Tim Hayes receives AWEA’s 2020 Andrew Linehan Award for Environmental Excellence

Tim Hayes, Environmental Director for Duke Energy Renewables, received the Andrew Linehan Award for Environmental Excellence at the AWEA’s annual Wind Project Siting and Environmental Compliance Conference, held virtually on September 30 – October 2, 2020.

The Linehan Awards was established in 2010 in honor of Andy Linehan after he passed away after a long battle with cancer. Andy was one of the pioneers in the wind energy siting community, showing leadership, innovative thinking and enthusiasm for wind energy and for the environment. The Linehan Award was established to recognize those that preserve his spirit and the brand image that sets our industry apart from other forms of energy generation.

Mr. Hayes captures that spirit and then some. He has been an active leader in the AWEA Wildlife and Federal Permitting committee and subcommittee and has advanced our thinking and challenged others in the industry, particularly related to eagles and birds. He was the driving force in development of industry perspectives on eagle permitting programs. He also led an AWEA Task Force looking at safety and technical questions around aerial nest surveys for eagles.

For 10 years, Tim and his colleagues at Duke Energy have looked at innovative solutions to wind and wildlife interactions. Duke Energy wind projects have proceeded with commercial deployment of eagle detection technology as well as bat deterrent systems, leading the industry by example. Tim was also instrumental in founding the Wind Wildlife Research Fund, an industry initiative to aggregate resources to put toward research aimed at finding solutions to better understand and, ultimately, reduce impacts to wildlife and habitat.

An avid outdoorsman, Tim brings a love of nature, the outdoors and wildlife to his work life and to the profession. He truly embodies the standard for professionalism and excellence that Andrew Linehan brought to our industry, honoring his work and his memory. “I’m deeply honored and appreciative of this award. Being part of the transformation of the energy industry, being on the front lines of addressing climate change and doing what we can to minimizing wind’s impact on wildlife is really exciting and I’m glad to be part of it.”

Please join AWEA in thanking Tim Hayes for his dedication and passion for the industry, and congratulate him as the 2020 Andrew Linehan Environmental Excellence awardee!