3.06.2008 - 04:11pm ET

(CSRwire) MADISON, WI - March 6, 2008 - Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck, N.D., has donated 5,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of green tags to Leonardo Academy to help offset the emissions of several events that articipated in the Cleaner and Greener® Certification Program for events, companies and organizations in 2007. This donation has helped a total of seven events earn Cleaner and Greener(R) Certification by offsetting at least 50 percent of each event’s carbon emissions and at least 15 percent each of their sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, and mercury emissions.

Basin Electric is a consumer-owned, electric and transmission generation cooperative headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota. Founded in 1961 with environmental values in mind, the cooperative generates some of the cleanest, most reliable electricity in the United States through a mix of coal, hydro and distributed generation and renewable power. This electricity is transmitted to 125 member rural electric systems located in nine states-Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming-providing power to nearly 2.5 million consumers. Basin Electric's environmental protection efforts include reducing emissions and particulates, minimizing environmental impacts to water, soil, and air, and reclaiming mined lands.

The green tags donated to Leonardo Academy's Cleaner and Greener(R) Program were generated through waste heat recovery projects located in North Dakota and South Dakota. Waste heat recovery uses heat exchangers to recover heat exhausted at natural gas compressor stations. This 'waste heat' then vaporizes a fluid to drive turbine/generator sets, which in turn generates electricity. According to Basin Electric Power Cooperative's Alternative Technologies Coordinator, Jeremy Woeste, the electricity produced from such projects has zero emissions, minimal environmental impact and reduces thermal pollution and GHG emissions.

Leonardo Academy President, Michael Arny, commented, "This generation of electricity using waste heat is a good example of Basin Electric's ongoing work to increase efficiency and reduce emissions." To learn more about Basin Electric Power Cooperative, visit their website at http://www.basinelectric.com.

Leonardo Academy’s Cleaner and Greener® Program addresses the full range of emissions that impact the planet, including greenhouse gas emissions and emissions that negatively affect human health. The program works with events, companies and organizations to quantify their emissions footprint and reduce their environmental impact through emissions reductions and offset purchases. Achievements are certified Cleaner and Greener(R) for the level of emission reductions and offsets attained.

"Leonardo Academy recognizes Basin Electric for its innovative work on increasing efficiency and reducing emissions. We greatly appreciate Basin Electric's donation of emission reductions from their waste heat recovery projects to help offset the emissions of many of the events that participated in Leonardo Academy's Cleaner and Greener® certification program for events, companies and organizations in 2007," added Arny.

Basin Electric's 5,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) donation of waste heat recovery based green tags helped the following events attain their offset goals and earn Cleaner and Greener® certification:

- GLOBALCON Energy, Power, Facilities Expo, held in Atlantic City, NJ, April 4-5, 2007

- Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) 2007 5th Annual Conference held in Charleston, SC, May 8-10, 2007

- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 2007 Annual Meeting, held in Long Beach, CA, June 23-27, 2007

- GovEnergy 2007, held in New Orleans, LA, August 5-8, 2007

- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Region V Chapter Regional Conference, held in Kalamazoo, MI, August 9-11

- CB Richard Ellis World Conference, held in Toronto, Ontario, September 4-7, 2007

- Greening the Heartland 2007, held in Madison, WI, September 12-14, 2007

Visit http://www.cleanerandgreener.org/eventcertification/certifiedevents.htm to learn more about these events.

About Leonardo Academy

Leonardo Academy (www.leonardoacademy.org) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1997 that is dedicated to advancing sustainability and putting the competitive market to work on improving the environment. We are a "Think and Do Tank." We develop and distribute new strategies, guidance, metrics, standards, education, and information on how to increase sustainability. We also help companies, organizations, families, and individuals successfully promote, encourage, and implement sustainability. Our integrated approach makes sustainability very practical for our clients. We provide: sustainability assessments and strategies for companies and organizations, LEED(R) and LEED-EB implementation and certification, emissions footprint analysis and emission reduction and offset strategies, sustainable land management, sustainability education and training, and Cleaner and Greener Certification(R) of emission reduction and offset achievements for events, companies and organizations, and individuals (www.cleanerandgreener.org)

For more information please contact: