Thrive Agritech won the 2021 Energy Efficiency Partner Award by national utility company Xcel Energy, Inc. Each year Xcel recognizes its top performing commercial trade partners based on energy savings projects completed. Efficiency Partner Awards go to companies with commercial projects with the highest total rebate dollars paid and kWh saved.
“We consider it an amazing accomplishment to be recognized by Xcel Energy for helping our customers reduce their energy usage and carbon footprint,” noted Thrive Agritech CEO, Brian Bennett. “We started Thrive Agritech to bring energy efficient LED lighting solutions to the horticulture industry to help our customers grow healthier plants while lessening the impact of greenhouse emissions that are a byproduct of older lighting technologies, and this award provides validation of that vision.”
Xcel Energy is a leader in clean energy. In December 2018, the company announced it would deliver 100% clean, carbon-free electricity by 2050, with an 80 percent carbon reduction by 2035 (from 2005 levels). This makes Xcel the first major US utility to set such a goal. Xcel Energy is a significant national utility company with more than 3.3 million electric customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers in Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. The company reported revenue in excess of $11 billion in 2020.
Bennett noted that as Thrive Agritech’s LED lighting products continue to gain widespread acceptance in the horticulture market the company could anticipate receiving similar awards from other utilities across the globe.