News Type: Press Release

The largest Peace Renewable Energy Credit (P-REC) agreement to date, and the first-ever P-REC registration in South Sudan, has been executed by 3Degrees and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with support from Energy Peace Partners (EPP). In the agreement, 3Degrees obtained the P-RECs generated by the IOM-managed solar plant and transferred them to Block, a fast growing global technology company with a focus on financial services, to further the company’s commitment to financial inclusion and desire to support forward-looking sustainability projects. The pioneering transaction will help support the expansion of P-RECs globally.

The arrangement between 3Degrees and IOM, a United Nations organization, will allow IOM to fund the solar electrification of the Malakal Teaching Hospital, the main healthcare facility serving the city of Malakal and the surrounding region. The city of Malakal was destroyed in the country’s civil war that began in 2013 and now houses one of the largest camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South Sudan. Expected to be completed in mid to late 2022, the solar electrification project will enable improved community health services by providing a reliable source of power for the hospital. The P-REC transaction also serves to pilot a funding model that can be replicated by United Nations entities and other international organizations in the field to support humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives.

P-RECs are international renewable energy certificates (I-RECs) with a supplementary label developed and issued by EPP, which certifies the co-benefits associated with the new renewable energy generation. P-RECs serve as an innovative financing instrument that supports high impact renewable energy projects in fragile, energy poor countries. The first P-REC contract was executed in 2020 by Microsoft, and Block’s purchase now serves as the single largest P-REC acquisition to date.

Under this agreement, EPP will issue the P-RECs generated from a new IOM-managed solar plant that supplies electricity to its Humanitarian Hub at a camp that houses more than 30,000 IDPs outside the city of Malakal in South Sudan. Since 3Degrees and EPP had previously collaborated on the inaugural P-REC project, EPP again approached 3Degrees to help assess project options and navigate the contracting process. 3Degrees then entered into an agreement with IOM to obtain the P-RECs from the solar plant.

“We are grateful to IOM, 3Degrees, and Block for their collaboration and commitment in making this groundbreaking transaction a reality. EPP’s work grew out of efforts to expand renewable energy in South Sudan, one of the most fragile and least electrified countries in the world. This project fulfills the original vision of the P-REC, and we are excited about the positive impact this will have for communities in Malakal,” said Dave Mozersky, President of Energy Peace Partners. “More broadly, this highlights the value of the P-REC in mobilizing private sector actors to support high-impact projects in some of the hardest-to-reach communities.”

“We are thrilled to support another innovative P-REC transaction, which will help make a tangible difference in people’s lives,” said Steve McDougal, CEO, 3Degrees. “More and more, our customers are seeking out ways to make a greater impact through their renewable energy procurement. We applaud Block for their desire to support this meaningful project, and thank Energy Peace Partners and IOM for their partnership and collaboration to make it happen.”

“At IOM, we know we can only reach sustainability at scale by working with partners who share our vision for a greener future,” said Amy Pope, IOM’s Deputy Director General for Management and Reform. “We are thrilled to have partnered with 3Degrees and Energy Peace Partners to implement the first Peace Renewable Energy Credit agreement to date within the United Nations system. This groundbreaking initiative in South Sudan demonstrates that it is possible to transition to cleaner energy in a way that directly benefits the migrants we serve.”

“At Block we are guided by our purpose of economic empowerment and for us, P-RECs represent a unique opportunity to support global financial inclusion through high-impact renewable energy projects,” says Neil Jorgensen, Global ESG Lead at Block.

Existing solar project at the UN Humanitarian Hub in Malakal.
Source: Omar Mohammad Patan at International Organization for Migration (IOM)

About EPP

Energy Peace Partners leverages climate finance solutions to support peace in places affected by violent conflict. We believe that a paradigm shift toward climate-sensitive development can deliver enduring benefits to the planet’s most vulnerable populations. The Energy Peace Partners team brings together expertise in international peacebuilding, renewable energy, and climate security. Our efforts create an enabling environment for introducing renewable energy that can serve as the building blocks for peace.

About IOM

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is part of the United Nations system and is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration. IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. From its roots as an operational logistics agency following the Second World War, it has broadened its scope to become an essential international actor in the field of human mobility, supporting migrants across the world, developing effective responses to the shifting dynamics of migration, and a key source of advice on migration policy and practice. The Organization works in emergency situations, developing the resilience of all people on the move, and particularly those in situations of vulnerability, as well as building capacity within governments to manage all forms and impacts of mobility.

About Block

Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. Spiral builds and funds free, open-source Bitcoin projects. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. TBD is building an open developer platform to make it easier to access Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies without having to go through an institution.

Partnerships Support New Solar Generation to Power Bank of America Charlotte Operations and Support New Solar Projects in Local Communities

CHARLOTTE – Bank of America announced today it is partnering with Duke Energy to further expand its renewable energy commitment by powering its headquarters and other Charlotte, North Carolina operations with solar energy.

Through a renewable energy-sleeved power purchase agreement (PPA), the company is participating in Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) program. The bank is the first company and financial institution to sign a 10-year agreement for electricity and Green-e®-certified renewable energy certificates (RECs) through this program.

The purchase of a 25-megawatt (MWAC) solar project’s electricity output and RECs will cover 45% of Bank of America’s electricity load in the state. By participating in Duke Energy’s GSA program, Bank of America further demonstrates its commitment to reduce its operational impacts on the environment, including being carbon neutral and utilizing 100% renewable electricity across its global operations.

“These unique projects and partnerships build on our achievement of carbon neutrality and expand our renewable energy commitment. By driving more clean energy solutions in our facilities, we are developing a broader sustainable energy ecosystem to help transform our operations and the communities where our employees work and live,” said Andrew Plepler, global head of Environmental, Social and Governance at Bank of America. “These partnerships bring to the forefront creative thinking and innovative solutions to address a changing climate and clean energy access.”

This innovative project will be constructed in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It also adds additional clean energy to the grid, supports jobs and the local economy. The project will include the installation of a pollinator habitat surrounding 70,000 solar panels, covering approximately 180 acres, and is expected to be online in 2022.

“We continue to look for new and innovative ways to deliver more renewable energy to customers in North Carolina,” said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “Customers want more flexibility and options for renewable energy and the Green Source Advantage makes that happen.”

Silver Pine Energy, a joint venture between Silver Creek Energy and North Carolina developer Pine Gate Renewables, will oversee the development of the project and will support the engineering, procurement and construction services.

“Silver Pine Energy is very pleased to be a part of the Green Source Advantage program,” said Silver Pine President Ben Catt. “We are grateful to partner with Duke Energy and Bank of America for this project, and excited to continue to do our part to bring more renewable energy online in North Carolina through innovative and exciting programs such as GSA.”

Duke Energy’s GSA program has 600 MW of capacity for large Duke Energy customers in North Carolina. Cities – like the city of Charlotte – are also eligible to participate.

Duke Energy maintains more than 3,300 MW of solar power on its energy grid in North Carolina, which could power about 700,000 homes and businesses at peak output. The company also operates 40 solar facilities in the state. North Carolina currently ranks No. 2 in the nation for overall solar power.

The Green Source Advantage program is an outgrowth of 2017’s landmark solar legislation in North Carolina. Other programs such as solar rebates for customers and solar leasing were also part of that legislation. Duke Energy piloted the program, called the Green Source, Tariff, in 2015.

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA – Bank of America partnered with 3Degrees to purchase RECs for 10 years to help make possible the development of four additional solar projects in the eastern part of the state. The counties of Harnett, Columbus, Nash, and Johnston will benefit from these projects, with solar energy added to the grid and pollinator habitats that will increase biodiversity in these communities. The total annual MWh output from the 3Degrees projects are expected to produce 33,000 MWh/ year.

“We applaud Bank of America’s continued investment in taking action against climate change,” said Steve McDougal, CEO, 3Degrees. “We have partnered together several times, and the bank’s desire to consistently seek out innovative projects, such as this impactful long-term REC purchase in North Carolina, is impressive. Bank of America exemplifies true corporate climate leadership.”

Additional resources

Learn more about Bank of America’s commitment to the environment and its environmental operations focus.

Learn more about Duke Energy’s GSA program and its renewable energy commitment.

Learn more about 3Degrees.

Learn more about Silver Pine Energy.

Learn more about Pine Gate Renewables.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers’ experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit’s regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Silver Pine Energy
Silver Pine is a joint venture partnership between Silver Creek Energy and Pine Gate Renewables. Silver Pine is actively developing dozens of projects across the southeast and beyond. The collective partnership combines to offer industry leading capabilities as a developer, financier, EPC, and operator of solar projects in the United States. Silver Pine currently oversees the construction and operation of 200 MWs of solar projects in the southeast and is actively developing over 1GW of solar across the country.

Pine Gate Renewables
Pine Gate Renewables is a leading developer, financier, EPC, and operator of solar projects across the United States. Pine Gate currently operates more than 400MWs of renewable energy projects and has an additional 4GWs of projects in different stages of development throughout the country. Pine Gate is headquartered in Asheville, N.C.

Bank of America
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

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Reporters May Contact:
Kelly Sapp, Bank of America, 1.980.214.3070
[email protected]

Randy Wheeless, Duke Energy, 1.800.559.3853
[email protected]

Rachel Fagan, 3Degrees, 1.512.402.8683
[email protected]

Erin Craig tapped to lead new Customer Solutions and Innovation Group, joined by Rick Freeman, formerly of Apple; Rebecca Sternberg hired to head up Energy and Climate Practice 

3Degrees, a specialist in renewable energy, transportation decarbonization, and other climate solutions, is pleased to announce several new leadership roles and the formation of a new group, Customer Solutions and Innovation.

Erin Craig, leader of 3Degrees’ Energy and Climate Practice, is shifting into a new role as vice president of the Customer Solutions and Innovation group. In this new role, Erin will leverage her deep expertise, as well as the customer insights gained through her advisory work, to create new solutions to climate challenges and bring them to corporate, utility, and institutional clients in partnership with 3Degrees’ business units. Erin will also serve as a senior advisor on select client engagements. 

To accelerate these efforts, 3Degrees is welcoming Frederick Freeman to the company as director of Customer Solutions and Innovation. Rick most recently spent eight years leading various strategic initiatives and renewable energy origination projects on the Global Energy Team at Apple. Prior to his time at Apple, Rick worked as an environmental engineering consultant for private and public sector clients, as a computer programmer of web platforms and educational systems, and served as an environmental policy technical expert for the U.S. Department of State. 

The Customer Solutions and Innovation team will focus on addressing barriers to renewable energy finance, accelerating the deployment of climate mitigations which bring multiple benefit streams to society, and enabling electrification initiatives through corporate climate action. 

To amplify the success of the Energy and Climate Practice, 3Degrees is pleased to welcome renewable energy veteran Rebecca Sternberg as its new leader and vice president. Rebecca has spent more than 15 years in the sustainability and renewable energy field, most recently as vice president of power marketing, at BayWa r.e. where she led origination of several prominent renewable energy projects, including a 100MW aggregation with Bloomberg, Cox Communications, Gap, Salesforce, and Workday. Prior to BayWa r.e., Rebecca led the global Fortune 1000 Commercial team for SolarCity, working with many leading retailers and global technology companies. She has also held prominent roles in EY’s Climate and Sustainability Services group and founded Accenture’s Sustainability Practice. 

3Degrees’  Energy and Climate Practice has grown tremendously over the past three years, partnering with major global corporations, including Visa, Mastercard, Mondelēz International, Etsy, and Comcast, to help them craft and execute customized plans to achieve their renewable energy and climate goals. In 2018, the team led the largest renewable energy aggregation to date, with Apple, Akamai, Swiss Re, and Etsy. Rebecca will lead the team’s evolution and growing body of work supporting strategic initiatives for some of the world’s leading corporations and educational institutions, transportation decarbonization initiatives, and renewable energy implementations worldwide.

“3Degrees continues to evolve to meet our clients’ growing renewable energy, transportation, and other climate solutions needs,” said Steve McDougal, CEO of 3Degrees. “A key component of our plan is building the strongest leadership in the industry. I’m thrilled that Erin and Rick are spearheading the new Customer Solutions and Innovation group, and that Rebecca will be at the helm of our thriving Energy and Climate Practice. Their collective leadership experience in the renewable energy industry is second to none, and our clients will certainly benefit from their expertise.” 

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The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and 3Degrees Group, Inc. (3Degrees) today announced that they’re entering a partnership to offset electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with SEIA’s events and operations.

As part of a two-year agreement, 3Degrees will provide SEIA with 235 Green-e® Certified solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) and 835 registered and verified carbon offsets annually. This will cover SEIA’s approximate office and event electricity usage as well as all emissions associated with SEIA staff travel and event attendee travel each year.

“We have a responsibility to practice what we preach,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA president and CEO. “As the solar industry cuts CO2 emissions by 81 million metric tons a year, its main advocacy group should maintain a commitment to corporate sustainability, and our partnership with 3Degrees will help us do that.”

The solar energy generation SEIA supports avoids 166 metric tons of CO2 annually. This is equivalent to taking 35 cars off the road for a year. The carbon offset projects SEIA supports have a greenhouse gas reduction benefit equivalent to an additional 177 cars driven for a year or over 93,000 gallons of gasoline consumed.

“We are thrilled to partner with SEIA, which is on the forefront of accelerating the development and adoption of solar energy across the country,” said 3Degrees CEO Steve McDougal. “3Degrees seeks to support all organizations taking urgent action on climate change, and SEIA’s commitment to advancing solar energy is perfectly aligned with our mission.”

In 2018 and 2019, SEIA partnered with WGL Energy on a similar partnership for SRECs and carbon offsets.

This partnership is part of SEIA’s Sustainability Initiative, which promotes sustainable practices throughout the organization and focuses on reducing the carbon and environmental footprint of our daily office operations.

For more information, visit www.seia.org/sustainability.

3Degrees has been named the 2019 Best Trading Company in Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) – North America for the sixth year in a row by Environmental Finance. This is the 20th anniversary of the Environmental Finance Annual Marketing Rankings, the largest and most closely watched survey of the world’s environmental markets. 

“Receiving this award once again is incredibly meaningful to our team, who works hard every day to meet the needs of our partners and customers, and deliver an exceptional quality of service,” said Scott Eidson, vice president of environmental markets. “It’s extremely rewarding to be a part of an industry that’s doing such important work in the fight against climate change.”

For over 15 years, 3Degrees has provided tailored renewable energy, transportation, and emission reduction solutions to our clients, and helped them source high-quality, country-specific renewable energy products around the globe.  An award-winning B Corp, 3Degrees has delivered more than 170 million RECs and GOs to clients, and supported more than 2,000 facilities.

This is the ninth time the company has earned a top designation by Environmental Finance readers in this category. Learn more at 3Degrees.com.

Clean Energy Aggregation to Support Apex Clean Energy’s White Mesa Wind Project in Crockett County, TX

Apple, eBay, Samsung and Sprint today announced a joint agreement to purchase power from a new wind farm owned and developed by Apex Clean Energy. The transaction—spearheaded by Apple, the largest purchaser in the innovative small load energy aggregation—totals approximately 75 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power the equivalent of 20,000 homes.

Shared energy purchases like this allow companies to pool their energy demands and collectively support the addition of large-scale renewable energy projects to the grid. Apple brought together other technology leaders dedicated to responsible business practices – eBay, Samsung and Sprint – in the aggregation agreement, which will enable all participants to access cost-effective low-carbon renewable energy from the new project. 3Degrees facilitated the agreement.

The full 500-MW White Mesa Wind project is expected to come online in 2021 in Crockett County, TX.

“We’re proud to be powering all of Apple’s operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy and driving the private sector to support the clean energy transition,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Businesses of all sizes and of varying energy needs can help bring new, renewable energy online. This collaborative agreement in Texas is a model we hope others will replicate.”

“At eBay, we prioritize operating in the most environmentally and socially sustainable way,” said Wendy Jones, SVP Global Operations, eBay. “This collaboration is not only an important step in advancing our commitment to reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2025, but it also offers an inclusive approach to collaborate with other companies and lead the way toward a clean energy future.”

“Samsung Austin Semiconductor understands the responsibility of businesses to work together to support environmental sustainability and increase the share of renewable energy in our local markets,” said Gil Heyun Choi, president of Samsung Austin Semiconductor. “We see this agreement as a landmark effort for cutting-edge semiconductor technologies and a demonstration of green manufacturing brought to scale.”

“This project marks another step toward reaching our corporate goal of reducing Sprint’s carbon footprint,” said Chas Peterson, Vice President of Procurement for Sprint. “We are also greening our supply chain by partnering with some of our key suppliers on this innovative shared energy purchase.”

“Enabling corporate aggregation for renewable power purchasing is a key focus of Apex’s and an essential way of engaging more corporate customers in clean energy procurement,” said Mark Goodwin, president and CEO of Apex Clean Energy. “The Apex platform is designed to develop utility-scale wind and solar projects that deliver optimized performance paired with the flexibility that aggregated offtakers need to make these deals feasible. White Mesa Wind is a prime example of the future of corporate clean energy transactions: aggregated power purchasing tailored to each offtaker’s needs.”

“REBA members continue to drive innovation in clean energy procurement,” said Miranda Ballentine, CEO, Renewable Energy Buyer’s Alliance. “By bringing together the buying power of four leading brands, Apple, eBay, Sprint and Samsung, with the professional support of 3Degrees, energy buyers are proving that through the right partnerships these innovative renewable energy projects can come to fruition.”

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About Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC

Samsung Austin Semiconductor is one of the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the world with more than 3,000 employees and 2.45 million square feet of floor space. Samsung Austin Semiconductor has broad semiconductor process technology offerings serving customers in various application areas including mobile, consumer, networking/high performance computing, Internet of Things, RF and automotive. Since 1996, Samsung Austin Semiconductor has invested approximately $17 billion in its Austin, TX campus, making it one of the largest direct foreign investments in United States history. Samsung Austin Semiconductor is a US-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The Austin facility is one of the few semiconductor plants the company has outside South Korea. Visit www.samsung.com/us/sas.

About Sprint

Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served 54.3 million connections as of June 30, 2019 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Today, Sprint’s legacy of innovation and service continues with an increased investment to dramatically improve coverage, reliability, and speed across its nationwide network and commitment to launching a 5G mobile network in the U.S. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About eBay

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a global commerce leader including the Marketplace, StubHub and Classifieds platforms. Collectively, we connect millions of buyers and sellers around the world, empowering people and creating opportunity for all. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2018, eBay enabled $95 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

About Apex Clean Energy

Apex Clean Energy develops, constructs, and operates utility-scale wind and solar power facilities across North America. Our mission-driven team of more than 200 renewable energy experts uses a data-focused approach and an unrivaled portfolio of projects to create solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking customers. For more information on how Apex is leading the transition to a clean energy future, visit apexcleanenergy.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Wind farm photos courtesy of Apex Clean Energy

Fast Company today announced its 10th annual list of the Most Creative People in Business, honoring an influential and diverse group of 100 leaders from a vast range of global industries including tech, design, entertainment, health care, media, government, nonprofit, finance, food, and more.

The Most Creative People in Business list recognizes individuals whose work might not necessarily be quantifiable by numbers, but who are nonetheless having a measurable impact on the world. These scientists, executives, programmers, comedians, founders, designers, musicians, writers, and activists have accomplished something new this year within their field that’s driving their industries forward and solving global and societal problems in novel ways.

This year’s group represents Fast Company’s hallmark of diversity: 52 are women, 48 are men, with more than 25 hailing from outside the United States, and nearly one-third are people of color.

“For more than 30 years, I have been working with organizations across the globe to improve their environmental performance,” said Erin Craig, VP, Energy and Climate Practice at 3Degrees. “As climate change presents an increasingly urgent challenge, we need lots of creative thinking, charting a way forward even when an easy path doesn’t present itself. In the face of this imperative, I am deeply motivated to find solutions that work. I am honored to be recognized by Fast Company for doing work that I am passionate about and which is making – I believe and I hope – a significant positive impact in the world.”

Erin works with some of the world’s leading corporations to develop and implement climate and renewable energy strategies. She has personally led dozens of renewable energy supply engagements and assisted clients with contracting for over 1 GW of renewable energy. In 2018, Erin supported Apple, Akamai Technologies (Akamai), Etsy, and Swiss Re as they leveraged their collective buying power in the largest aggregated corporate renewable energy transaction to date. 

Fast Company editors and writers spend a year researching candidates for the list, scouting every sector of business: technology, fashion, cybersecurity, biotech, entertainment, beauty, social good, food, data, consumer goods, and more. The people selected have all accomplished something truly innovative within the past 12 months or so that is having a meaningful effect within their industries. They’re also discoveries — none has ever been profiled in Fast Company before. Taken together, they represent where business is heading right now.

“This year’s edition acknowledges society’s increasingly fraught relationship with technology. It is light on people inventing new apps to sell us more stuff—and mine our personal information—and heavier on leaders trying to protect consumers and companies from unscrupulous actors online,” says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company.

To see the complete list go to: fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2019

Introduced in 2009, the Most Creative People list was quickly established as one of Fast Company’s most esteemed franchises. Each year, the magazine’s editors present an all-new list of 100 people chosen according to a proprietary methodology.

Fast Company‘s Most Creative People in Business issue (Summer 2019) is available online now at fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2019 and on newsstands beginning June 4. Join the Most Creative People conversation using #FCMostCreative.

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About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies and thinkers on the future of business. Since 2011, Fast Company has received some of the most prestigious editorial and design accolades, including the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) National Magazine Award for “Magazine of the Year,” Adweek’s Hot List for “Hottest Business Publication,” and six gold medals and 10 silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta and the publisher is Amanda Smith. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

3Degrees announced today that it has become an Affiliate of the Energy Web Foundation (EWF), a global non-profit organization focused on accelerating blockchain technology across the energy sector. With this commitment, 3Degrees joins more than 90 other leading companies as Affiliates of EWF and has access to strategic R&D investment in blockchain technology in the energy sector.

“We have been studying blockchain closely over the past year and felt the time was right to join forces with EWF, an organization pioneering the way the energy industry will intersect with blockchain-enabled platforms,” said Steve McDougal, CEO of 3Degrees. “3Degrees is committed to being a credible, trustworthy partner to our customers as they navigate this emerging technology. We believe blockchain offers enormous potential for the energy and environmental commodity markets, the grid edge, electric vehicles, demand response, and beyond. However, it’s critical that we approach this new technology intelligently and with stringent regulation. 3Degrees became an Affiliate of EWF because we align with their approach to the intersection of blockchain and the energy markets.”

Co-founded by Rocky Mountain Institute and Grid Singularity, EWF’s core focus is building an open-source, scalable blockchain platform specifically designed for the energy sector’s regulatory, operational, and market needs. It serves as a foundational, shared, digital infrastructure for the energy and blockchain community to build and run their solutions. As an Affiliate of EWF, 3Degrees will have privileged access to research, technology, education efforts, and the organization’s ecosystem.

“3Degrees is a leading renewable energy and environmental commodities market player that is committed to operating with transparency and integrity,” said Hervé Touati, CEO of Energy Web Foundation. “Blockchain technology holds much promise across their focus areas, including renewable energy certificates and renewable energy procurement. We’re excited for 3Degrees to add their respected perspective to the evolution of the Energy Web Chain.”

About Energy Web Foundation

Energy Web Foundation (EWF) is a global nonprofit unleashing blockchain’s potential to accelerate the transition to a decentralized, democratized, decarbonized, and resilient energy system. EWF is building the shared, digital infrastructure—an open-source, scalable blockchain platform—specifically designed for the energy sector’s regulatory, operational, and market needs. Co-founded by Rocky Mountain Institute and Grid Singularity, and with a worldwide network of more than 90 affiliates and growing, EWF is the largest energy blockchain ecosystem and the industry’s leading choice as the foundational blockchain base layer, providing the digital DNA building blocks powering the world’s energy future. For more, visit https://www.energyweb.org.

Energy Web Foundation (EWF)
Peter Bronski
+1.201.575.5545
[email protected]

• Bank of America Commits to Long-Term REC Purchases from the Project
• GE’s Wind Integrated Solar Energy (WiSE) Technology Platform used to Maximize Energy Production
• Venture Illustrates Potential of Hybrid Solutions to Accelerate Penetration of Renewable Energy

Juhl Energy announced today that it has selected GE Renewable Energy (GE:NYSE) to supply equipment for the first commercial integrated solar-wind hybrid power generation project in the U.S.  The Minnesota-based clean energy company has developed the 2.0MW community-based renewable energy project to provide low-cost, locally generated energy to the Lake Region Electric Cooperative of Pelican Rapids, Minn.  Bank of America (BAC:NYSE) has provided necessary financial support for the project, agreeing to purchase the project-generated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), in line with its environmental goals.  3Degrees facilitated the connection between Juhl Energy and Bank of America.

“Distributed generation will play a major role in the implementation of renewable energy in the U.S. electrical market in the years to come,” said Dan Juhl of Juhl Energy. “Projects such as this one, with Juhl Energy’s package design and GE hybrid technology, will economically blend clean, renewable energy into the electric grid at a lower cost, plus add reliability to the system.”

“This unique renewable energy project will provide a tremendous amount of value to the local community. The cost savings from purchasing the hybrid project’s energy will help provide rate stability, benefiting all of our co-op members,” stated Tim Thompson, CEO of Lake Region Electric Cooperative.

The project will use one 2.0-116 wind turbine from GE Renewable Energy’s Onshore Wind business supported by 0.5 MW of PV solar.  The innovative project utilizes GE’s Wind Integrated Solar Energy (WiSE) technology platform – developed through GE’s Global Research Center – to directly integrate the solar panels through the wind turbine’s converter so both wind and solar share the same balance of plant, increasing system net capacity by 3-4 percent and annual energy production by up to 10 percent. The hybrid design gives these type of projects the ability to produce power when it is most needed, with the solar essentially providing summer peak energy, and the wind providing winter peak energy.

Pete McCabe, president and CEO, Onshore Wind, GE Renewable Energy, said, “By leveraging the complementary nature of wind and solar, this unique project shows how GE is driving technology innovation that will help customers deliver more renewable energy in an even more efficient manner.”

Bank of America’s purchase of the RECs from the project long term will cover the bank’s electricity usage in the state and will contribute to its 2020 environmental operations goal of purchasing 100% renewable electricity.

“Accelerating the path to a sustainable future starts with creative thinking and projects that can help drive more low-carbon energy solutions in our communities,” says Alex Liftman, Global Environmental executive at Bank of America. “Through supporting innovative renewable energy projects like this one, we continue to enhance our commitment to reduce our operational impacts on the environment.”

The project will be owned by a subsidiary of Juhl Energy that pools together capital from the company and outside private investors. Juhl is further partnering with Faith Technologies, Inc., to construct the project and collaborate on building additional hybrid projects.   Faith Technologies, Inc. is a national leader in electrical planning, engineering, design and installation that is headquartered in Menasha, Wisconsin and has regional offices throughout the country.  This project will be operational before year end 2018.

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About Juhl Energy

Juhl Energy is an established leader and pioneer in the renewable energy industry with a focus on competitive, clean energy solutions, including wind, solar, hybrid systems and heat/power projects designed for rural communities, municipal electric companies, and industrial companies throughout the United States.  Juhl Energy has completed 25 projects, accounting for over 350 MW’s of power.  Juhl services every aspect of development from general consultation, engineering, construction and management, to system operations and maintenance.   Juhl Energy is headquartered in Chanhassen, MN, and has other offices in Chicago, and Milwaukee. 

About GE Renewable Energy

GE Renewable Energy is a $10 billion business with an innovative spirit and entrepreneurial mindset, bringing together one of the broadest energy products and digital services portfolios in the renewable energy industry. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro and innovative technologies such as hybrid systems and concentrated solar power, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts capacity globally to make the world work better and cleaner. With more than 22,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy is working on new ways to power the world’s biggest economies and more remote communities. 

About Bank of America

At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact.