BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BGE's commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship were recognized recently with awards from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Maryland forestry organizations.
The cross-functional teams leading the lauded projects featured employees from Environmental Management, Unmanned Aerial Systems, New Business, Distribution Planning, Reliability & Maintenance Planning, Utility Training, Overhead Distribution, Underground Lines, and Regional Electric Operations.
EPRI Technology Transfer Awards
BGE employees collaborated with colleagues across Exelon on three innovation projects that won EPRI 2020 Technology Transfer Awards, which recognize those who have applied EPRI research to produce significant results in efforts to help make electricity more reliable, efficient, affordable, safe, and environmentally responsible.
The EPRI Technology Transfer Award-winning projects include:
- Installation of Avian Diverters using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) – BGE, ComEd, Exelon Generation, PECO, and Pepco collaborated with EPRI to assess and install avian diverters on electric transmission and distribution equipment at Conowingo using unmanned arial systems (i.e., drones). Installation with drones, rather than helicopters, is a safer, more efficient, and lower-cost alternative. There have not been any additional avian collisions in the area since the diverters were installed, and the project is planned for expansion to other locations.
- Navigating Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Criteria: Creating a Technical Interconnection Requirement for Exelon Utilities – BGE, ComEd, PECO, and PHI collaborated with EPRI to create DER integration criteria as part of the supplemental project: Navigating DER Interconnection Standards and Practices. This helps enable customers to more safely install solar, or other distributed resources, in their homes and businesses.
- Vehicle Grounding and Personal Protection of Distribution System Mobile Equipment Practices – BGE, ComEd, PECO, and PHI provided EPRI with field tested results that helped develop a standard for improving safety protection for workers using mobile equipment and reducing or eliminating risks to the public. Exelon Utilities is developing a procedure for vehicle and mobile equipment grounding and barricading of work zones, which will affect more than 4,000 lineworkers and contractors at Exelon's operating companies. This project is enabling a standard across the utility industry.
More information is available at epri.com.
PLANT Award
BGE also recently received the People Loving and Nurturing Trees (PLANT) Green Award, which honors BGE's tree planting and tree care initiatives. This is the 12th time BGE has won the PLANT Green Award, the highest honor given by the Maryland Urban and Community Forest Committee of the Maryland Association of District Forestry Boards in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forestry Service. BGE's PLANT Green Award application highlighted the company's longstanding partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation to encourage customers to conserve energy and reduce energy bills through strategic tree planting through the Energy-Saving Trees program. Each year, BGE and Arbor Day make trees available to customers for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Nearly 18,500 BGE customers have received more than 32,000 trees through the joint effort.
BGE's commitment to environmental stewardship is a core company pillar. BGE joined the Maryland Department of the Environment's Green Registry in 2018 and has been ISO 14001 certified since 2012. This year, BGE was named an Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for the 11th time. A total of 16 BGE locations across the company's service area are National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitats and BGE's Spring Gardens natural gas facility has a Silver Tier Conservation Certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council. BGE is also a three-time recipient of the National Arbor Day Foundation/National Association of State Foresters Tree Line USA national award for demonstrating practices that protect and enhance America's urban forests through quality tree care, worker training, tree planting, and public education.
More information about BGE's environmental initiatives is available at bge.com. Feature stories about BGE's environmental work are available at bgenow.com.
BGE is Maryland’s largest natural gas and electric utility, providing safe and reliable energy delivery to more than 1.3 million electric customers and more than 680,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company was founded in 1816 as the nation’s first gas utility and remains headquartered in Baltimore City to this day. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider. Engage with the latest BGE stories on bgenow.com and connect with BGE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
