Anne Bertino to Lead OPALCO’s Energy Efficiency Services
Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) has hired Anne Bertino to serve as the new Energy Service Specialist in the Eastsound office. Anne was chosen from a very competitive field of 27 candidates and arrived from Phoenix, Arizona to start work in November – just in time for the big wind storm and power outage!
Anne has a BS in Engineering Physics, had a career in Aerospace/Software Engineering for Motorola and has been running her own green building and design company for the past three years. She is an accomplished project manager, a LEED accredited professional and a skillful communicator with a long list of publications in the field of green services. Anne and her husband Patrick have owned property on Orcas since 2005 and look forward to building a home on their property in the near future.
“This is a very exciting move for me,” said Bertino. “This is basically my dream job – the culmination of my experience in science and environmental design and a way to share my passion for energy efficiency. The work is very rewarding – and I get to live in this beautiful place! I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve OPALCO and hope to make a difference in our island communities.”
OPALCO’s Energy Services office primarily manages the conservation and energy efficiency programs supported by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), primarily residential appliance and heating rebates. The office also manages local renewable energy generation interconnects and is preparing to offer home energy usage education and audits.
OPALCO serves its commercial members with the EnergySmart Program to provide grocers or any business with a significant refrigeration or HVAC load with a complete set of measures for HVAC, lighting, and refrigeration retrofits; and a Commercial Lighting Retrofit Program that provides a free lighting audit and connects businesses of all sizes with the latest advances in lighting technology. Check out our Energy Savings site for more information on the programs, products and services available.
Anne has plenty to learn as she gets up to speed on the job. She recently completed a professional certification through the Building Performance Institute and is capable of diagnosing critical performance factors in a home that impact comfort, health, safety, durability and energy efficiency. She is working with BPA to understand their new program offerings and will be announcing an updated menu of energy efficiency services at the annual meeting on May 1st.
Also, stay tuned for information on M.O.R.E. (Member Owned Renewable Energy) as we revamp our incentive program for renewable generation. Meet Anne on the ferry at the Annual Meeting on May 1st and start building your energy savings plan. OPALCO is a member-owned cooperative electrical utility serving more than 11,000 members on 20 islands in San Juan County. OPALCO provides electricity that is 95% greenhouse-gas free and is predominately generated by hydroelectric plants. OPALCO was founded in 1937 to bring electricity to rural islanders.
