Wind Power Movers & Shakers: Tom Kiernan

Last month a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)  chose Tom Kiernan as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer. Tom Kiernan had previously been a high-profile President of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) since 1998. Today, May 28, he assumes his mantle at the helm at AWEA.

The AWEA is the national trade association representing American wind power interests and over 1,200 companies across the United States and around the world. It is a very influential organization that was formed in 1974.  Its mission statement is that it “promotes wind energy as a clean source of electricity for consumers in the U.S. and around the world”.  The AWEA hosts an annual WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, which is one of the largest annual wind conferences and exhibitions in the world. WINDPOWER features an exhibition of wind energy technology, including large-scale components, as well as presentations on industry trends, technology developments and renewable energy policy developments. The WINDPOWER 2013 Conference & Exhibition took place May 5th to 8th, this year in Chicago.

The Chair of AWEA’s Board of Directors, Tom Carnahan said:

“Bringing Tom Kiernan aboard as CEO represents a huge win for AWEA and another step forward in our efforts to elevate wind energy’s role as a critical national resource. Tom brings the right combination of bipartisan, practical experience at the national and state levels as well as in small, rural communities where wind energy is most often developed. His respected management style and significant executive abilities, combined with his skills as a communicator, will ensure that AWEA’s voice and potential are leveraged not only in Washington but, even more importantly, in the communities in which our members operate.”

 Tom Kiernan commented,

“I am honored and excited to take on this role at such a critical time in our nation’s history. With wind energy building over 40 percent of new electrical generation in the U.S. last year, the massive public support for more renewable energy and the recent extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) by Congress and the President, we have a unique opportunity to work together to make wind energy a more integral part of our national energy portfolio.”

NPCA Kiernan 300x1991 Wind Power Movers & Shakers: Tom Kiernan

Tom Kiernan added:

“I look forward to working within the wind industry and with our many partners and supporters to craft a long-term strategy that creates healthy and consistent wind energy production in the United States. Implementing such a strategy will create jobs in our communities, strengthen our national economy, help address climate change and diversify our energy portfolio with a low-cost source of power that will never run out.”

The PTC has shown itself an effective tool to keep electricity costs to consumers low and also to encourage the development of proven renewable energy products. Equipped with the PTC (and the similar Investment Tax Credit used by the community and offshore developers), the U.S. industry has been able to lower the cost of American wind power by more than 90 percent since 1980. Wind energy now generates enough electricity for over 15 million American homes. It fosters economic development with wind farms or factories in all 50 states and was responsible for $25 billion of private investment in the U.S. economy last year. Wind energy promoters in other countries, including those in Europe, point to this as a shining example of what can be achieved for a greener economy based on renewable energy if the Government has a will and can take the people with them.

During Kiernan’s term of twelve years as head of the NPCA, it increased its members and supporters from 300,000 to over 800,000, expanded its field program from 7 to 23 offices and grew its net assets from under $5 million to over $60 million. He was clearly a mover and shaker in the promotion of National Parks in the States and there is no reason to believe he will not bring about a rejuvenation of the AWEA.

Before heading NPCA, Mr. Kiernan served as President of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire and was a senior-level official in the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation under President George H.W. Bush, where he won the Gold Medal for his role in achieving consensus with businesses and environmentalists on a $450-million pollution-control project at the Grand Canyon National Park.