Director of Sustainable Development Named

Brian Crutchfield has been named director of sustainable development for Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, a member-owned electric cooperative serving some 72,000 consumers in northwest North Carolina.

Crutchfield has served as director of economic development for Blue Ridge Electric for the past 20 years and will continue to help develop local communities and provide assistance to existing and new businesses in his current role. Prior to coming to the cooperative, he directed a number of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), including directing the state’s initial low-income weatherization program working with local community action agencies.

Sustainable development has been embraced by Blue Ridge Electric as a way to do business that is good for its members, local communities, the cooperative, and the environment. It is a business approach for pursuing actions and directions that are intended to create long-term member value.

“Blue Ridge Electric is aware of the environmental challenges we are facing as a nation, as an industry and as individuals,” said Doug Johnson, Blue Ridge Electric’s chief executive officer. “Blue Ridge Electric is taking action through our efforts in sustainable development to impact our environment and energy future. Our goal is to implement effective programs and services while providing our members with the best value.”

A major part of Blue Ridge Electric’s sustainable development efforts includes planning to obtain 10 percent of the cooperative’s energy needs through renewable energy resources or energy efficiency measures by 2018 to meet the state’s new Renewable Energy and Energy Portfolio Standard (REPS). For larger investor-owned utilities, that requirement is 12.5 percent. The cooperative will be filing its REPS compliance plan with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) by September 1. Following approval by the NCUC, the cooperative will announce details of the plan to its members.

Another effort made by the cooperative this year is joining GreenCo Solutions, Inc., a not-for-profit cooperative formed by 23 of the state’s electric cooperatives as a way to pool resources and efforts for energy efficiency initiatives and renewable resources that are a good fit for each individual cooperative and its membership. GreenCo Solutions will also provide compliance reporting and tracking as required by REPS.

“Energy efficiency measures will also play a huge role in our sustainable development efforts,” said Johnson. “With our member’s participation in energy efficiency programs and services, together we can make an impact on our environment for future generations,” he added, saying energy efficiency programs under consideration include those for lighting, water heaters, community household energy efficiency programs, solar energy promotion and home energy monitors.

“While we have always worked hard to be good stewards of the environment, our new focus on sustainable development is helping drive this commitment in many new and exciting ways that will benefit our members, the cooperative and our environment, now and for future generations,” Johnson added.

Blue Ridge Electric is a member-owned electric cooperative serving Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Avery and Alexander counties.