2011 'Stars of Energy Efficiency' Award Roster Led by Energy Pioneer Daniel Yergin, Asst. Navy Sec. Jackie Pfannenstiel

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Alliance to Save Energy is awarding energy-efficiency pioneer and expert Daniel Yergin its Charles H. Percy Award for Public Service at its annual, black-tie gala, the 19th annual Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency, to be held here October 4. The award recognizes an individual's outstanding public service and/or lifetime commitment to energy efficiency.

The Chairman's Award recipient, selected by Alliance Board Honorary Chair Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment) Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, a former chair of the State of California Energy Commission (CEC).

At the black-tie gala, the Alliance also will present important awards recognizing the following companies and organizations for their innovations and significant accomplishments:  

• The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) will receive the Super Nova Star of Energy Efficiency, which recognizes outstanding achievements by an entity earning less than $150 million in annual revenue;
• Briggs & Stratton Corporation receives the Galaxy Star of Energy Efficiency recognizing outstanding achievements by an entity with annual revenue of more than $150 million;
• Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL) wins the Andromeda Star of Energy Efficiency for outstanding achievements by an entity earning less than $10 million in annual revenue;
• The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland receives the International Star (I-Star) Award for Energy Efficiency, which honors a special overseas project or activities led by an entity based outside the United States/ U.S. territories; and
• ThinkEco wins the Innovative Star of Energy Efficiency Award, honoring an emerging technology or service with the potential to transform a sector of the energy efficiency market.

Michael Lawrence, vice president and general manager, insulation systems, for Johns Manville and a member of the Alliance's Board of Directors, chaired the selection committee for the five Stars of Energy Efficiency and Percy awards and noted the strong field of nearly 100 nominees. "The stellar roster of contenders for the 2011 Stars of Energy Efficiency ensured that this year's awardees are truly elite – the 'best of the best' – and can take great pride in their recognition by the Alliance," Lawrence observed.

Yergin is a leading authority on international politics, economics and energy. He is the co-founder and chairman of IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates, one of the world's leading energy research and consulting firms. He is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Prize and a recipient of the United States Energy Award for "lifelong achievements in energy and the promotion of international understanding." He also serves as the global energy expert for CNBC and is the author of the forthcoming book on energy to be published by Penguin in September, The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World.

"I am honored to receive this prestigious award," Dr. Yergin said. "Of all options available to meet growing energy demand, efficiency can quickly contribute the most energy 'supply' while reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security. The Alliance to Save Energy's mission to promote the efficient and clean use of energy has never been more important."

"Daniel Yergin is an exemplar of someone committed to the promotion of energy efficiency – someone who recognizes that we can go far in meeting the world's growing energy demands with practical solutions that are right at our fingertips," Callahan said.

"Former Alliance board member Jackie Pfannenstiel is another standout in the energy and energy efficiency arenas," Callahan commented. "She was Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) first female corporate officer, serving as vice president of corporate planning starting in 1987, and led the process that resulted in many of California's innovative regulatory policies promoting energy efficiency."

"Jackalyne Pfannenstiel has been a champion for energy efficiency and the use of alternative energy," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). "She has taken these important issues seriously in her current role as the Navy's top environment and energy official, as well as during her time as chairman of the State of California Energy Commission. She has been a leader in recognizing that energy independence is crucial to our national security. I congratulate Jackalyne Pfannenstiel on this wonderful and well-deserved achievement."

Following 20 years with PG&E and a stint as an independent energy consultant, Pfannenstiel was appointed to the CEC in 2004 and became its chair in 2006, serving until January 2009. Her areas of focus included climate change, energy efficiency and demand response. During her term, the CEC adopted standards complying with several mandates on inclusion of aggressive energy efficiency measures in state building codes. As assistant secretary of the Navy, a post she assumed in March 2010, her portfolio includes development of the department's energy strategy.

"I'm honored to be recognized with this exceptional award," said Pfannenstiel. "The Department of the Navy is committed to remaining a front runner in energy efficiency initiatives, as innovation in the way we use energy is absolutely critical to successfully supporting the missions of the Navy and Marine Corps around the globe."  

The 2011 Stars of Energy Efficiency

Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) – In 2009, members and staff of AHRI, the trade association representing manufacturers of heating, air conditioning, water heating and commercial refrigeration equipment, worked together with energy efficiency advocates, including the Alliance, to develop the first-ever regional energy efficiency standards for residential furnaces, heat pumps and central air conditioners – an agreement recently adopted as part of a direct final rule by the Department of Energy.

When fully implemented, the regional standards will save consumers approximately $13 billion in today's dollars and 3.7 quadrillion Btu of energy nationwide, equivalent to all the energy consumed by approximately 18 million households in a single year.

Briggs & Stratton Corporation – Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Briggs & Stratton Corporation is the world's largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment.  Products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries on six continents.

Briggs & Stratton is committed to reducing its energy intensity by 25% in 10 years and in just three years has already made a 9.5% reduction. Exemplifying the company's ingenuity is a recently completed project which captures energy lost during research and development testing of its engines, generating electricity for its facility. Briggs & Stratton is empowering employees at all levels of the organization to identify opportunities for energy reductions. By 2012, Briggs & Stratton plans to reduce the exhaust emissions produced by its engines by at least another 35%.

Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL) – In June 2009, Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL), a minority-owned business enterprise co-owned by automotive logistics firm Motor City International and energy management firm Ecos, began implementing a multi-family energy efficiency program for electric and natural gas customers of utility DTE Energy. In 2010, SEEL implemented another DTE Energy program – Neighborhood Energy Savings Outreach (NESO) – an innovative and ambitious pilot program targeting customers with lower energy efficiency program participation levels.

Thanks to both efforts, SEEL has touched 16,513 properties, delivering 45,337 MWh and 177,862,000 cubic feet of energy savings and reducing CO2 emissions by 40,221 metric tons.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland – Since March, 2009, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has made 6 percent of Ireland's housing stock – over 100,000 homes – more energy efficient through its Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme.  

The 40,000 upgrades done through the HES in 2010 alone will deliver energy savings of 300 million Euro (almost $500 million). In addition, in a recent survey of more than 9,000 applicants, over 98% said they would recommend the HES scheme to others.

ThinkEco, Inc. – This technology company has created the ground-breaking modlet (modern electrical outlet), the first intelligent outlet that can operate autonomously and automatically to eliminate plug-load waste – about 250 kilowatt hours, or $40 per socket, annually – and communicate energy use in real-time to a user-friendly computer interface. With the U.S. spending an estimated $10 billion (100 billion kWh) yearly on wasted energy from electronic devices that are not in use, the modlet offers great potential for improving energy efficiency and cutting costs for businesses and consumers.

ThinkEco, Inc. was awarded "Best in Show" at the 2010 Consumer Electronic Association's Line Show and received three 2011 Consumer Electronics Show Design and Engineering Innovative Showcase Honoree awards for the modlet.

The Stars of Energy Efficiency awards will be presented before a crowd of more than 500 members of Congress, industry leaders, high-level government officials and federal agency staff at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and national security.

SOURCE Alliance to Save Energy