​Providence, R.I., – Representatives from the Office of Energy Resources (OER), the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation and the non-profit organization SmartPower joined with municipal leaders today to announce the three communities that will participate in the Fall 2017 Solarize Rhode Island program.

​“Riding on the heels of the tremendous success of Solarize’s spring round, we are excited to have the towns of Barrington, Bristol and South Kingstown join us for the new season,” said Carol Grant, Commissioner, Office of Energy Resources. “This will be the second round of participation for all three towns, which is a testament to the effectiveness of this program and shows that town leaders and residents are enthusiastic about doing their part to build a clean energy future in RI.”

​Boston – Brian F. Keane, President of the nonprofit clean energy organization, SmartPower, was awarded the $50,000 Frank Hatch “Sparkplug” Award for Enlightened Public Service by The John Merck Fund today. The award is granted annually to an outstanding leader whose work embodies extraordinary creativity, dedication, and foresight.

​“Brian’s vision, energy, and passion exemplify the purpose of the Sparkplug Award,” said Serena H. Whitridge, Chair of The John Merck Fund board, in presenting the award. “SmartPower’s unrivaled success in helping to mainstream clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency to the American people has changed the consumer and environmental landscape in ways once thought simply unimaginable.”

Washington, DC – Brian F. Keane, the President of SmartPower (www.smartPower.org), the nation’s leading non-profit marketing firm dedicated to promoting clean energy and energy efficiency has been named the 2016 CEO of the Year by Corporate LiveWire.

Each year Corporate LiveWire publishes and celebrates the innovation and excellence of those firms, teams and individuals who have shown continued excellence, and innovation amid ongoing global economic uncertainty.

You can download the full Press Release HERE – or read it on one of the following news outlets:

• Yahoo! Finance
• MarketWatch
• Boston Business Journal
• Arizona Central (Part of the USA Today Network)

WASHINGTON – PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will recognize National Grid and SmartPower for their innovative work on clean air and climate with the 2016 Clean Air Excellence Award. The Clean Air Excellence Awards are given to state, local, tribal, and private sector programs that educate the public in improving air quality or reducing harmful air pollutants or greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

This year the EPA Announced 7 Clean Air Excellence Awards in six categories (1) Education and Outreach; (2) Clean Air Technology; (3) Community Action; (4) Regulatory and Policy Innovation; (5) Transportation and Energy Innovation; (6) The Thomas W. Zosel Individual Award.

​National Grid and SmartPower have been awarded in the Education and Outreach category for The Rhode Island Energy Challenge: Find Your Four! Campaign. The grassroots energy efficiency campaign encouraged customers across Rhode Island to ‘find four’ simple energy reductions they can undertake in their homes or businesses. Consumer knowledge on the need to reduce energy consumption and associating greenhouse gas emissions saw a demonstrated increase, with 90 percent of participating homeowners taking at least one energy reduction effort, and 75 percent of participating homeowners indicating improved understanding of their energy use.

​Washington, DC – SmartPower, the nation’s leading non-profit marketing firm dedicated to promoting clean energy and energy efficiency today announced a major milestone in its “Solarize” group-purchasing program. In just 3 years – and with investments of less than $3.5 million — the SmartPower Solarize campaigns have resulted in over $100 million of residential solar energy. “This is a major milestone for SmartPower and our Solarize campaigns,” said Brian F. Keane, President of SmartPower. “With investments of less than $3.5 million, we have created over $100 million worth of solar energy throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. It’s a major achievement for the solar industry, the environment and our economy.” SmartPower’s announcement comes amid recent high profile losses among some of the industry’s largest solar companies, the most recent being SunEdison’s stunning demise. Once the darling of the solar industry, SunEdison today teeters on bankruptcy. “We know this is an emerging market,” said SmartPower’s Keane. “What we’re seeing today is similar to the tech boom of the 1990’s. Some companies will thrive, and others will not. But the lesson in our announcement today is that in this emerging marketplace, our Solarize group-buy model, backed by key funders who support clean, renewable energy and utilizing pre-selected solar installers, makes residential and small commercial solar a sound investment that can scale up quickly with minimal risk.” Key features of the Solarize model include support by local communities, pre-selected solar installers with competitive pricing, attractive financing options including a zero-dollar down option, and a 16-20 week campaign with a clear end date. This SmartPower formula has resulted in over 20,000 homeowners requesting solar site visits to see if their homes are good for solar. In 2012 with a grant from The John Merck Fund and an investment from The Connecticut Green Bank, SmartPower launched “The New England Solar Challenge”, a residential solar campaign that morphed into Solarize Connecticut and various “Solarize” campaigns throughout New England. In Connecticut alone, over 18MW of residential solar were installed in three years bringing solar to over 2,000 Connecticut residents. “Added together, these households are greater than any utility-scale solar array in New England,” continued Keane. “And we did it in less time than any utility could.” The numbers at a glance: In three years-

SmartPower’s Brian F. Keane To Be Featured Speaker at Utility Conference Solar Marketing Expert To Speak On Challenges and Opportunities for Nations’ Utility Companies Scottsdale, Arizona — Public Utilities Fortnightly, the 100-year-old publication that has guided the electricity industry through most of its history, today announced that Brian F. Keane, President of the award-wining non-profit, SmartPower, will be a featured speaker at its upcoming Conference “Utilities In A Time of Change & Challenge” on November 17th and 18th. Keane is described as a man on a mission to bring solar power to every roof where it can be deployed, until solar has an equal position in the nation’s energy mix. Currently, his organization is conducting effective campaigns to increase rooftop solar in states from coast to coast – from Connecticut and South Carolina and from Rhode Island to Minnesota. “Keane is leading the advance guard in the revolution in clean power, which is both revolutionizing the electric utility industry and raising questions about the old business model for the industry going forward,” said Llewellyn King, Editor-at-Large of Public Utility Fortnightly. Keane’s organization also works with utilities, so he brings an important perspective. “We are delighted that he will be sharing his insights and has agreed to participate in this critical issues conference.” Keane may not have an easy time selling the brave new world of rooftop solar to many at the conference, some of whom believe it will harm the traditional utilities’ business models or believe that the grid will become uneconomic, a kind of Amtrak. Other major speakers include Tom Fanning, chairman, president and CEO of the Southern Company, Susan Bitter Smith, chair of the Arizona Corporation Commission, and Robert Murray, chairman of the largest privately owned coal company which bears his name. While some utilities have worked with solar providers, others have been more apprehensive. 

​Columbia, SC – Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin and City Council will issue a proclamation today making the City of Columbia the most recent South Carolina community to embrace the Solarize South Carolina Campaign. The Proclamation announces the partnership between the City of Columbia, Solarize South Carolina, and the nonprofit SmartPower. The city is now the first municipality in the Midlands to officially participate the new, statewide, residential solar power initiative. Solarize South Carolina is a community outreach program designed to help Columbia residents go solar and save on electricity costs. When 60 or more Columbian residents sign a contract for solar before January 31, 2016, the City will earn a free 5 kW solar system for any of its municipal buildings. Solarize South Carolina is an initiative of the nonprofit organization SmartPower (www.smartpower.org) and solar financing company Dividend Solar. Solarize South Carolina’s goal is to outfit 2,000 homes across the state with solar over the next 18 months. Operating statewide, Solarize South Carolina hopes to triple the amount of residential solar, helping homeowners save money and creating new jobs across the state. “Columbia is proud to be a statewide leader in Solarize South Carolina,” said Columbia Mayor Stephen Benjamin. “Working together with SmartPower and all our local community organizations, we will help make Columbia – and South Carolina – a true leader in solar power!” This is the latest in a series of green initiatives for the City of Columbia which include installing electric car charging pods in city parking garages and energy efficient lighting in city buildings as well as encouraging green commuting, keeping 13 tons of electronics out of landfills through the E-waste recycling program and working to protect our waterways and drinking water by recycling 400 gallons of used cooking oil through the Southern Fried Fuel initiative. Now the City will be taking the next step to promote using the cleanest resource we have that residents feel every day – the sun. Solarize Columbia will accelerate the adoption of solar and increase public awareness of new solar-friendly state rules that allow net metering, giving significant financial advantage to residents who go solar. Solarize South Carolina makes it even easier for residents to go solar by offering a zero-down financing option to make solar more affordable, allowing homeowners to save immediately on energy bills. By signing up on the Solarize SC website (www.solarizesc.org), homeowners will be able to quickly find out if their home is compatible for solar with a free, no obligation solar assessment by a pre-screened local installer. Residents should check “Columbia” under Affiliation to ensure that the City gets credit for customers who go solar.