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Community Energy Hires Energy Executive Glenn Smith To Lead Expanded Solar Project Team

Radnor, PA (April 7, 2011) -- Renewable energy developer Community Energy today announced that Glenn Smith has joined the company as Executive Vice President of Development, heading up the company’s expanding solar project development team.  Mr. Smith previously led U.S. renewable energy development for FPL Energy (now NextEra) and Gamesa Energy, and has extensive project finance experience including a position with Bank of Tokyo Financial.

“There is no better executive to head up our solar development team as we expand in rapidly growing solar markets,” said Community Energy CEO R. Brent Alderfer.  “Glenn’s deep development and finance experience makes him the perfect match as we move our solar project portfolio into construction.”

Mr. Smith will head up a development team that has grown in recent months as Community Energy expands its solar project development across the country.  Tom Tuffey, well-regarded in project management and regulatory affairs, joined the Company as Vice President of Development Operations earlier this year in the Radnor, Pennsylvania headquarters.  Gary Ferenz, an experienced power originator formerly with Conectiv Energy, has joined as Director of Origination.  And Todd Crawford, formerly with Babcock & Brown investment bankers, assumed the position of Director of Financial Analysis.  In Texas, Community Energy hired Ken Gray, formerly with Acciona Energy, as Senior Developer. 

“I couldn’t be more excited to join this experienced team in building out the Community Energy solar portfolio,”   said Executive Vice President Glenn Smith.  “Solar is going nowhere but up, and this is a team that can deliver.”

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About Community Energy
Community Energy is a leading renewable energy developer since its founding in 1999.  Community Energy Solar develops utility-scale solar projects nationally with offices in Pennsylvania and Colorado, and since 2009 has steadily expanded its solar project development team and pipeline.   With long-established roots in renewable energy marketing, the Company has a proven track record of delivering renewable power generation ahead of the market on terms that work for its customers, utility partners and investors.  For more information, visit www.CommunityEnergyInc.com

Glenn E. Smith, Executive Vice President, Development Glenn Smith has 30 years of experience in designing, building, developing, acquiring and financing electric power generation projects worldwide – much of that experience focused on renewable energy sources including wind, solar, hydroelectric, landfill gas, and biomass.  He previously was Chief Operating Officer of Gamesa Energy USA, where he had overall P&L responsibility and was charged with formulating and guiding the strategic direction of the company, and Senior Vice President of Development at FPL Energy (now known as NextEra Energy Resources), where he helped build the foundation for the leading US-based wind project development business.  Before that, he was a development director at Nations Energy (an unregulated affiliate of Tucson Electric Power), and vice president of project finance at several financial institutions including Bank of Tokyo Financial Corporation.   Mr. Smith studied at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business and in the College of Engineering at Pennsylvania State University for his undergraduate degree.

Thomas Tuffey, Vice President, Development Operations  Thomas Tuffey leads energy development in the eastern U.S. and directs regulatory policy.  He has 40 years of experience in energy and environment, and served as Executive Vice President of Weston, the global environmental engineering company.  Dr. Tuffey has his PhD in Environmental Sciences, is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business Advanced Management Program, and served on the faculty of Rutgers University in the Water Resources Research Institute and the Bureau of Engineering Research.  He has also worked in venture capital, publishing, and management consulting. Most recently, he was the Founder and Executive Director of the Sustainable Energy Fund and Director of the Center for Energy, Enterprise and the Environment.   He has served on a dozen company Boards and received honors throughout his career including the award by the US Department of Energy as the Wind Advocate of the Year 2009-East Coast.  He is a founding member of the Middle Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition and served on the Executive Committee of the Clean Energy States Alliance.

Gary W. Ferenz, Director Origination 
Gary joins as Director Origination.  Gary has been in the electric power markets for 11 years, and served as the former Renewable Power Manager for Conectiv Energy, a major electric generation owner and supplier in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.  He served in a variety of roles on Conectiv’s Power Origination team, including oversight of wholesale load-serving, deal pricing, municipal contract management, and renewable power portfolio management.  Gary has widely regarded expertise in renewable power markets and has been active in regulatory initiatives including state Renewable Portfolio Standards and the initial PJM Generation Attribute Tracking System working group.  Gary previously worked for 14 years at CoreStates Bank, NA and First Pennsylvania Bank in a variety of roles including accounting management and VP in the Treasury group responsible for the internal transfer pricing administration for the bank’s asset and liability products.

Todd Crawford, Director Financial Analysis
Todd Crawford is Director of Financial Analysis at Community Energy Solar.  He oversees the strategic financial functions of the solar and wind development efforts, including project finance, deal structuring, execution, and origination.  Before joining Community Energy, Todd worked in Babcock & Brown’s Corporate & Structured Finance group where he helped develop an energy project portfolio and mezzanine debt fund.  Before that he worked in Deloitte Consulting’s, Strategy & Operations practice and BearingPoint’s Corporate Development team. 

Ken Gray, Senior Developer
Ken Gray has been involved in renewable energy development and construction since 1999.   He began his solar career in solar PV design and installations.   From there he went on to develop wind generation, and worked as a construction manager for Cielo Wind and developer for Babcock and Brown.  Most recently he was a senior developer with Acciona Energy.   Ken will be leading Texas solar development for Community Energy.