Annual report highlights the company’s $400,000 in charitable giving and sponsorship activities directly benefitting host communities.
Boston, MA—June 13, 2013—First Wind, an independent U.S.-based renewable energy company, today announced the release of the company’s annual Community Report, covering 2012. The report highlights the company’s growing programmatic and philanthropic activity within its host communities, which are home to the company’s wind projects in operation or advanced stages of development. The 2012 edition details the level of First Wind’s increasing community and educational support, as well as the environmental benefits of its projects. In 2012, First Wind gave more than $430,000 in support and donations to community organizations.
“By building 244 megawatts (MW) at five new project sites in Hawaii, Washington, Maine and New York, 2012 was one of our busiest years yet,” said Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind. “As we work to expand our nation’s sources of clean, renewable energy, we seek to work closely with members of our host communities throughout the permitting process, during construction, and the entire span of operation. Communities are central to everything we do, and I am thrilled to share the highlights of the work we accomplished within our project communities.”
The full report can be found at this link.
2012 Community Commitment
First Wind operates 980 MW of generating capacity at 16 wind projects in the Northeast, the West and Hawaii, and being a good neighbor in all of these host communities has always been a top priority. In 2012, First Wind presented more than $400,000. The three strategic areas of giving were: community and civic organizations and projects, recreation and environment causes, and with educational organizations. Highlights of the educational commitment included:
DonorsChoose Program
First Wind partnered with DonorsChoose.org in May 2012 to enhance and expand their community giving in locations where it develops and operates projects, enabling the company to support local classroom projects with very tangible impacts in host communities. First Wind donated to schools in or near many project communities, including Sheffield and Lyndonville, VT; Machias, ME; Cedar City UT; Kahuku, HI, along with Eastern Washington and Boston. First Wind has funded 38 projects at over 30 schools which benefitted more than 1,200 students.
Scholarship Programs
In the fourth year of its annual First Wind Scholars program, First Wind awarded 15 one-time $3,000 scholarships to qualified graduating seniors in its host communities, and a $5,000-a-year scholarship renewable for four years of college to the most qualified student. First Wind also provided scholarships to winners in an academic contest.
Local Events and Educational Tours
Throughout 2012 First Wind sponsored over 75 local events within its host communities, including the annual Stetson Snowmobile Ride-In, which gave recreational access and provided a unique view of one Maine project to over 125 riders. First Wind also conducted a number of educational tours in host communities, hosting 53 tours at four of their Hawaii projects, guiding 35 campers from Woodlawn Adventure Camp at the Steel Winds project in Hamburg, New York, and also created a School Tour Day for 250 students, teachers and chaperones in the many school districts surrounding its Sheffield Wind project in Vermont.
2012 Environmental Stewardship
First Wind’s commitment to environmental stewardship is one of the company’s top priorities. With building five new projects in 2012 in Hawaii, Washington, Maine, and New York, First Wind conducted nearly 60 environmental analysis and monitoring studies for these new projects that combine for a total of 237 MW of new clean energy that has the capacity to power 60,000 U.S. homes annually.
Benefits of the clean, renewable energy produced by these new projects are the equivalent of avoiding 243,820 tons of CO2 and 280,204 tons of coal combustion annually. During development, construction and operation of its projects, First Wind’s above and beyond efforts to safeguard local wildlife and habitats are highlighted at the Kaheawa Wind project where two fenced enclosures are being constructed to protect two endangered and threatened native Hawaiian seabirds.
Additional 2012 environmental efforts and contributions included:
· First Wind donated more than $140,000 towards organizations and causes devoted to protecting the environment or advocating outdoor recreation.
· First Wind also contributed more than $180,000 to community and organizations that serve host communities where First Wind has a project.
The Community Report is an annual publication from First Wind, highlighting the company’s continued and growing commitment to its neighbors in the Northeast, West and Hawaii. From responsible siting on day one to support for the next generation of engineers, community commitment is an integral part of how First Wind does business.
About First Wind
First Wind is an independent renewable energy company exclusively focused on the development, financing, construction, ownership and operation of utility-scale renewable energy projects in the United States. Based in Boston, First Wind has wind projects in the Northeast, the West and Hawaii, with combined capacity of 980 megawatts (MW) – enough to power almost 300,000 homes each year. For more information on First Wind, please visit www.firstwind.com or follow us on Twitter @FirstWind.