NEW MARKET, Ala. – Adtran announced Thursday that it has donated $95,000 from energy savings to improve the learning environment at Buckhorn High School. The donation originates from participating in a two-year Strategic Energy Management program with Huntsville Utilities and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
“At Adtran, we choose to make a positive difference in our community by connecting people, places, and things,” said Kelley Whalen, Adtran Energy Manager. “Our work not only helps reduce our carbon footprint, but we can also use the cost savings to improve the environment for both students and teachers.”
TVA offers the free Strategic Energy Management program in partnership with local power companies to help businesses reduce energy use, lower carbon emissions, and save 5-15% on annual energy costs. Adtran chose to take their energy savings and reinvest the money back into the community.
“Buckhorn High School is proud to partner with Adtran, TVA, and Huntsville Utilities as we strive to improve and model energy management at Buckhorn High School,” said Lavell Everett, Principal of Buckhorn High School. “The Energy Savings Grant will allow us to actively participate with our corporate partners within our school, community, and school system. We aim to give our students and staff an experience conducive to higher academic success.”
During the two-year program, Adtran saved about 3 million kilowatt hours of electricity. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, that is the emissions equivalent of:
- 422 homes' electricity use for one year.
- 5.1 million miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle.
- 716 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled.
“Huntsville Utilities is proud to have collaborated with ADTRAN and TVA on this project. It was a privilege to be involved in an initiative supporting the energy objectives of a community cornerstone like ADTRAN and witness the fruits of those goals being reinvested into one of the community's critical institutions.” Chris Key, Huntsville Utilities
“TVA is proud to enable this donation through our Strategic Energy Management program because when you strategically manage your energy, you can increase your company’s profitability, reduce your environmental impact, and support your community,” said Clay Hoover, TVA EnergyRight Program Manager.