News
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Celebrates Energy Savings, Thanks to a $135,000 Green Mountain Energy Sun Club Sustainability Grant
Published: January 8, 2026
LAKE JACKSON, Texas, January 8, 2026 /3BL/ – Gulf Coast Bird Observatory (GCBO), a nonprofit founded to protect birds and their habitats around the Gulf and beyond, is celebrating a major sustainability milestone with a 29.52 kWh rooftop solar array system and a Kia EV6 Light Long Range vehicle, courtesy of a $135,000 grant from the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club®.
The new solar array system and electric vehicle will offset 65% of GCBO’s energy needs, saving nearly $15,000 in overhead costs each year and equivalent to more than 5,000 hours of scientific bird monitoring.
Founded in 1997, the mission of GCBO is to protect birds and their habitats with a vision of healthy ecosystems with abundant space for birds to survive and thrive around the Gulf and beyond. Internationally recognized for research in the United States, Central America, and South America, GCBO conducts significant conservation projects such as habitat enhancement, conservation land protection and acquisition, plastic mitigation efforts, education and outreach efforts, and more. Locally, 200,000 people are reached annually through their management of two bird sanctuaries in Brazoria County, plus their headquarters that sits on a 34-acre bottomland forest along Buffalo Camp Bayou. GCBO also engages their community through monthly bird banding, the Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza, Online Bird School and their YouTube channel.
“GCBO is very excited and truly grateful to Green Mountain Energy Sun Club for choosing us as a solar grant recipient,” said Martin Hagne, executive director at Gulf Coast Bird Observatory. “Being a conservation organization that cares about natural habitats, it made perfect sense for us to add solar on top of an already-existing structure to harness power from the sun and an electric vehicle for us to reach more people using less resources. It’s a win-win project!”
“Green Mountain Energy is thrilled to join forces with Gulf Coast Bird Observatory to offset their energy needs and help expand their efforts to protect birds and their habitats,” said Andrea Ortega-Toledano, senior director of sustainability, Green Mountain Energy. “We recognize the important work that GCBO is doing to protect birds and their habitats, and we are excited to play a role in making their impact even greater.”
Green Mountain Energy’s mission is to inspire hope and motivate action through the use of clean energy, and to advance sustainable communities through Sun Club. Since its founding in 2002, Sun Club has donated more than $16 million for 174 projects across Texas and the Northeast. Green Mountain Energy invites its customers and employees to contribute and help support more projects that promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship.
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About Green Mountain Energy Sun Club
Green Mountain Energy’s mission is to inspire hope and motivate action through the use of clean energy, and to advance sustainable communities through the work of Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. Since its founding in 2002, Sun Club has donated more than $16 million for 174 projects across Texas and the Northeast. Sun Club collaborates with nonprofit organizations on projects that focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship. To learn more about Green Mountain Energy and Sun Club or to apply for a Sun Club grant, visit greenmountain.com/sunclub.
About Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory is an independent non-profit organization with 501(c) status. We have become recognized as an innovative organization, which has designed and conducted a significant number of large conservation projects, including migration studies, habitat enhancement, land acquisition, regional habitat mapping, and others. Our vision is a healthy ecosystem with abundant space for birds to survive and thrive around the Gulf and beyond.
Media Contact:
Jeanie Davey, Green Mountain Energy
445-544-1670
Jeanie.davey@greenmountain.com
