Orion Energy Systems: Wisconsin League of Municipalities adopts resolution supporting renewable technology legislation

Bills debated in Senate, Assembly include technology like Orion Energy Systems’ Apollo® solar light pipe

MANITOWOC, Wis. — During its 111th annual conference, delegates of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities on Thursday, Oct.15, unanimously adopted a resolution urging the state Legislature to pass a bill that would add direct-use renewable technology to Wisconsin’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).

The RPS, a mandate by the state of Wisconsin, requires utilities to include a percentage of renewable sources in the mix of energy they produce and provide it to their customers by a certain date. In Wisconsin, renewable energy must make up 10 percent of the energy consumed by 2015.

One of the direct-use renewable sources included in Senate Bill 273 and Assembly Bill 401 is solar light pipe technology like the Apollo® solar light pipe manufactured by Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc, Wis. The Apollo® solar light pipe uses no electricity, only the renewable energy of the sun, to illuminate commercial and industrial facilities such as distribution centers, big box stores, manufacturing facilities and barns.

An Apollo® solar light pipe replaces a 400-watt high-pressure sodium fixture and operates completely without electricity for 8 to 12 hours a day, thereby significantly reducing energy consumption, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Orion’s Apollo® solar light pipes have been installed in facilities throughout the United States for customers like Polo Ralph Lauren, PepsiCo and Apple Computer. In Wisconsin, a Coca-Cola Enterprises facility in Milwaukee, and a Festival Foods grocery store in Manitowoc, among other companies, have installed Orion’s Apollo® solar light pipes.

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, which represents more than 580 of Wisconsin’s cities and villages, joins a long list of organizations that endorse the inclusion of direct-use renewable technology in the RPS, including the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, United Brotherhood of Carpenters, the Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group and the Wisconsin Business Council.

Public hearings on the legislation were held in mid-September by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Utilities, Energy and Rail chaired by Sen. Jeff Plale and by the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities chaired by Rep. Jim Soletski.

Orion has deployed its energy management systems in 4,796 facilities across North America, including 119 of the Fortune 500 companies. Since 2001, Orion technology has displaced more than 459 megawatts, saving customers more than $642 million and reducing indirect carbon dioxide emissions by 5.5 million tons.

Orion Energy Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OESX) is a leading power technology enterprise that designs, manufactures and implements energy management systems, consisting primarily of high-performance, energy-efficient lighting platforms, intelligent wireless control systems and direct renewable solar technology for commercial and industrial customers without compromising their operations. For more information, visit http://www.oesx.com.

Media Contact

Linda Diedrich

Director Corporate Communications

(920) 482-1988

ljd@oes1.com