Energy Efficiency Award

New Hampshire Electric Cooperative
http://www.nhec.com
Plymouth, New Hampshire
 Video

New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) is the 2008 winner of the Community Service Award for Energy Efficiency. The award recognizes the cooperative’s multi-faceted program to help Cranmore Mountain Resort reduce its energy consumption by applying new, efficient technologies and participating in a demand response program. After a thorough review of the member’s energy usage, NHEC provided Cranmore Mountain Resort a rebate of $15,000 toward the purchase of 20 low-energy tower snow guns estimated to be sixty percent more efficient than conventional snowmakers.  On top of this rebate, the co-op provided $56,300 for new fan guns through its SmartSTART program (Savings Through Affordable Retrofit Technologies), which allows the co-op to be repaid over time on the member’s electric bill using energy savings. 

Community Investment Award

East Central Energy
http://www.eastcentralenergy.com
Braham, Minnesota
 Video

East Central Energy (ECE) is the 2008 winner of the Community Service Award for Community Investment. The award recognizes the cooperative’s successful effort to prevent the shut-down of one of the community’s largest employers – and a key industrial member of the co-op. On February 27, Leggett and Platt announced its intention to close Cambridge Metal and Plastics, a manufacturing firm employing over 100 people in this community of 7,200 – a loss of 12 percent of the town’s manufacturing jobs.  ECE took prompt and decisive action, joining with government agencies and other partners, including Great River Energy, to finance a loan using the Minnesota Community Capital fund of nearly $2 million to a prospective local buyer.  The loans allowed Water Works Manufacturing to negotiate a buy-out of the firm in an unprecedented sixty days.

Youth Programs Award

Aiken Electric Cooperative, Inc.
http://www.aikenco-op.org/
Aiken, South Carolina
 Video

Aiken Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Aiken ECI) is the 2008 winner of the Community Service Award for Youth Programs. The award recognizes Aiken ECI for the co-op’s Green Power Solar Schools program, conducted in partnership with Santee Cooper and the Aiken County School Board. In 2007 Aiken ECI installed a 2-kW solar panel at New Ellenton Middle School and an Internet-based monitoring system that allows students to calculate how much power the panel is generating for the school. The program also provided teachers a nine-week energy curriculum kit.