Green Power Summit Honors Leaders in Energy

ATLANTA — December 2, 2003 — The 2nd Annual Southeast Green Power Summit Awards Banquet, which will be held today at 12 p.m. at the Emory Conference Center Pavilion in Atlanta , will honor those that have made a substantial contribution to the green power industry in the Southeast.

The Southeast Green Power Awards recognizes green power purchasers who demonstrate leadership with the size and circumstances of their achievement, as well as recognizing green power suppliers, marketers and others helping to build the marketplace for renewable energy in the Southeast.

This year the Southeast Green Power Summit honors the following persons/businesses for making a positive difference in the Southeast: Green Star Award for overall high achievement: Lowe’s and Kinko’s; Sunlight Award to cutting-edge utility companies: JEA, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Santee Cooper; Lone Star Award for creating a new supply of green energy: Interface; and Trailblazer Award for outstanding contribution by an individual or organization to inspire growth in the green power industry: Gary Harris (Honorable Mention to Richard Harkrader).

Both Green Star Award winners express the need for businesses to take a leadership role in protecting the environment.

“Kinko’s is excited to receive the Green Star Award. This award recognizes the importance of our efforts to ensure a sustainable future for Kinko’s and our communities,” said Larry Rogero, director of environmental affairs for Kinko’s.

Robin Nickles, Lowe’s Vice President of Retail Property Management, stated, “Lowe’s is honored to be the first recipient of the Green Star Award. As a responsible corporate citizen, we are proud to lead other corporations to make similar choices that help protect the environment we all share.”

Trailblazer Award winner Gary Harris, Manager of Green Power Switch for the Tennessee Valley Authority, recognizes the need for many different groups to work together for a clean energy future.

“The success of green power programs is a result of strong team work involving utilities, businesses, government officials and environmental organizations. Without the support of this diverse group working together, the future of renewable energy could not be possible. We all have a responsibility to clean the air and provide leadership for a better, pollution-free future.”

Green Mountain Energy Company, the nation’s largest retail provider of cleaner energy, will be donating renewable energy credits equal to 10-megawatt hours of new wind power for the event.

“This donation of new wind power will offset the production of more than 13,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), which avoids as much CO2 as not driving a car 14,935 miles,” stated Green Mountain’s Jeff Reinhardt.

The Green Power Summit Awards Banquet is sponsored by Santee Cooper.

The Southeast Green Power Summit is a two-day event attracting an audience of energy policy-makers, utility companies, environmental organization leaders, government representatives, renewable industry consultants, green power purchasers and nonprofit environmental organizations. Topics at the Summit include: lessons learned from starting green power programs; cutting-edge systems for solar, wind and biomass; and leading Southeastern companies and organizations on the forefront of the green power movement. The Summit also provides an excellent opportunity to network with energy professionals and policy experts.

Summit sponsors include: EPA Green Power Partnership Program, Tennessee Valley Authority, Georgia Power Company, U.S. Department of Energy, Santee Cooper, Florida Power and Light, Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, Mississippi State Energy Division, North Carolina State Energy Office, South Carolina State Energy Office, Florida Solar Energy Center , NEG-Micon, Sharp Electronics and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Green Power is power generated from renewable sources, i.e. solar power, wind power and energy generated from biomass sources such as landfill gas- nontraditional sources which are replenishable and have less harmful impacts to the environment than traditional energy such as the burning of fossil fuels.