in the area of economy’s energy-efficiency; energy auditing; energy management and energy services. Mr. Zhukoborskiy has published 71 scientific and methodical (teaching) works, including 7 patented inventions.   

Vitaly Butusov (Russia) – Senior Expert in the Krasnodar Region

Vitaly Butusov is the manager of the Krasnodar regional team of the Project. Mr. Butusov has extensive work and research experience in the field of renewable energy, especially, in solar and geothermal energy. He started his professional career as an engineer at the “NIPI Oil” Institute. Two years later, he became the team leader at the “Krasnodar Civil Project” Institute, where he was involved in the development of heating systems. In 1978-1989, Mr. Butusov worked as the Head of the Potential Development Services Department in “Kuban Teplo-Energo” Association, where among his responsibilities were operation of heating systems, development of efficient centralized heating schemes; construction and operation of RES-based heating systems. In 1989-1997, Mr. Butusov served as the Head of the Energy-Saving and Alternative Energy Sources Laboratory at the Moscow Academy of Municipal Economy named after K.D. Pamfilov. Then, he took on a Director post at the JSC “South-Russian Energy Company”. Here, he was responsible for company management, development and construction of solar panels, energy-delivery systems, heat-energy accounting system, automatization and energy audit. In 2002-2005, Mr. Butusov served as the Director of LLC “Teplo-electro-stroy”, where, in addition to company management, he was involved in the development of solar water-heating equipment and solar-fuel boiler-houses. Starting in 2005, Mr. Butusov has been working as the CEO of the Krasnodar JSC “South-Geo-Heat”, where he develops fundamental technical decisions for solar panels and geothermal heating systems, Mr. Butusov also participated in the implementation of an international demo-project funded by the World Bank that dealt with geothermal heating systems based on solar water-heating equipment made with photo-electric converters. Mr. Butusov is a Professor at the Department of Energy and Renewable Energy Sources at the Kuban State Technological University (Krasnodar) and has 186 scientific publications as well as inventions in the field of RES. He is the member of the RES Expert Council at the Russian Academy of Sciences and the member of the Russian Geothermal Society.

Gediminas Shukys (Russia) – Junior Expert in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

Gediminas Shukys is the Junior Expert of the Project in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Starting in 2007, he has been the Commercial Director of the Moscow office of “Energy Territory” (JSC) where he organizes and manages various projects on development, integration, construction, and operation start of high-voltage energy objects; works with various regions of the Russian Federation; attracts investment; develops the schemes of complex financial projects. Particularly, he is involved in financial modeling and analysis of promising projects, budgeting, analysis of the impact of manager’s decisions on the financial showings of the company, organization of interactions with credit and financial structures and budgets; work with budget and municipal organizations. Mr. Shukys has been accredited as an active member of the Working Group on Energy Saving and Energy Security at the Administration of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and as a consultant on investment projects at the International Centre of Sustainable Energy Development. In 2005-2007, Mr. Shukys worked in the Group of Companies “Energo-Business-Com” at first as a Financial Director and later as the Assistant Director. In 2002-2005, he was the Assistant Director and then the Director of “National Energy-Sale Company” (JSC), where he was responsible for energy auditing of large-scale energy consumers and guiding the consumers to the free energy market. In 2000-2004, Mr. Shukys worked as the Adviser of the Executive Chair on Economic Development and then as the Director of “Alternative Centre” (JSC) at the International Social Fund “Law and Order”, where he worked with federal and regional budgets, did management consulting, strategic business planning and commercial activities. In 1998-2000, Mr. Shukys was the Director of “Brolis” (LLC) and worked in management consulting (Department of Management Consulting within the “Siberian Marketing Association”) with large industrial companies of the Altai region. In 1996-1998, he was the Vice-President of “SVS” (LLC) and was involved in commercial activities within “Altai-avtodor” and worked with large Russian industrial companies. Mr. Shukys has basic knowledge of the English, Lithuanian, and Hungarian languages.

This project is funded by the European Union