Two of Great River Energy’s member-owner electric cooperatives energized their fleet of vehicles by adding an electric pickup to their lineups. Brown County Rural Electric Association (BCREA), based in Sleepy Eye, added a Ford Lightning pickup and Federated Rural Electric Association (Federated), located in Jackson, received a Rivian R1T pickup. “Since we are a rural …
A collaborative of 500 utilities, vehicle manufacturers, charging providers, federal agencies and other organizations are working to align themselves on important issues ahead of the rapid deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) on U.S. roadways. Great River Energy is one of the founding utility partners of EVs2Scale, a three-year initiative led by the Electric Power Research …
Great River Energy joins nationwide electric vehicle initiative Read More »
Stearns Electric Association, in partnership with Great River Energy, recently leased an electric lawnmower to replace a diesel-powered machine at Lynx National Golf Course in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. The new machine from Mean Green Electric Mowers — which is the first commercial-grade electric, zero-turn mower that can last all day on a single charge — …
Co-ops partner to bring electric lawn mower to local golf course Read More »
Minnesota passed legislation at the beginning of 2023 requiring the state’s utilities to use 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. But even before it became law, Great River Energy collaborated with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to model and analyze potential energy system transitions under different decarbonization pathways, including a zero-emitting electric power sector, in …
EPRI modeling evaluates potential decarbonization strategies for Minnesota Read More »
When Stearns Electric Association wanted to attract a crowd of firefighters, police officers and other first responders to its warehouse for three hours of electric vehicle (EV) safety training on a Wednesday night last fall, the co-op relied on two powerful tools to drum up interest: its communications team and free food. The cooperative — …
A unique project to introduce the benefits of electrification to organizations and government agencies with fleet vehicles is adding four all-electric vehicles to service in Minnesota. The transportation sector continues to experience rapid changes due to advancements in electric technology that offer several benefits in fleet applications. Great River Energy created an opportunity to showcase …
Co-ops provide spark for electric vehicle testing Read More »
When considering the switch to electric transportation, it might be best to start thinking small. While electric vehicles (EVs) are receiving much of the attention, it’s actually the smallest forms of e-transportation, such as e-bikes, that are experiencing the largest surge of popularity. And what’s more, this popularity doesn’t seem to be limited to metro …
E-bike boom: Co-ops dip into e-bike sales following tech’s boost in popularity Read More »
Humans are creatures of habit, settling into routines and rarely disrupting them unless advantages are presented by alternatives. But more people are finding themselves breaking out of their comfort zones — even if just for a few minutes — to feel what it could be like if they owned an all-electric vehicle (EV). Utilities like …
Experience, education inspire the switch to electric vehicles Read More »
Great River Energy recently hosted an event that featured the state’s largest collection of electric utility fleet-specific vehicles to showcase how the technology is being applied to transportation options within the utility industry. Vehicles ranging from a cargo van to a mini excavator and even a hybrid bucket truck— all powered by electricity — were …
Electric fleet vehicles present advantages for utilities Read More »
A coalition of electric cooperatives worked together to hold the first annual Southwest MN Electric Vehicle (EV) event where rural residents were able to get a firsthand look at — and even test drive — several EV models. The event, held Aug. 10 at the Windom Community Center, also helped raise awareness of the many …