The Utility Wind Integration Group (UWIG) announced today that Ken Wolf, Reliability Administrator for the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Matt Schuerger of Energy Systems Consulting, and Elliot Mainzer, Manager of Transmission Policy and Strategy at the Bonneville Power Administration, will be honored as recipients of its Annual Achievement Award. The organization will also honor Glenn Cannon, retiring General Manager of Waverly (Iowa) Light & Power for his service to UWIG and promotion of responsible utility usage of wind power.

UWIG President Henry Durrwachter will present the award to Wolf, Schuerger, and Mainzer at a reception during its 2007 Technical Workshop and Annual Meeting held July 24-25 in Anchorage, Alaska.

The citation for the award to Wolf and Schuerger highlights their role in the State of Minnesota Wind Integration Study, whose purpose was to produce information for the legislature to consider in setting the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. The study investigated the cost of integrating 15 percent, 20 percent, and 25 percent of wind energy into the state’s electric supply. The citation noted Wolf’s role in insisting on the best science and engineering to be used in the study and his role in interpreting the results and implications to legislators and regulators. The citation noted that Schuerger worked with a broad range of stakeholders from across the technical and environmental communities, as well as a group of national experts. This work involved gathering a broad range of input, ensuring that all points of view received a fair hearing, and providing technical direction during the course of the study.

The citation for the award to Mainzer notes his role in leading the development of the Northwest Wind Integration Action Plan. Bonneville Power Administration and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council convened a group of stakeholders to study how to accommodate the amount of wind energy anticipated by 2024 into the region’s existing power system. The group released the plan, which included significant findings regarding the ability of the Northwest to accommodate future development of wind power. The plan recommended 16 actions to resolve the wide range of issues, in particular addressing challenges associated with transmission marketing, planning and expansion, and the limited market for control area services. The citation noted that the development of the plan was made possible by an extensive and collaborative stakeholder engagement process, which Mainzer helped lead as co-project manager of the Technical Work Group.

The organization is also honoring retiring Waverly Light & Power General Manager Glenn Cannon for his contributions to utility acceptance and understanding of wind generation. The citation for Cannon notes that Waverly Light & Power installed the first utility-scale wind turbine in the state of Iowa in 1993. The citation notes that Cannon has been an advocate for responsible development of wind, other renewables, and energy efficiency. During his tenure at Waverly Light & Power, Cannon served on the UWIG Board of Directors and as Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Public Power Association.

According to Durrwachter, the honorees have made significant contributions to the understanding and integration of wind generation on utility power systems, “Ken Wolf, Matt Schuerger, and Elliot Mainzer have all contributed tremendous leadership to these key undertakings for the electric power and wind industries. The Minnesota Statewide Study and Northwest Wind Integration Action Plan represent critical steps towards understanding the impacts of significant penetration levels of wind on power systems and responsible steps for addressing them. The Annual Achievement Award honors not only their individual contributions, but the efforts of all those who participated in both efforts.” Durrwachter went on to note the contributions of Cannon, “Glenn served on the UWIG Board for six years. His experience at the helm of a forward-thinking utility and his dedication to power generation in the long-term public interest equipped him to provide important guidance to the UWIG Board, staff and members. He gave freely of his insight and expertise, and has left a lasting positive imprint on the organization.”

The Utility Wind Integration Group (UWIG) was established in 1989 to provide a forum for the critical analysis of wind technology for utility applications and to serve as a source of credible information on the status of wind technology and deployment. The group’s mission is to accelerate the appropriate integration of wind power for utility applications through the coordinated efforts and actions of its members, in collaboration with The U.S. Department of Energy, its National Renewable Energy Laboratory and utility research organizations. The UWIG currently has over 100 members spanning the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia, including investor-owned, public power, and rural electric cooperative utilities; transmission system operators; and associate member corporate, government, and academic organizations. For more information, visit the UWIG web site at www.uwig.org.