If you were to start an electric company from scratch, what would it look like? Great River Energy President and Chief Executive Officer David Saggau has described his vision for the ideal power provider for Minnesota’s cooperative members. “You would start with a portfolio of renewable energy resources at locations throughout the Midwest,” Saggau said. …
When Great River Energy employees who worked remotely the last two years due to the pandemic returned to the office earlier this month, their workspace looked and functioned much in the same way it did in March 2020 but with the addition of several air quality safety upgrades. The nature of COVID-19’s ability to spread …
A collaborative project between electric cooperatives and organizations with a vested interest in the success of rural communities was recently recognized by the Environmental Initiative during its 2022 award season. ‘Sota Grown, a two-year demonstration project to sustainably grow leafy greens year-round for Minnesota residents using a hydroponic growing system inside a shipping container, was selected to …
‘Sota Grown earns recognition for rural vitality Read More »
Electric sector’s greenhouse gas reductions putting state goal in reach Great River Energy and other Minnesota utilities are setting the pace to meet the state’s emissions target. Between 2005 and 2018, greenhouse gas emissions related to electricity dropped 29% in Minnesota. The sectors with the next biggest reductions — waste and transportation — reduced emissions …
The motto of the Minnesota National Guard — “Always ready, always there.” — also rings true to the men and women who provide electricity to cooperative members across Minnesota. It should come as no surprise that many employees of Great River Energy and its member-owner cooperatives come from military backgrounds — and that cooperatives strive …
Cooperatives are not-for-profit organizations that operate at cost, only collecting enough revenue to run the business and meet their financial obligations. When a cooperative enjoys financial success, it returns those dollars to members through patronage capital payments. That’s what occurred in March when Great River Energy issued $25 million in patronage capital payments to member-owners. …
Great River Energy returns $25 million to members Read More »
Great River Energy developed Revolt, a first-of-its-kind program that allows electric vehicle (EV) owners to further support the use of renewable energy. When a member claims their upgrade, Great River Energy dedicates wind energy to completely cover the electricity used to fuel an EV for the car’s lifetime. Launched in 2015 to accolades from other …
Powering electric vehicles with 100% wind energy Read More »
Great River Energy members elect directors; board elects officers Part of being a democratically governed electric cooperative involves gathering annually and establishing the structure of the board of directors for the upcoming year. During these annual meetings, cooperatives elect the directors — new and old — to their seats on the board and hold elections …
As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, Great River Energy is issuing this important safety reminder. Severe weather can cause damage to power lines, leaving what can be dangerous situations until crews can make repairs and restore power. “If you see a downed power line, call 911 to report it immediately and stay away. There …
From increased adoption of electric vehicles to navigating the ongoing transition to cleaner energy, Minnesota’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives offer innovative energy programs to member-owners. In a time of remarkable industry change, Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) — one of Great River Energy’s member-owner cooperatives — hosted an open forum for its member-owners last month. Electric cooperatives across …
Energy forum engages rural Minnesota in clean energy conversation Read More »