TORONTO, Oct. 8, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ – The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) announced the recipients of the 2015 CanWEA Awards at the October 7th banquet closing its 31st Annual Conference and Exhibition in Toronto.
“Canada is now the world's seventh largest wind energy market and is consistently in the top 10 for new investment on an annual basis. Our industry's rapid growth would not be possible without the visionary leaders and dedicated supporters who have worked hard to the benefit of us all,” says CanWEA president Robert Hornung. “Honouring their contributions is one of the highlights of our annual gathering.”
CanWEA 2015 award winners are:
R.J. Templin Award: Loren Knopper, Senior Associate & Senior Risk Assessor, Stantec and Chris Ollson, Vice President, Strategic Development, Intrinsik Environmental Sciences.
Drs. Loren Knopper and Chris Ollson are recognized experts in the field of wind turbine sound and human health, and together have publish six important studies, including the widely referenced Health Effects and Wind Turbines: A Review of the Literature, published in Environmental Health.
Group Leadership Award: The Municipality of the District of Guysborough in Nova Scotia
The Municipality of the District of Guysborough, located in the northeast corner of Nova Scotia, was an early participant in the province's highly successful community renewable energy program, first installing five small wind turbines and later partnering with Nova Scotia Power to develop a 13.8 MW wind farm named Sable Wind. It is the first municipality in Nova Scotia to invest in, build and own a major wind power project.
Individual Leadership Award: Peter Clibbon, Senior Vice President, Development at Renewable Energy Systems Canada Inc.
Peter Clibbon, a pioneer in Canada's wind industry with 15 years of experience, is responsible for his company's development activities in Canada. He leads a multi-disciplinary team that has developed projects across the country, and is playing a leadership role in the continued modernization of Ontario's electricity system. RES installed the province's first grid-connected battery system and plans to use cutting-edge smart-grid technology to shape the electricity consumption profile of commercial energy users.
Friend of Wind Award: Sandra de Jong
Sandra de Jong currently sits on the community liaison committee for the Cedar Point wind project in Lambton County, Ontario. She is committed to working closely with industry to ensure wind projects are developed responsibly and safely in her community, advocates decisions made on the basis of solid research, and continually provides balanced and thoughtful recommendations for improved communications and dispute resolution.
Matt Holder Community Connection Award: Frits De Kiewit, Director, Development, Invenergy Wind Canada LLC
Frits de Kiewit, who heads business development in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces for Invenergy, has more than 35 years of experience in the energy sector. Through proactive communication and a sincere effort to work closely with the communities that host Invenergy projects, Frits has been able to create long-lasting relationships of trust and mutual respect.
Wind Energy Project Award: Blackspring Ridge Wind Project, EDF EN Canada and Enbridge Inc.
The 300 MW Blackspring Ridge Wind Project, located in Alberta's Vulcan County, is the largest wind facility in western Canada and one of the biggest in the country. The project owners were able to build strong local and landowner support for the project through a series of initiatives designed to foster communication with all stakeholders, and was nominated for the award by Kym Nichols, mayor of the Village of Carmangay.
For more about 2015 CanWEA Awards and the winners please visit: http://canwea.ca/media/canwea-award-winners
Every year, CanWEA awards bursary prizes to students entering or in post-secondary education. This year, students were invited to submit multimedia and written entries capturing why harnessing wind power and promoting its continued growth is important to Canada's energy future.
CanWEA is pleased to announce this year's Power of Wind contest winners:
The winning blogs can be found online at: http://friendsofwind.ca/talk-about-wind
About the Canadian Wind Energy Association
CanWEA is the voice of Canada's wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canada's leading source of credible information on wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits. Join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and join the conversation at windfacts.ca.
SOURCE Canadian Wind Energy Association