Wind Energy

New board for American Wind Energy Association

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced today the installation of its Board of Directors for 2011-2012, led by electric utility executive Ned Hall. The new Board begins its tenure as the industry finds itself in an all-too-familiar environment of policy uncertainty, with the looming expiration of the federal Production Tax Credit rapidly approaching at the end of 2012.

"Having contributed 35 percent of all new electricity generating capacity since 2007, the U.S. wind power industry is generating electricity and economic development alike in the face of both a challenging economic climate and, more importantly, policy instability that makes for an extremely difficult business environment," said.Ned Hall, the new Board Chair, who is an Executive Vice President, Regional President for North America and Chairman, Global Wind Generation and Energy Storage.of AES, a global utility that generates electricity in 29 countries.

"The wind turbines industry is doing its part to provide America with clean, affordable, homegrown energy—while simultaneously creating jobs and generating revenue for communities small and large, rural and urban—but it can do so much more," Hall said. "Wind energy simply needs the same stable policy signals under which other industries operate."

Hall took his position as Chair when the Board of Directors met at the WINDPOWER 2011 Conference & Exhibition in Anaheim at the end of May. He replaced GE Energy’s Vic Abate, who remains on the Board as past Chair. Thomas Carnahan of Wind Capital Group was elected Chair-elect, and is slated to take the Chair post at WINDPOWER 2012, to be held in Atlanta, Ga.

Other officers for 2011-2012 are:

Gabriel Alonso of Horizon Wind Energy, Secretary
Don Furman of Iberdrola Renewables, Treasurer

Joining the AWEA Board this year will be Andy Cukurs of Suzlon Wind Energy Corp.

Joining the Board as advisors will be:

Marty Crotty of Upwind Solutions, Inc. (Advisor, O&M)
Jimmy Glotfelty of Clean Line Energy Partners (Advisor, Transmission)
Jacob Susman of OwnEnergy (Advisor, Community Wind)

Other members continuing their service on the AWEA Board include:

Jan Blittersdorf, NRG Systems
P. Barry Butler, University of Iowa (Advisor, R&D/Education)
Karen Conover, DNV Global Energy Concepts
John DiDonato, NextEra Energy Resources
David Drescher, Exelon Power
John M. Eber, JPMorgan Capital Corp.
Michael Garland, Pattern Energy Group LP
Jay Godfrey, American Electric Power (Advisor, Utilities)
John Grabner, Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co.
Jan Kjaersgaard, Siemens Energy, Inc.
Andrew Kruse, Southwest Windpower
Steve Lockard, TPI Composites
Peter Mandelstam, NRG Bluewater Wind
Randolph Mann, Edison Mission Energy
Michael Polsky, Invenergy
Susan Reilly, RES Americas
Steve Trenholm, E.ON Climate & Renewables North America
Greg Wetstone, Terra-Gen Power
Martha Wyrsch, Vestas Americas
Ed Zaelke, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (Advisor, Conference & Education)

"The strength of the AWEA Board is in its diversity, for it includes top leaders from all facets of the industry," said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. "On behalf of American Wind Energy Association. and the industry, I thank all of our Directors for their commitment to answering America’s call for more wind farm and to ensuring that the industry can operate in a stable environment so that American wind power can deliver on its promise of clean, affordable, homegrown energy that fosters economic development and energy security."

www.awea.org/