Page 6 - July/Aug 2015 Vol. 33 No. 2
P. 6
gibson county utility district By Vaughn Cassidy
A War Everyone Wins
“Energy Warrior” is the way general tion of such innovative projects to save Above: Gibson
manager of Gibson County Utility Dis- natural resources, improve the health and County Utility
trict Pat Riley signs his emails. well-being of Tennesseans, and create District Cutting the
efficiencies in the delivery of goods and Ribbon on Energy
The self-proclaimed warrior seems services,” said Martineau. Savings.
to be winning the battle of finding an Left: Pat Riley,
economical, abundant and greener fuel The Gibson County Energy Complex is Manager of the
source for his customers’ and compa- environmentally sustainable, with a natu- Gibson County Utility
nies’ needs. The utility district’s Gibson ral gas generator that produces power District and an
County Energy Complex recently opened supplemented by solar panels. A deten- Energy Warrior.
and will provide compressed natural gas tion pond to handle storm water runoff
to their customer base of some 12,000 is nearby and will soon be an attractive tion, so no mowing will be needed and
citizens and for inbound and outbound sight. no associated pollution created.
material supply, public and private
service organizations and public trans- “I intend to put cattails and other “I have been attending meetings
portation. natural Tennessee wetland plants in it,” conducted by the Tennessee Department
Riley said. The landscaping around the of Environment and Conservation for
The station is the only publicly ac- station won’t have the usual non-native about four years now and listening to all
cessible private compressed natural gas boxwoods and privet. Instead it will the environmental things that are going
refueling station between Memphis and feature special grasses provided by the on around the state,” Riley said. “All of
Nashville. It will allow a Tennessee driver Tennessee Department of Transporta- this influenced my decision to build the
to go from one end of the state to the greenest station possible. I then began
other without using any gasoline. It is the looking for partners to help me build it.”
tenth natural gas fueling station in the
state and joins about 1,200 others in the One partner is Midwest Energy Solu-
nation. tions Inc. which provided the design,
engineering, procurement and installa-
What makes the station truly amaz- tion of the unique natural gas station.
ing is that it is one of the most environ- Another proud partner is Constellation
mentally friendly fueling stations that Energy, which supplies Gibson County
customers will ever see. Utility District with natural gas.
“This will be a net zero operation,” said The complex is also special because
Riley, meaning that the station will be
energy neutral and will at times gener-
ate energy back to the Tennessee Valley
Authority. Riley considers the station to
be a crown jewel for his district.
Riley has had considerable experience
operating a utility. He was the recipient
of the 2013 Silver Flame award given by
the Tennessee Gas Association. He also
serves on their executive board as well
as the energy subcommittee of the state
Chamber of Commerce.
His most recent recognition was from
the Tennessee Department of Environ-
ment and Conservation. The district
received a Sustainable Transportation
Award for their outstanding effort to
reduce transportation-related energy and
associated air pollution.
Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation Commissioner Bob
Martineau believes it is important to rec-
ognize organizations like Gibson County
Utility District. “By recognizing leaders
in this field who are taking specific posi-
tive actions, we hope to inspire replica-
6 TPW July/August 2015
A War Everyone Wins
“Energy Warrior” is the way general tion of such innovative projects to save Above: Gibson
manager of Gibson County Utility Dis- natural resources, improve the health and County Utility
trict Pat Riley signs his emails. well-being of Tennesseans, and create District Cutting the
efficiencies in the delivery of goods and Ribbon on Energy
The self-proclaimed warrior seems services,” said Martineau. Savings.
to be winning the battle of finding an Left: Pat Riley,
economical, abundant and greener fuel The Gibson County Energy Complex is Manager of the
source for his customers’ and compa- environmentally sustainable, with a natu- Gibson County Utility
nies’ needs. The utility district’s Gibson ral gas generator that produces power District and an
County Energy Complex recently opened supplemented by solar panels. A deten- Energy Warrior.
and will provide compressed natural gas tion pond to handle storm water runoff
to their customer base of some 12,000 is nearby and will soon be an attractive tion, so no mowing will be needed and
citizens and for inbound and outbound sight. no associated pollution created.
material supply, public and private
service organizations and public trans- “I intend to put cattails and other “I have been attending meetings
portation. natural Tennessee wetland plants in it,” conducted by the Tennessee Department
Riley said. The landscaping around the of Environment and Conservation for
The station is the only publicly ac- station won’t have the usual non-native about four years now and listening to all
cessible private compressed natural gas boxwoods and privet. Instead it will the environmental things that are going
refueling station between Memphis and feature special grasses provided by the on around the state,” Riley said. “All of
Nashville. It will allow a Tennessee driver Tennessee Department of Transporta- this influenced my decision to build the
to go from one end of the state to the greenest station possible. I then began
other without using any gasoline. It is the looking for partners to help me build it.”
tenth natural gas fueling station in the
state and joins about 1,200 others in the One partner is Midwest Energy Solu-
nation. tions Inc. which provided the design,
engineering, procurement and installa-
What makes the station truly amaz- tion of the unique natural gas station.
ing is that it is one of the most environ- Another proud partner is Constellation
mentally friendly fueling stations that Energy, which supplies Gibson County
customers will ever see. Utility District with natural gas.
“This will be a net zero operation,” said The complex is also special because
Riley, meaning that the station will be
energy neutral and will at times gener-
ate energy back to the Tennessee Valley
Authority. Riley considers the station to
be a crown jewel for his district.
Riley has had considerable experience
operating a utility. He was the recipient
of the 2013 Silver Flame award given by
the Tennessee Gas Association. He also
serves on their executive board as well
as the energy subcommittee of the state
Chamber of Commerce.
His most recent recognition was from
the Tennessee Department of Environ-
ment and Conservation. The district
received a Sustainable Transportation
Award for their outstanding effort to
reduce transportation-related energy and
associated air pollution.
Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation Commissioner Bob
Martineau believes it is important to rec-
ognize organizations like Gibson County
Utility District. “By recognizing leaders
in this field who are taking specific posi-
tive actions, we hope to inspire replica-
6 TPW July/August 2015
