Media Advisory
23 June 2015
Public Tour of Community Solar Gardens in Minnesota Expected to
Draw Large Crowds Interested in Renewable Energy
Lake Region Electric Cooperative & Local Energy Group Host Tour & Discussion
Media Contacts:
Sarah Hayden Shaw, Central CERT Coordinator
218-760-6837 or hayden@cleanenergyresourceteams.org
Maggie Kozak, CERTs Events Manager
612-626-0555 or makozak@umn.edu
Pelican Rapids, MN – Have you heard
about Community Solar Gardens popping
up across Minnesota? Community Solar
Gardens are centrally-located solar
photovoltaic (PV) systems that provide
electricity to participating subscribers. They
are of growing interest to residents and
businesses that can't install solar
themselves or want an easy way to go
green and save green (dollars, that is).
Members of the public, local community
leaders, utilities, businesses, congregations,
and schools are invited to join a discussion
and tour of a local community solar
Crews installing Community Solar Garden at Lake Region Electric Coop
th
installation Thursday, July 9 1:00 – 3:30pm
at Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) in Pelican Rapids hosted by the Clean Energy Resource Teams
(CERTs).
Attendees will see a completed Community Solar Garden and another that is under construction.
Participants will learn what Community Solar Gardens are and how they work. They will also hear from
utilities in northern and central Minnesota about their efforts on community solar. There will be time for
Q&A and networking, so attendees are encouraged to bring their questions along.
“This is a dynamic time for utilities and their customers as solar energy becomes more affordable,” says
Sarah Hayden Shaw, Central CERT Regional Coordinator. “There are a lot of great stories out there—what
kind of Community Solar Gardens the utilities are setting up, how and why their members are
participating—and we want to share those stories in Pelican Rapids July 9th.”
To register for this free event visit https://pelicanrapidscsg.eventbrite.com or call (612) 626-0555.
Why are people so interested in Community Solar Gardens?
Jim Johnson serves on the Board of Directors of the Pelican Rapids Area Economic Development
Corporation. Recently, he and his wife, Carol, decided to invest in the Lake Region Electric Cooperative’s
solar garden because of their green values and their appreciation for home-grown energy projects. "My
friends have heard me say that solar energy is the coming thing, and it’s here now, in Pelican Rapids,
Minnesota," shared Jim Johnson. "It is the greenest, most environmentally-positive energy source we have
and likely will be for a long time. The economics and technology of solar energy are getting better every
day and I believe will continue to do so."
Gary and Betty Dagen are both retired and live in Barnesville, MN. Based on their desire to reduce their
environmental impact, they bought as much solar from the Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) as the
community solar program would allow. "We decided to lower our carbon footprint and solar panels at our
home in the woods were not feasible," Betty Dagen told CERTs. "We decided to purchase as much as LREC
would allow. This was dependent on our usage, which is quite low."
The Dagens and Johnsons are not alone. The level of interest in Community Solar Gardens is leading LREC
to build a second project, and several other utilities in Minnesota have already installed projects, too:
Beltrami Electric Cooperative, Connexus Energy, Itasca-Mantrap Cooperative Services, Kandiyohi Power
Coop, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, McLeod Cooperative Power, Moorhead Public Service, Runestone
Electric Association, Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Stearns Electric Association, Tri-County Electric
Cooperative, and Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric.
AGENDA:
1:00
1:05
1:15
2:00
2:20
2:30
3:00
3:30
Welcome & Introductions
Overview from Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC)
Walking Tour of LREC’s Community Solar Gardens (one completed, one under construction)
Community Solar Gardens: What are they and how do they work, what’s the latest going on
in northern and central Minnesota?
Q&A
Utility Panel: How Community Solar Gardens are working in northern and central MN
 Minnesota Power – Paul Helstrom
 Moorhead Public Service – Dennis Eisenbraun
 Beltrami Electric Cooperative – Sam Mason
Q&A
Adjourn
RSVP: To register for this free event visit https://pelicanrapidscsg.eventbrite.com or call (612) 626-0555.
THE BASICS:
 Who: Community leaders and members, local governments, utilities, businesses, faith communities,
schools, and anyone curious about Community Solar Gardens
 What: Free tour and discussion on Community Solar Gardens in northern and central Minnesota
 When: Thursday, July 9, 2015 1:00pm – 3:30pm
 Where: Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC), 1401 South Broadway, Pelican Rapids, MN 56572
 How: Register for this free event at https://pelicanrapidscsg.eventbrite.com or call (612) 626-0555
 Why: To learn about community solar in northern and central MN and how you can do it, too
Additional resources:
 CERTs website on community solar: http://mncerts.org/solargardens
 Lake Region Electric website: http://www.lrec.coop/solar
ABOUT CERTs: The Clean Energy Resource Teams—or CERTs—are a statewide partnership with a shared
mission to connect individuals and their communities to the resources they need to identify and implement
community-based clean energy projects. Northwest, Central, West Central, Southwest CERTs empower
communities and their members to adopt energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy
technologies and practices for their homes, businesses, and local institutions. CERTs is a partnership of the
University of Minnesota's Extension & Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, Great Plains
Institute, Southwest Regional Development Commission, and Minnesota Department of Commerce,
Division of Energy Resources. Learn more at www.mncerts.org.
ABOUT LREC: Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) is located in Pelican Rapids in the heart of
Minnesota lake country, and now has options for members that want to power their lives with community
solar. LREC owns and maintains 5,600 miles of line. Learn more at www.lrec.coop.
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