SEPA Announces Judges for Solar Power Players Awards

WASHINGTON, DC — The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has announced that nine industry experts will choose the 2015 winners of its annual Solar Power Players awards, formerly the Utility Solar awards. The awards recognize solar advances in the electric utility industry, with a focus on innovation and replicability. The six Solar Power Player categories are Investor-Owned Utility, Public Power Utility, Electric Cooperative and Innovative Partner for companies and Solar Champion for individuals.

In order to accommodate interest in the program, the deadline for submissions has been extended to May 1.

The judges panel has been increased from five to a new record of nine this year to bring in a broader range of industry expertise, including the winners of last year’s awards, who are not eligible for consideration in 2015. The new judges are:

• Warren McKenna, CEO and General Manager, Farmers Electric Cooperative
• Jeff Ressler, President, Software Services, Clean Power Research
• Ervan Hancock, Manager, Renewables Implementation, Georgia Power
• Lindsay Joye, Marketing Engineer, City of Palo Alto
• Beth Kennedy, Energy Procurement Director, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative

Returning judges include:

• Paula Mints, Founder and Chief Market Research Analyst, SPV Market Analysis
• Robert Margolis, Senior Energy Analyst, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Ed Regan, President/Owner, Strategic Utility Management
• Judy Staley, Co-founder, REC Solar

“SEPA’s Solar Power Players awards honor utilities that go the extra mile in their communities and beyond to encourage and deploy solar,” said Paula Mints, who is returning as a judge for the third year in a row. “I am proud and excited to help recognize and celebrate their efforts.”

“We are honored to have these knowledgeable and experienced individuals on the panel,” said Julia Hamm, SEPA President and CEO. “Their diverse backgrounds in the utility and solar industries will ensure that SEPA’s Solar Power Players awards continue to recognize the most forward-thinking utility solar projects and programs and provide models for others across the country.”

The nomination period is currently open. The winners of the awards will be announced at Solar Power International, Sept. 14-17 in Anaheim. Headshots and bios of all judges are available upon request.

Awards contact: Ruth Hupart, [email protected]
Media contact: K Kaufmann, [email protected]

The Solar Electric Power Association is an educational non-profit dedicated to helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios for the benefit of the utility, its customers and the public good. With close to 1,000 utility and solar industry members, SEPA provides unbiased utility and solar market intelligence, up-to-date information about technologies and business models, and peer-to-peer interaction. From hosting national events to providing customized advisory services, SEPA helps utilities make smart solar decisions.