2021 Star of Energy Efficiency Awards Reception

Congratulations to our 2021 Star of Energy Award Recipients who were selected by the Alliance’s Development Committee from a robust and impressive pool of nominations.

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York will receive a Star of Energy Efficiency award. Starting in 2015, the Archdiocese of New York leadership identified the need to improve building performance and reduce energy expenses at its nearly 300 parishes including church buildings, schools, rectories, and other large and small buildings. Through an energy conservation initiative in partnership with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, TRC, and local utility companies, the Archdiocese will save more than $3.3 million in energy costs and a reduction of more than 7,000 tons in carbon emissions.

PSE&G will receive a Star of Energy Efficiency award for its landmark Clean Energy Future-Energy Efficiency initiative. PSE&G is leading New Jersey toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. The $1 billion program will help customers reduce their energy consumption and energy bills while providing environmental benefits, creating jobs, and boosting New Jersey’s economy. Over three years, those energy efficiency investments are expected to deliver $1 billion in net customer savings, create 3,200 jobs and help New Jersey avoid 8 million metric tons of carbon emissions through 2050.

Southern California Edison will receive the Innovative Star of Energy Efficiency award for the Clean Energy Optimization Pilot, the first comprehensive pay-for-performance greenhouse gas emissions pilot in the state. The $20 million pilot gives participants the flexibility to decide what implementation strategies will be the most effective for each campus. During the first pilot year, five of the seven university pilot participants reduced CO2 emissions by more than 56,000 metric tons and received a combined total of over $4.5 million in incentives. This is more than 3% of total emissions reduced and equivalent to taking 12,000 cars off the road for a year.

Steve Wright, General Manager, Chelan PUD, will be honored with the Charles H. Percy Award for Public Service in recognition of a career that spans over four decades of public service in the energy industry. The first 32 years of Steve’s career were spent at the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), including 12 years as Administrator, during which time he oversaw substantial increases in energy efficiency investments, earning BPA a Star of Energy Efficiency award from the Alliance in 2004. Steve has served as the General Manager of the Chelan County Public Utility District since 2013, during which time he led the development of a community-based Strategic Plan encompassing aggressive energy efficiency programs. Steve joined the Alliance Board of Directors in 2017 and has been an ardent supporter of our organization and the cause of energy efficiency.