Companies in the American wind-energy industry recently announced they will donate $1 million to Hurricane Harvey repair and rebuilding as keystone partners of Habitat for Humanity’s Habitat Hammers Back initiative.
Participating companies include Apex Clean Energy, Blattner Energy, Duke Energy, EDF Renewable Energy, EDP Renewables, Enel Green Power North America, Inc., E.ON, Goldwind Americas, Hannon Armstrong, Invenergy, Leeward Renewable Energy, MAP Royalty, Pattern Energy, TPI Composites, and the American Wind Energy Association.
The money will support repairs and rebuilding efforts in areas affected by the storm, which first made landfall August 25 near Corpus Christi, Texas. The wind companies had also planned to send volunteers to help with the rebuilding effort. Texas has a quarter of U.S. wind-power capacity and more than 22,000 Texans work in the industry, among 102,500 wind jobs nationwide. The state’s more than 12,000 wind turbines themselves emerged unscathed from the storm.
“The EDF group has 400 employees in Houston serving various sectors of the energy industry, including our regional wind-project development team,” said Tristan Grimbert, president and CEO of EDF Renewable Energy. “As Texas wind is an important contributor to our nation’s energy mix, and Houston in specific is the center of energy diversity, we are committed to the ambition to offer our resources in the recovery and rebuilding efforts.”
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to everyone along the Texas Coastal Bend and in Houston who was impacted by this storm,” said Patrick Woodson, chairman of E.ON North America. “Several E.ON employees around our Papalote Creek Wind Farm lost their homes, and even more saw their communities devastated when the hurricane made landfall. Habitat for Humanity will play a critical role in helping people rebuild their homes and communities. With Texas as the nation’s leader in wind energy, it is only right that we and the wind industry be a leading force to help Texans rebuild and recover.”
“More than 22,000 wind workers are in the state of Texas, so this has hit very close to home for us,” said Steven C. Lockard, president and CEO of TPI Composites. “We all feel the need to help with this rebuilding effort. I am especially proud participating companies from across the United States and their associates are committed to volunteer their time in addition to financial resources.”
“Habitat for Humanity is committed to helping families recover from Hurricane Harvey, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without the support of our partners like these American wind-energy companies,” said Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford. “Their gift is an investment in the long-term recovery of these communities.”
Habitat is already at work responding to Hurricane Harvey, helping families clean up and prepare for the rebuilding effort to come. Habitat will work with its local offices throughout the hurricane-affected regions to assess the shelter and housing needs and develop response options. In addition to long-term housing repair and construction, Habitat’s response includes organizing volunteers and resources to help with the cleanup of homes damaged by wind and flood waters.
Source: American Wind Energy Association
For more information on Habitat for Humanity and American Wind Rebuilding Texas hurricane response program, go to habitat.org/American-Wind-Energy/Harvey
