Alliant Energy: Gardner Cold Storage recognized for energy-efficiency achievements

Media Contact: Scott Reigstad (608) 458-3145

Pittsville business given Shared Savings Award for energy conservation and being green

MADISON, WI – May 15, 2009 – Gardner Cold Storage has received a Shared Savings Award in recognition of significant achievement in energy efficiency and conservation. The award was recently presented to the refrigerated warehouse and cranberry-processing company by Alliant Energy Strategic Account Manager Joel Erdmann. Shared Savings is an award-winning business energy-efficiency program that Gardner Cold Storage participated in to save energy and benefit the environment.

“Gardner Cold Storage is very deserving of recognition for the steps it has taken to realize sustainable energy-savings within its operations,” said Chris Schoenherr, Alliant Energy Director of Sales and Strategic Accounts. “We are proud that they are committed to being a green organization and we are pleased to give them our Shared Savings Award.”

Gardner Cold Storage utilized Shared Savings for refrigeration and light upgrades at two different plants. The two projects combined saved 4,384,230 kilowatt-hours of electricity. In addition, the energy conservation actions positively impacted the environment by decreasing energy use and reducing emissions. The project removes the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions of 577 passenger vehicles from the road or saves enough energy to power 286 average-sized homes for one year.

“We are pleased to be recognized by Alliant Energy for our achievement in energy efficiency,” said Wayne Gardner, Owner of Gardner Cold Storage. “Energy costs have a significant impact on our company and we work hard to reduce our energy use and our carbon footprint.”

As with any business, cash is important and paying for the energy-efficiency measures takes upfront dollars before the long-term gains can be realized. That’s where Shared Savings stepped in to assist Gardner Cold Storage. The program is an initiative that assists industrial, commercial and agricultural customers with identification and implementation of energy efficiency projects – and invests the capital to finance them.

“I worked closely with Wayne and his employees on their refrigeration and lighting projects and it’s clear that the business is very committed to environmental stewardship and wise energy use,” added Erdmann. “The financing available through our Shared Savings program was a perfect fit for getting their projects accomplished.”

Gardner Cold Storage stores over 30 percent of Wisconsin’s cranberry crop and the business includes over 700,000-square-feet of grinding, concentrating, processing and storage buildings. The firm is the only independent cranberry processor that will clean cranberries for anyone in the United States. An affiliated company, Gardner Cranberries, has 725 acres of cranberry marshes in the Pittsville, Gordon, Trego and Minong areas.

Through its Shared Savings program, Wisconsin Power and Light Company, an Alliant Energy company, has helped thousands of Wisconsin business, government and farm customers cut energy usage, save money and preserve precious natural resources for over 20 years. More than 2.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity have been saved over the last seven years with the program – that’s equal to the energy produced by a 280-megawatt power plant.

Business, government and farm customers interested in the low-cost financing available through WPL’s Shared Savings program are encouraged to visit http://www.alliantenergy.com/sharedsavings or call 1-866-ALLIANT (255-4268) for more information.