Monitoring and metrics from solar installation to be included within courses taught at Baylor University and McLennan Community College
WACO, TEXAS – Green Mountain Energy Company is pleased to announce a donation of $30,000 to Waco Habitat for Humanity ReStore that will fund the ReStore’s conversion to solar power. The check was presented to the non-profit at a ceremony at the ReStore’s location on 1224 Franklin Ave. The donation is made possible through the Green Mountain EnergyTM Sun ClubTM, a program where customer contributions provide solar power installations for non-profit organizations. The Sun Club promotes clean energy awareness and has installed almost 500 kW of new solar power on the roofs of selected organizations.
In addition to the solar array that will be installed on the roof of the ReStore, Waco Habitat Executive Director, John Alexander is incorporating monitoring and measurement of the array within the courses he teaches at Baylor University. Similar plans are in the works for courses within McLennan Community College’s Environmental Studies program.
“Nonprofits like the Waco Habitat for Humanity ReStore are a prime example of organizations that are leading the sustainability movement,” said Tony Napolillo, Sun Club program manager, Green Mountain Energy Company. “Green Mountain is pleased to donate solar to communities like Waco, where our customers recognize the importance of preserving and improving the environment.”
Alexander agrees that conserving the environment begins within the communities. “We’ve wanted to implement solar at the ReStore for a long time as it aligns with our mission to implement sustainability and green, healthy living,” he said. “We are delighted that Green Mountain has provided us with the opportunity to continue progress in our development and execution of green initiatives.”
Habitat for Humanity unites communities and volunteers to build, repair and preserve homes for low-income families. In 2011, over 4,000 volunteers contributed almost 17,000 hours to Waco Habitat housing projects.
About Earth Month
Earth Day takes place every year on April 22, but why celebrate just one day? Earth Day has turned into a month-long celebration where people all over the world attend events, participate in helping the Earth, and put the environment’s well-being at the top of their priority lists. Many communities across the world come together through different conservation methods including planting trees, recycling and educating people about sustainability. Earth Month promotes awareness and environmentally-friendly initiatives to make the world safer for people and the environment!
About Waco Habitat for Humanity ReStore
The Waco Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a building materials recycling center that provides a sustainable source of income to Waco Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that builds and rehabilitates affordable homes in partnership with low-income families. The ReStore accepts material donations from a variety of sources, uses donated materials whenever possible in the construction of Habitat homes, and sells the balance to the public at greatly reduced prices with all proceeds benefiting Waco Habitat for Humanity. Annually, the ReStore diverts about 3,000 tons of usable material otherwise bound for the landfills and sells it at affordable prices. Another 150,000 pounds of raw material is salvaged for recycling. The ReStore is open to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.wacorestore.org.
Green Mountain EnergyTM Sun ClubTM
Green Mountain EnergyTM Sun ClubTM is a program where Green Mountain residential customers have the opportunity to give back to deserving non-profit organizations through the promotion of solar power. Direct monthly contributions from customers go toward the funding of solar installations. Since the program’s founding in 2002, Sun Club members have helped install almost 500 kW of solar power, preventing over 3.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. That equals 3.6 million miles not driven or 8.1 million aluminum cans recycled. For more information, visit www.gmsunclub.com.
Green Mountain Energy Company
Green Mountain, the nation’s leading competitive retail provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions, was founded in 1997 to “change the way power is made.” The company is the longest serving green power marketer in the U.S. Green Mountain offers consumers and businesses the choice of cleaner electricity products from renewable sources, such as wind, as well as a variety of carbon offset products. Green Mountain’s largest customer is the “world’s most famous office building,” the Empire State Building in New York City. Green Mountain customers have collectively helped avoid over 14.8 billion pounds of CO2 emissions. As a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG), Green Mountain is backed by one of the nation’s largest renewable power producers. For more information, visit www.GreenMountain.com.
###
