Rocky Hill, CT – The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) elected Joel Gordes, Director, Center for Energy Security Solutions, to Honorary Membership. CASE will present the award at its 42nd Annual Meeting and Dinner on Monday, May 22nd at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Gordes has been instrumental in promoting energy policy change in the public sector with a focus one merging electric grid vulnerabilities and developing strategies for greater energy safety, resilience and security. From 1995 to 2015, Gordes was Principal of Environmental Energy Solutions, an energy consultancy involved in multidisciplinary aspects of energy, environment, energy security and economic development. Currently, he is the Director of the Center for Energy Security Solutions. In these roles, Gordes has served on numerous state boards and commissions including his appointment to the former Connecticut Energy Advisory Board (CEAB) from 2007 to 2014. He also served for over 10 years as Technical Coordinator for the Energy Conservation Management Board, created by the state’s electric deregulation legislation. Gordes served as the CEAB designee for the CASE Energy Assurance Planning project. He has been a valued contributor to other CASE projects, serving as a committee member for studies on The Feasibility of Using Waste Heat from Central Power Stations, and Advances in Nuclear Power Technologies, and as an advisor for the Shared Clean Energy Facilities. He is currently serving as a committee member for a study on Strategies to Minimize the Carbon Footprint of Connecticut Bus Operations.

A former state representative for the 62nd district (1987-91), Gordes served as Vice Chair for the General Assembly’s Energy & Public Utilities Committee. During his time in office, he authored or co-authored energy related public acts including bonus rates of return for utility energy efficiency programs, energy sections of Public Act 90-219, Connecticut’s first global warming act, and a bill that passed unanimously to re-lamp state buildings with energy efficient lighting that saved the state $130 million over a ten-year period.

A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Gordes flew 130 combat missions in Vietnam. He was drawn to the field of renewable energy and energy security after observing the effects of oil embargoes during the 1970s. Gordes studied solar energy at the Hartford Graduate Center of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and worked as a sales engineer for a renewable energy firm before moving to public service.

Gordes is the author of several papers on energy security, renewables and distributed resources. He lives in West Hartford with his wife Lin.