SAN FRANCISCO, October 24, 2001: The Center for Resource Solutions announced three new staff members to kick off a new multimillion-dollar renewable energy program. The San Francisco non-profit recently received a $6 million dollar award from the California Energy Commission to support a variety of renewable energy research activities for municipal utilities in California. The Public Power Renewable Energy Action Team has already established a groundbreaking collaboration of municipal utilities interested in exploring new ways to bring renewable energy into their power portfolios. The new staff will take the lead in helping California public power agencies deliver renewables for Californians.

Ray Dracker, of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), began his preparation and groundwork October 1st, as the Research Director of Public Power Renewable Energy Initiatives. He will lead the research efforts and activities for the California Energy Commission (CEC) grant. Dracker comes to CRS with extensive experience in renewable energy, having been the Director of Technology Transfer at NREL, and the Manager of Renewable Energy Development and Advanced Industrial Technologies at Bechtel Corporation. His 20-year career covers a broad spectrum of electric power, natural gas, and transportation energy sectors.

Another accomplished professional joined the team this month as Manager of Public Power Renewable Energy Initiatives. Fraser Smith will develop the activities of the Initiative overall, and direct and manage the CEC-funded program. Smith gained his utility industry experience as a management consultant with Decision Focus, Inc. of Mountain View, CA. He brings significant program management experience from the software, internet and financial services industries. "I plan to develop programs and services to enable public power agencies in California and nationwide to bring renewables into their portfolios as a hedge against financial and political instability," Smith stated.

CRS also hired a new Development Director to maintain the organization's flow of resources, develop increased funding sources, and to administer the sizeable CEC award. Maureen Smith comes to the team with an extensive background in independent fundraising and a strong interest in environmental issues. Ms. Smith will apply her grant writing expertise and financial planning skills towards increasing the capacity of CRS to maintain the public power initiative and its other national and international programs.

With its new team members in place, CRS is undertaking an aggressive program to use renewable resources as a hedge against volatile electricity prices, offer renewable energy services to public agency customers, and keep public power competitive in the face of changing electricity markets. Ultimately, the program will develop long-range renewable power procurement strategies that can compete head-to-head with traditional power plant development proposals.

For more information on The Public Power Renewable Energy Action Team, visit their page of the CRS website http://www.resource-solutions.org/CRSprograms/publicppreat.html.

The Center for Resource Solutions is a non-profit based in San Francisco's Presidio that works across the US and throughout the world to encourage sustainable growth and promote the use of clean energy.

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