About the Coop

Vineyard Power is a community-owned energy cooperative that will secure a stable energy future for Martha’s Vineyard. By generating our own renewable energy, the cooperative will stabilize and minimize its members' electrical costs while reducing our overall carbon footprint.

BACKGROUND
Vineyard Power was developed by the Vineyard Energy Project to help the island achieve the energy goals of the Martha's Vineyard Island Plan. This master plan was formed and developed by thousands of Vineyarders and seeks a sustainable future for Martha's Vineyard that maintains our island's character while ensuring a healthy local economy.

In the Plan, Islanders call for island-based generation of renewable energy and stable, reliable, low impact and economically viable electricity for Island residents. Vineyard Power is a way we can realize these objectives and deliver benefits to our community directly. To read more about the energy goals of the Island Plan, click here.

MEMBERS
Vineyard Power needs the support of a strong majority of Islanders in order to achieve a dramatic change in our island's energy generation and use. An ownership stake in Vineyard Power presently costs $100. This joining fee will increase quarterly until 2016, when it will be $950.

The economic benefits of cooperative membership begin with stabilized electricity prices by 2015 and then significantly lower prices after the initial financing period. To learn more about membership in Vineyard Power, click here.

ENERGY
Given the state of current technology, studies have shown that wind power is the most promising and abundant renewable energy resource on and around Martha's Vineyard. Private wind power developers have also realized this potential; the waters surrounding Martha's Vineyard have become the subject of many development interests.

Vineyard Power is a way for Vineyarders to take ownership for our island and our surroundings, and to ensure that the generation of wind energy off our shores directly benefits our community.  Local control will also ensure that location of offshore turbines must be appropriate for our island's landscape and cultural values.

How and where Vineyard Power generates energy will be determined directly by its member-owners.

Vineyard Power Cooperative incorporated in November of 2009. Up until incorporation, the cooperative's launch and administration was being managed by the Vineyard Energy Project (VEP). Listed below is the current staff and board of Vineyard Power.

THE VINEYARD POWER STAFF

Richard Andre is the President of Vineyard Power and has responsibility for the cooperative’s start-up and management. Prior to his appointment, Richard was a founding director of Vineyard Power, a CEO of an international company, based in the Netherlands, and consultant to several leading private equity firms. He also brings professional experience in sales, supply chain management, project finance and strategic development to his work with Vineyard Power. Richard received a BSc degree in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University and a Corporate Finance degree from the London Business School. He currently serves on the boards of the Vineyard Energy Project and the Martha's Vineyard Youth Soccer Association. He lives in West Tisbury with his wife Ina and son Nicolas.

Erik Peckar is the Executive Assistant for Vineyard Power, and is responsible for conducting research, project development, communications and database management .  For the past 5 years Erik has helped a rural community in Nicaragua obtain electricity with solar panels, studied renewable energy systems in Australia and aided HIV/AIDS patients in Tanzania.  Erik has a BSc degree in Science from Penn State University.  He currently lives in Oak Bluffs.

Laura MacNeil is the Outreach Coordinator for Vineyard Power, and is responsible for driving membership, community outreach and event coordination. Laura has worked as a professional stage manager for 13 years, a tour guide for 4 years, and is currently pursuing a degree in Education. She has a Masters from Yale, and a B.A from UMass, Boston. She is a Boston native who moved to the island three years ago. She lives on a boat in Vineyard waters, with her husband.

Suzanne Slarsky Dael is a consultant to Vineyard Power, working with development and communications. She currently lives in Copenhagen and works in the Danish Ministry of Environment. She has also worked with and studied Samsø Island in Denmark, which achieved energy independence through community-owned renewable energy, including offshore wind turbines.

THE VINEYARD POWER BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Paul Pimentel is the Chair of the Vineyard Power board. Paul was instrumental in developing the comprehensive business plan for Vineyard Power, drawing from his work as Senior Vice President of Engineering with NORESCO, an energy systems engineering firm. Paul brings more than 40 years of industry experience to Vineyard Power, including the development of a number of large-scale industrial energy projects. He also brings his experience as the former President of the New England Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers. Paul holds a BS in Engineering and Applied Physics from Harvard
College. He lives in Edgartown.

Ted Bayne is a Director of Vineyard Power. Prior to VP, Ted was the Director of Application Solutions at XyEnterprise Inc, a company specializing in enterprise-scale electronic publishing. He has nearly 30 years of software engineer and industry consultant experience and has worked with many technologies including web apps, database, internet standards and consulted on publishing workflow. Ted received a BA degree from Harvard College in 1965. As a Vineyard Energy Project Director he is managing the VEP response to DoE Smart Grid Grant (SGIG). He serves on the Board of Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School and is active in the MV Dems. He lives in West Tisbury.

Sue Hruby is a Director of Vineyard Power. Sue has held senior positions in Legal and External Affairs and Global Technology at Citibank/Citigroup for more than 25 years. She has held prior board position with Girls Inc. of NYC. Sue has special expertise in process, communications and start up initiatives. On the Vineyard she is active on the West Tisbury Capital Planning Committee, and the Energy Committee as well as Vineyard Energy Project. She lives in West Tisbury.

Susan Wasserman is a Director of Vineyard Power. She has a background working with communities and governments to maximize citizen involvement in solving local problems. She has served on boards of the League of Women Voters since 1969, on the board of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services (most recently six years as President), as President of the Friends of the West Tisbury Library, as a member of the Island Plan steering committee and on the board of the Vineyard Energy Project and active in the MV Dems. She also has professional experience in journalism, urban planning, education and local
government administration. Susan holds a BA in History from Antioch College. She lives in West Tisbury.

David Damroth is a Director of Vineyard Power. He is an energy advocate that has been a year-round member of the Martha's Vineyard community since 1971. He ran a successful Chilmark contracting business from 1974-2001 and helped to create a successful real estate company. David has served in a number of positions including, two terms as a Chilmark selectman and as a member of the board for The Foundation for Island Health.

His passion is nature photography which he has exhibited during the summer at the Sovereign Bank branch in Chilmark. David completed his associate's degree from Harvard in the spring of 2010. He has two children and one grandchild.

Ted Danson is a Director of Vineyard Power, a seasonal resident an actor and a Director of Oceana.

Ron Dagostino is a Director of Vineyard Power and previously a member of the Advisory Committtee.  He is a Vice President at State Street Global Advisors and has held software development and technical architecture roles in the financial services industry since 1991.  Ron holds an MBA from Northeastern University and a BS in Physics from MIT.  He serves as the Treasurer on the board of the Vineyard Playhouse and teaches public speaking  through Adult and Community Education of Martha's Vineyard.  Ron is active in the local yoga community and lives in West Tisbury.  

Warren Doty is a Director of Vineyard Power and previously a member of the Advisory Committtee. He has been an active member of the commercial fishing community on Martha’s Vineyard for over 30 years.  He was owner and operator of a major seafood buying and processing company on the island and now is president of the Menemsha Fisheries Development Fund.  Warren was active in organizing the Martha’s Vineyard / Dukes County Fishermen’s Association and today serves as its chairman.

Warren is the current Chairman of the Chilmark Board of Selectmen and has served as selectmen for this small up island town for 12 years.  His previous experience in elected office has included the Chilmark School Committee and the Chilmark Planning Board. He is active on the Vineyard Power Advisory Committee and has worked with the committee to amend the bylaws to make sure that members have certain powers so that members will feel that they are owners of the Co-op.

Bill Lake is a Director of Vineyard Power. He is currently the Chief of the Media Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission. He was previously Counselor to the Administrator at the EPA advising on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Bill Lake was also Law Clerk to US Supreme Court Justice John M. Harlan from 1969-1970. He is a member of the Washington, DC and California bars. Bill holds a Bachelor of Laws from Stanford Law School and his BA in economics from Yale University.