Maria Hilda Rivera

Energy Advisor, Power Africa

2020 International Award Winner

In her current role as Energy Advisor with Power Africa, Maria Hilda Rivera works with energy ministries, financial institutions, and private developers to double electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa. Rivera joined the initiative for the launch of Beyond the Grid, Power Africa’s signature off-grid program. Prior to Power Africa, Rivera worked at the World Bank, where she served as a core team member of the Lighting Africa Program and oversaw initiatives to increase the private sector’s role in delivering energy access. She has also been an Energy Engineer at Energy and Security Group, a woman-owned firm, and served at the American Council for Renewable Energy (ACORE), an umbrella trade association. Her career in the renewable and distributed energy sectors has focused heavily on providing energy access to populations living beyond the reach of a traditional electricity grid. Key to her advancement has been her ability to understand both government and private-sector perspectives. She has designed and implemented numerous programs to boost clean energy markets and increase economic growth in developing countries. Rivera’s focus on clean energy started in graduate courses at the University of California, Davis, where she studied Biological and Agricultural Engineering and International Development. Rivera earned a BS in Bioresource Engineering from Rutgers University.