PennFuture Announces 2009 Green Power Award Winners

Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future this week announced the winners of the 2009 Green Power Awards at a special awards ceremony in Philadelphia.

Thirty-two individuals, private industries, government agencies and public interest organizations that are building Pennsylvania’s thriving renewable energy market will be honored at the luncheon.

Individuals and organizations receiving the awards include:

-- Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, for leadership in pursuing lower energy costs, cleaner air, greener neighborhoods and new jobs through Greenworks Philadelphia.

-- Pennsylvania Public Utility Chair James Cawley, for leadership in moving clean energy and energy conservation forward in Pennsylvania through the implementation of both Act 129 and the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard.

-- Bob Fiori of Berwyn (Chester County) for work in developing the PowerMinders organization, encouraging college students to make a difference in their communities through promoting energy efficiency.

-- Maureen Mulligan of Shermans Dale (Perry County), for continued commitment to the development of solar energy in Pennsylvania.

-- Kevin Brown of Strafford (Chester County), for work with the Renewable Energy Business Network, helping to grow and develop great green jobs in Pennsylvania.

-- Leanne Krueger-Braneky of West Philadelphia, for work with the Green Economy Task Force in Philadelphia, helping to build a coalition of over 300 stakeholders to collectively work on growing Philadelphia’s green economy, including renewable energy sectors.

-- Jan Lauer of Pittsburgh, for continuous efforts in advocating for cutting-edge solutions to our energy needs through your work at 3 Rivers Clean Energy, the Technology Council’s Green Technology Network and the 2008 Regional Energy Industry Workforce Summit.

-- Liz Robinson of Philadelphia, for work with the Energy Coordinating Agency to provide thousands of energy conservation services to low-income residents in Philadelphia each year and your commitment to growing green jobs training.

--Four Seasons Produce of Ephrata (Lancaster County), for commitment to reducing energy use, conserving resources and improving the environment, and for receiving the ENERGY STAR Superior Energy Efficiency designation for the Ephrata distribution center.

--Armstrong World Industries, Inc. of Lancaster, for achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EBTM) Platinum status at corporate headquarters.

-- Secretary James P. Creedon & the Department of General Services, for reducing energy consumption in state-owned buildings by 18 percent, saving Pennsylvania taxpayers $2.2 million a year in utility costs.

--BurstNET Technologies, Inc. of Scranton (Lackawanna County) for purchasing 5,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of wind energy to become one of the first data centers to be 100 percent powered by green energy.

--Yards Brewing Company of Philadelphia, for becoming the first 100 percent wind powered brewery in Pennsylvania and for continued commitment to sustainability.

--Innovation Printing Inc. of Philadelphia, for purchasing 1,956 megawatt-hours (MWh) of wind energy to meet 100 percent of all electricity needs.

--SAP of Newtown Square (Delaware County), for purchasing 19,165 megawatt-hours (MWh) of wind energy to meet 100 percent of all electricity needs and for achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Platinum status at corporate headquarters in Newtown Square.

--Allegheny Power of Greensburg (Westmoreland County), for the voluntary Renewable Energy Program open to all residential, commercial and industrial customers, to support the development of clean, renewable wind power.

--Onion Flats LLC of Philadelphia, for commitment to sustainable building practices and renewable energy including the construction of the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Gold Residential Dwelling in Philadelphia, the first LEEDTM Gold Residential-Commercial live/work space in Philadelphia and for the first LEEDTM Platinum multi-family residence in Pennsylvania.

--GreenWorks Development, LLC of Harrisburg, for work in developing the Campus Square Building and the Midtown Redevelopment Initiative in Harrisburg, helping to promote brownfield development, alternative energy and integrated communities.

--MaSt Community Charter School of Philadelphia, for improving the energy efficiency of the facilities, helping to lower operating costs, reduce environmental impact and provide an exemplary example for other schools.

--Central Baptist Church of Wayne (Delaware County), for installing a 9.8-kilowatt (KW) solar photovoltaic system on the nursery school, producing 11,760 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year.

-- John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church of Pittsburgh, for the construction of an abandoned mine water geothermal heating and cooling system.

--Oxford Development of Pittsburgh, for investing $3.1 million investment in building energy efficiency upgrades at the Regional Enterprise Tower – creating as much environmental cleanup as planting and nurturing 5,466 tree seedlings for 10 years.

-- Audrey Zibelman, CEO, & Viridity, LLC. of Conshohocken (Montgomery County), for starting Viridity, using technology and in-depth knowledge of real time market pricing to employ conservation and load shifting, instead of generation, helping to reduce costs to consumers and reduce air pollution emissions during peak power periods of the day.

--The West Chester BLUER Committee (Chester County), for work helping West Chester Borough municipal and county government operations, residents, businesses, and nonprofits to reduce greenhouse gas pollution 10 percent over 2005 levels by the year 2015.

--Warminster Township (Bucks County), for purchasing 20 percent of its power from green energy sources, replacing all traffic signals with LEDs and for its continued efforts in public education and outreach.

-- R. Brent Alderfer of Radnor (Delaware County), for continued efforts in growing the wind and now solar marketplace in Pennsylvania through entrepreneurial efforts in creating Community Energy and now CEI Solar, LLC.

-- Eric Blank of Radnor (Delaware County), for continued efforts in growing the wind and now solar marketplace in Pennsylvania through entrepreneurial efforts in creating Community Energy and now CEI Solar, LLC.

-- Flabeg of Germany, for choosing Allegheny County for its first solar mirror production facility in the United States.

--PPL Sustainable Energy Fund Solar Scholars Program, for commitment to solar education through the Solar Scholars Program, helping to create a curriculum for schools that do not have renewable energy or sustainability programs; and expanding and enriching existing programs.

--The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum of Washington County, for installing a 36 kilowatt (KW) solar photovoltaic system to operate its collection of vintage railway vehicles.

-- The Citizens' Choice Green Power Hero Award (based on recommendations by PennFuture's members and supporters)

-- Bill Finch of Downingtown (Chester County), for promoting green energy both individually and through his own business, Alternative Energy, Inc.

-- Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), for leadership and decade long commitment to clean energy policies in Pennsylvania.

For more information, contact PennFutureat 1-800-321-7775.