Meet Kevin Warren
Summer 2023
Kevin Warren, a Professional Engineer and Certified Energy Manager, has served on Chester County's Environmental and Energy Advisory Board since its inception in 2020. He is the owner and Principal at Warren Energy, an independent energy engineering company that focuses on energy efficiency supporting a range of clients, from business owners and design consultants, to utilities and energy services companies. Through his professional and volunteer roles he has developed expertise in measuring and verifying the benefits of energy efficiency and clean energy projects.
Kevin's work is driven by his personal mission to be a part of the solution to climate change. He states: "Human-caused climate change is the most critical issue of our time, and we can't solve climate change without continued and increasing investments in energy efficiency. Those investments will only occur at the scale we need if investors have confidence that savings calculations are reliable and accurate." To provide this confidence, the focus of Kevin's company has been on calculating and reviewing the projected savings for energy efficiency improvement projects on some of the largest and most complex projects in the country, allowing those investments to move forward.
From a young age Kevin had an interest in the environment and sustainability. After earning his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware, he wanted to specialize in a field that would advance sustainability. He decided to enroll in a Master's program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for its focus on renewable energy and energy-efficiency. He reflects on how the industry has changed over the course of his career. "When I first started, relatively few states had robust energy efficiency programs and solar was not very cost-effective. Even ten years later, in 2004, when I moved to Pennsylvania, PA had a tiny energy efficiency industry. Thanks in part to Act 129, there are now about 100,000 clean energy jobs in PA."
Pennsylvania's Act 129, enacted in 2008, has had a major impact on Kevin's career. The Act imposes requirements on electric distribution companies (like PECO) to reduce their customer base's energy consumption and demand. It has spurred programs like free and low-cost energy analyses, rebates for energy efficient appliances, and more. Kevin was a founding member of the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance that advocated for the Act and that has worked to grow the energy efficiency industry. He is also an active member of the Efficiency Valuation Organization where he has helped maintain and update the protocols that are used internationally for measuring and verifying energy efficiency and clean energy projects.
Outside of his energy efficiency work and advocacy, Kevin is also involved in local conservation efforts. A resident of Elk Township, Kevin currently serves as the President of the Elk Creeks Watershed Association. He is also a member of the Oxford Regional Planning Commission's volunteer Environmental Advisory Committee. Through these organizations he has contributed to several conservation "wins," including providing the initial nudge for a 160-acre land acquisition that will be added to a state park; a 280-acre tree and meadow planting within the Elk Creek watershed; and helping to re-open a fish ladder to try to reestablish shad in Big Elk Creek. In his free time, he likes to hike and forage for wild mushrooms — he's eaten 15 different varieties he's found and has identified many more!