Awards at WINDPOWER 2007 Highlight Wind Energy's Emergence into Mainstream

The American Wind Energy Association will recognize corporate and industry leaders, national policymakers, experts, and renewable energy advocates at the WINDPOWER 2007 Conference & Exhibition, in Los Angeles, Calif., June 4-6.

WINDPOWER is now the world’s largest annual wind energy conference and trade show.

“The wind energy industry is delighted to honor business and industry leaders, lawmakers, advocates, and many others for their dedication and leadership in the development of wind power,” said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. “By advancing wind power, these leaders are advancing an essential element of the solution to global warming and helping power a cleaner, stronger America.”

The following honorees will be recognized:

Corporate Leadership: Starbucks. For leadership in using as much as 20% renewable energy to power the company’s operations. Starbucks shows by example that good environmental practices and good business aren’t mutually exclusive.

Technical Achievement: Dick Piwko, Nick Miller, Gary Jordan, and Kara Clark, GE Energy, wind integration study team. For significant contributions to understanding the technical and economic aspects of utility wind integration through their analytical work on wind integration in New York, California and Canada.

Achievement in Operations: Jamie Thompson, Horizon Wind Energy ( Blue Canyon I & II). For developing successful, effective working relationships with landowners, customer utilities and service contractors, and for maximizing plant performance through highly sophisticated use of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, high voltage system, and knowledge of the plants’ wind turbines.

Industry Person of the Year: Jim Walker, enXco. For his vision and efforts to help the wind industry move forward in two areas of significance: (1) getting ahead of the wind/wildlife siting challenges curve, and (2) establishing a wind industry road map.

Wind Energy Advocacy: Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT). For playing an important leadership role in victories for renewable energy over the last 15 years, including a California Renewables Portfolio Standard, resolution of avian siting issues in Altamont (California), acquisition of renewable energy by the city of Los Angeles, breakthrough on transmission issues, and progressive climate change initiatives.

Special Achievement: Andy Linehan, PPM Energy. For gifted advocacy and leadership in responsibly permitting and siting wind projects, and actively contributing to the development of new voluntary guidelines and siting policies across the U.S.

Commercial Achievement: AWEA member companies Gamesa Energia, Clipper Windpower, Suzlon Wind Energy, DMI Industries, LM Glasfiber and TPI Composites. For their efforts to increase the manufacturing of wind turbines in the U.S. The new facilities these companies have opened and are planning demonstrate that wind power development is a vital and fast-growing source of new jobs here in the U.S.

Congressional Leadership:

Senator Charles Grassley: For outstanding leadership in support of wind energy and the wind energy production tax credit (PTC). Senator Grassley (R-Iowa) is recognized as the “father” of this effective and popular credit.

Senator Harry Reid: For excellence in leadership in support of wind and other renewable technologies. Senator Reid (D-Nev.) has been a strong and consistent champion of renewable energy and helped ensure passage of a renewables portfolio standard in the Senate in 2005.

Senator Max Baucus: For steadfast leadership in support of windand other renewable technologies. Senator Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is advocating a long-term extension of the PTC.

Lifetime Achievement - Dr. Forrest (Woody) Stoddard: (Already awarded.) To a visionary leader, teacher, and pioneer, in recognition of years of outstanding industry leadership and support.