October 23, 2006
Clean Energy Comes to Clark University and the City of Worcester
Students' generosity and a unique cooperation between private, public, and non-profit sectors benefits the City of Worcester
Worcester, Mass. -- Last spring, all students at Clark University who applied for campus housing were given a new choice. Did they want the negative impact of their electrical use offset with clean wind power? Hundreds of students joined the Choose Renewable Energy Program by contributing $30. This fall registration has opened up again allowing even more students to enroll.
Today, Clark officials and students presented a check in the amount of $10,320 to the New England Wind Fund, administered by the non-profit Mass Energy Consumers Alliance. The check presentation was made in correlation with national Campus Sustainability Day, a day when other Universities nationwide are also highlighting their environmental efforts.
"The money contributed by these Clark University students will go into our New England Wind Fund, which was recently launched in order to level the playing field for wind power in this region," said Mass Energy's Executive Director Larry Chretien. "Currently, there are not many wind turbines in Massachusetts or throughout New England. But thanks to the students and many others who are choosing clean energy, we will begin to see new projects develop in the weeks and years ahead."
Through the CLEAN ENERGY CHOICE® program the state matches these funds twice for renewable energy programs- once to the City of Worcester and once to a fund benefiting low-income residents throughout Massachusetts. CLEAN ENERGY CHOICE is a program of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, a public agency of the Commonwealth and administrator of the Renewable Energy Trust.
Worcester officials spoke of how they will use the growing pool of funds on energy-related projects. "The City of Worcester is fully committed to being a leader in the field of energy conservation by increasing the use of clean, renewable energy," says City Manager Michael V. O'Brien. He added that, "Reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and helping to clean our environment, and these funds will support those efforts."
"This is what Clark students do: they identify pressing issues and move on innovative solutions for real change," said Campus Sustainability Coordinator David Schmidt. The 'Choose Renewable Energy' program is one of numerous student initiatives targeting the environmental impact of the campus."
"The consumption of dirty, unsustainable energy is a problem worldwide," said Lily Acunzo, of Staten Island, NY a junior at Clark, "I am proud to be part of Clark University's effort to turn around the serious damage that is being done to our planet. Clark's 'Choose Renewable Energy' program will help make Clark a more sustainable institution while encouraging renewable energy development in greater New England." Acunzo has worked hard creating a clean energy choice for students.
"EPA commends Clark University and the hundreds of students who have elected to contribute to the New England Wind Fund for their leadership in the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits," said Ken Moraff, Deputy Director of the Office of Ecosystem Protection. "With this commitment, Clark University joins EPA's Green Power Partnership, and is doing its part to accelerate the green power market in New England."
EPA launched the Green Power Partnership in 2001 to support the transformation of the green power market through the voluntary purchase of clean renewable energy. The Partnership includes leading U.S. organizations from across the country. Since the partnership started, over 600 organizations—including Fortune 500 companies, cities, states, universities, and federal agencies—have committed to making the switch to green power.
Acunzo and other students hope that Clark's commitment will be an example for other universities, residents of Worcester, and other local institutions can do to support renewable energy. Worcester residents, for example, can enroll in Mass Energy's New England GreenStart program, which is offered in connection with National Grid.
Mass. Energy Consumers Alliance and People's Power & Light have also invited the Clark students to their November 20 annual meeting, so they can present them with their annual Private Sector leadership award.
David Schmidt, Sustainability Coordinator, Clark University
508-793-7601; DSchmidt@clarku.edu
Larry Chretien, Executive Director Mass Energy Consumers Alliance
Office: 617-524-3950; Cell: 617-686-7289; larry@massenergy.com