ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston and Bonneville Power Honored for Energy Efficiency Efforts
Association of Energy Engineers recognizes ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston and its energy efficiency champion along with two long-time BPA employees
ATLANTA, October 30, 2012 /3BL Media/ - The Northwest came up just shy of a sweep as the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) awarded six of its eight awards for regional excellence in energy efficiency to Northwest engineers and organizations. Half of the winners also have ties to Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) Energy Smart Industrial (ESI) program.
“These accolades shine a light on the incredible performance of our Energy Smart Industrial program,” said Jennifer Eskil, Industrial Sector Lead at BPA. “It also illustrates how Northwest facilities and electric utilities are collaborating to unlock a tremendous amount of energy savings.”
“We couldn’t be more proud of this recognition, and the results of our efforts to reduce energy use,” said Mike Henderson, Energy and Environmental Engineering Manager, ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston. “We have a great team across Lamb Weston and these accomplishments are the result of many hands, including staff at our ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston plants and our corporate team. We also had great support from our utility suppliers and consulting experts. Together, we were able to move the ball forward and bring our citizenship commitment to life by doing business in a way that’s good for you, good for the community and good for the planet.”
BPA’s ESI program enters its fourth year as a regional clearinghouse for industrial energy efficiency. To date, ESI serves 99 percent of Northwest public power’s industrial load and boasts nearly 370 million kilowatt-hours in verified energy savings from its first two years. Earlier this year, the program was also recognized for “Outstanding Achievement in Program Design & Implementation Non-residential Program” by the Association of Energy Service Professionals (AESP).
Award recipients include:
Chris Milan, BPA – Energy Engineer of the Year: Milan has worked for BPA on regional industrial energy conservation for the past 22 years. During that time he has supported a diverse range of custom projects across numerous utility territories as well as program development and implementation (most recently BPA's award-winning ESI program). Milan also takes an active leadership role in several other regional and national energy efficiency efforts.
ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston – Corporate Energy Management: By seizing every opportunity to monitor and reduce its energy usage, ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston has proven itself a leader in corporate energy management and corporate responsibility. Within AEE’s Western Region, Lamb Weston’s food plants and coldstorage facilities in the area have partnered with their serving utilities to accomplish significant cost-effective electric energy savings by utilizing nearly every component of BPA’s ESI program.
Mike Henderson, ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston – Energy Manager of the Year: In his role as Energy and Environmental Engineering Manager at Lamb Weston, Henderson supports a broad range of company-wide sustainability programs with a primary focus on energy intensity reduction through conservation and acquisition. Regionally, Henderson serves as the Energy Committee Chair for the Northwest Food Processors Association while providing leadership to a team that manages energy efficiency projects at more than 10 of Lamb Weston’s facilities. With support from BPA ESI and local utilities, he has achieved greater than 20 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) savings in electrical energy in 2010 and 2011.
Todd Amundson, BPA – Energy Professional Development: Through his work at BPA, Amundson is recognized as leader in industrial energy efficiency. He holds a range of responsibilities, including field engineering support for energy efficiency projects at federal facilities and plays a prominent role in the design and implementation of BPA's ESI Program, which acquired more than 250 million kWh in cost-effective energy efficiency resources in 2011. Amundson has also actively contributed to the development of new engineering professionals through his direct support of the Washington Pulp and Paper Foundation's Bioresource Science and Engineering Intern Program.
Through its annual awards program, AEE acknowledges those who have achieved prominence in energy efficiency across five regions of the United States. The Western Region (Region V) covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Awards are given in numerous categories to recognize individuals (Energy Engineer, Energy Manager, Energy Professional Development, Renewable Energy Innovator, Young Energy Professional); corporations (Corporate Energy Management); and projects (Energy Project, Renewable Energy Project).
About BPA ESI
BPA’s Energy Smart Industrial (ESI) program works through its Northwest customer utilities and their industrial facilities through to deliver cost-effective energy savings across a wide variety of industrial markets. ESI provides technical expertise and resources to address energy efficiency opportunities that meet varying industry needs and company budget levels. Learn more at www.EnergySmartIndustrial.com.
About ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston makes quality frozen potato, sweet potato and other vegetable products for restaurants, retailers and other foodservice operations throughout the world. Lamb Weston is a brand of ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG), one of North America’s leading food companies, with brands in 97 percent of America’s households. For more information, please visit us at www.lambweston.com.
