Green Power Awards were given out to 33 individuals, companies and groups in the 8th annual awards program to honor their commitment to building a renewable energy market in Pennsylvania. The awards are sponsored by the Citizens For Pennsylvania’s Future.

A special award was given to Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis and John Quigley, also of DCNR, for their leadership in the Pennsylvania Wind and Wildlife Collaborative, helping to build a consensus process to develop wind energy in an environmentally responsible manner.

Other Green Power Leaders in this category include Bill Capouilliez, Game Commission, in recognition of the Wind Energy Voluntary Cooperation Agreement and Keith Welks, Treasury Department for funding the Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) and promoting green investments in Pennsylvania.

Other individuals and organizations receiving the awards include:

Green Power Purchasers - Large Businesses

· Philadelphia Eagles, for purchasing 25 percent renewable energy and reimbursing all employees who buy wind energy at their homes;

Green Power Purchasers - Small Businesses:

· PLATINUM AWARD to Studioeec, (Exton), for purchasing 100 percent renewable energy; and

· Restaurant Taquet, (Wayne), for purchasing 100 percent wind;

Green Power Purchasers – Public Interest Organizations

· Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, (Pittsburgh), for purchasing 100 percent wind energy for the Silver LEEDTM-certified Welcome Center;

· Philadelphia International Airport, for purchasing 7 percent wind energy, with 8.5 percent of all energy coming from renewable resources;

Green Power Purchasers – Government

· PLATINUM AWARD to Upper Dublin Township, (Montgomery County), for purchasing 100 percent renewable energy;

· City of Philadelphia, for purchasing 100 percent of City Hall’s electricity from wind power (3.07 percent of city government’s total use);

· Schuylkill Township, (Chester County), for purchasing 25 percent renewable energy;

Green Power Purchasers - Educational Institutions

· PLATINUM AWARD to Eastern University (St. Davids, Delaware County), for purchasing 100 percent wind power;

· Swarthmore College & Earthlust Student Organization (Swarthmore, Delaware County), for purchasing 35 percent wind power;

· Penn State University & Eco-Action Student Organization, for purchasing 20 percent renewable energy;

· Montgomery County Community College, for purchasing 10 percent clean wind energy;

Green Power Pioneers

· Environmental Committee of the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, for its campaign: "A Light Among the Nations" aka "How Many Jews Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?" which engage the Jewish community in education, advocacy, and concrete action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

· Georgia Berner, president and CEO of Berner International (New Castle, Lawrence County), for pioneering leadership in the community, helping to further the development of greener, more energy efficient buildings;

· Trond Grenager of Lebanon Methane Recovery, Inc., for promoting the use of waste-to-energy at the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority landfill project;

· Joel Morrison, West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund, Inc, for leadership in organizing the biomass working group to examine cellulosic ethanol potential;

· Great Valley School District (Malvern, Chester County) and Krapf Bus Companies, for converting all 70 of the Great Valley School District school buses to use B20 biodiesel fuel and expanding to other school districts;

Green Building Achievement

· Giant Eagle (Pittsburgh), for its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED Commercial Interiors Silver Certified supermarket at the Shadyside Market District;

· Friends Center Corporation (Philadelphia), for incorporating green building practices in campus renovations, including a vegetated roof and a 10-kilowatt solar array;

· Tobyhanna Army Depot (Tobyhanna, Monroe County), for installing a 14,141 square foot vegetative green roof on headquarters;

Green Power Generators

· Conergy, for selecting Pennsylvania as the East Coast operations of its solar engineering and installation subsidiary, SunTechnics;

· Exelon, SunTechnics, and Epuron, for their partnership in building the nation's fourth largest solar photovoltaic generation project in southeastern Pennsylvania;

· Gamesa, in recognition for its continued commitment to developing wind energy in Pennsylvania, including the creation of over 1,000 jobs;

· Iberdrola, for continued leadership in the development of wind energy in Pennsylvania, including Locust Ridge wind farm and the continued success of the PECO wind program, one of the nation's top ten green power programs for enrollment;

· Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, for commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and becoming the first public environmental services organization to become a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange;

· PPL Energy Services and the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority, for the development of the Lebanon Refuse Authority’s methane gas-to-energy plant, helping to reduce methane and carbon dioxide emissions while creating electricity.

For more information, visit the PennFuture Awards webpage.

10/26/2007