Takoma Park Named Quarterfinalist for $5M Energy Prize

The City of Takoma Park was named a quarterfinalist in the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a $5-million incentive competition to reduce energy consumption in America.

Takoma Park was one of 52 communities that qualified for the quarterfinals, according to a news release.

“It’s an honor to be chosen,” said Gina Mathias, Takoma Park’s sustainability manager, My Montgomery Community Media reports. “This competition is a tremendous opportunity to showcase how innovative the City of Takoma Park is, while giving the city a new, meaningful challenge that will benefit residents, the city and the environment, regardless of the prize.

The two-year long competition kicked off in April when communities were asked to submit an application to compete.

“The enthusiasm in these communities is contagious,” said Dr. Francis Slakey, Executive Director of the Energy Prize, in the news release. “This is the first time so many governments, utilities and community groups will be working together to reduce energy consumption.”

Competing communities have the potential to reduce energy costs by more than $1 billion and cut millions of tons of CO2 emissions.

“The communities we selected are leaders in energy efficiency who will develop innovative approaches that will inspire and enable others to follow in their footsteps,” Slakey said.

Takoma Park created a Sustainable Energy Action Plan that will bring together homeowners, apartment and condo dwellers and city officials to reduce the energy use in the city, save money and reduce gas emissions, according My Montgomery Community Media.

On November 2, Takoma Park and other quarterfinalists will submit a fine tuned plan for energy-saving that involves members from the community -- residents, governments, institutions, businesses, etc. -- who are willing to help put the plan to action.

From Jan. 2015 to Dec. 2016, semifinalists will compete to reduce the energy consumption in their city. Finalists, judging and awards will take place from January to June 2017.

>>Image from City of Takoma Park Website