Ameresco Receives Distinguished EPA Awards

Framingham, MA – Ameresco was awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency one of its highest awards for achievement in the landfill gas industry, Industry Partner of the Year. Ameresco also accepted the Project of the Year Award on behalf of the BMW Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project, which Ameresco developed.

These highly competitive awards were publicly bestowed on January 6, 2004 by the US EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) during their annual conference. LMOP is a voluntary EPA program that helps protect the environment and build a sustainable future by promoting the recovery and beneficial use of landfill gas (LFG).

Landfill gas contains methane, a potent heat trapping gas that contributes to global climate change. Utilizing landfill gas helps prevent global warming and air pollution, encourages development of a renewable energy source, and utilizes a resource that would have otherwise been wasted.

The project of the year award was awarded to the BMW Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project that was developed by Ameresco for BMW. The project, which became operational in January 2003, provides BMW with enough renewable energy to meet 25% of their electric needs and nearly 100% of their thermal needs.

“BMW wants to do whatever it can to make Upstate South Carolina a better place to live,” said Robert Hitt, BMW’s Manager for Media and Public Affairs. “This landfill gas to energy project has exceeded BMW’s expectations. The project allowed BMW to take a wasted source of energy and use it to generate electricity, which benefits the environment and area residents through lower emissions.

BMW project has also won two other awards. In November 2003, the BMW landfill gas-to-energy project was awarded an on-site power generation award from EPA’s Green Power Program. This award marks the first time a green power award has ever been presented to a landfill gas utilization project. BMW’s Landfill Gas Project has also won the Governor’s Award for Excellence in South Carolina.

“South Carolina is proud to be the home of an environmentally sustainable company like BMW.” Said Sonny Dubose of the South Carolina Energy Office, “BMW deserves the accolades they are receiving for using renewable energy. Their project reduces pollution and makes South Carolina a cleaner place to live and work.

Ameresco was also awarded Industry Partner of the Year by the LMOP. Industry Partner of the Year is a competitive award that recognizes renewable energy developers for their project accomplishments and contributions to the environment. The award submissions were judged by a panel of experts, who evaluated Ameresco’s portfolio of recently completed and awarded projects as well as the emissions reductions from these projects.

“Ameresco has certainly made its mark on the landfill gas industry in the relatively short time they have been involved,” said Chris Voell, a program manager with LMOP, during the awards ceremony, “They have relied upon innovation and creativity with regard to project structure and technologies to create viable projects. Ameresco is not locked into one formula for making projects happen.”

“We thank the EPA for bestowing such a high honor on our company.” said Michael Bakas, Vice President of Renewable Energy. “It is exciting to be able to go to work and make a positive difference in the environment and the future of energy for our children. We look forward to continuing to help companies make smart green energy choices.”

Ameresco has emerged as a leading landfill gas project developer during a time when tax credits and other incentives were either not available or declining. Ameresco’s ability to be flexible with regard to project structure, ownership, and technology has give Ameresco an edge over the competition in the landfill gas industry. Ameresco has overcome many project development barriers, and in many cases, we have developed projects that other developers were unable to bring to fruition.

“Renewable energy becoming a more viable economic option for companies to cost effectively support their infrastructure.” said George Sakellaris, President and CEO of Ameresco, Inc. “Ameresco is committed to the business of helping customers effectively utilize renewable energy resources and be good environmental stewards.”