A new 2-megawatt solar array built for East Central Energy (ECE) members demonstrates the cooperative’s commitment to renewable energy. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last month at the array’s 15-acre site in Cambridge, Minnesota. ECE staff and directors welcomed Cambridge city officials, members of the North 65 Chamber of Commerce, representatives from Great River Energy […]
National Pollinator Week, recognized from June 17-21, celebrates the humble bees, butterflies, bats and other bugs that pollinate and help more than 70 percent of the world’s crops. Electric cooperatives are among the many organizations that have focused on the plight of these pollinators and have done their part to re-establish their native habitat. Great […]
We celebrate Earth Day every day at Great River Energy. It’s part of our mission to provide member-owner cooperatives with affordable, reliable energy in harmony with a sustainable environment. Check out GRE’s top 10 environmental efforts (in no particular order except for you, 50 by 30 – you shine bright at the top of our list): […]
Pollinators such as bees and butterflies have made their home at Great River Energy’s Elk River campus. Three years ago, Great River Energy began preparations to plant prairie on its 9-acre plot of land outside of its Elk River campus facility. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Elk River Energy City partnered with Great River […]
Solar array hosts Bolton Bees’ apiary Connexus Energy’s pollinator-friendly community solar garden is not only generating renewable energy, it is also producing honey. Bolton Bees installed 15 beehives at Connexus Energy’s SolarWise garden in Ramsey, Minn., and has managed and expanded the hives throughout the summer. “We believe our SolarWise solar garden is the first […]
Today approximately 20 people, including kids from Elk River’s SustainER program, planted the first of nearly 11,000 starter plants that will be planted on Great River Energy’s campus on Highway 10 in Elk River. Their hard work was part of a celebration of a 9-acre prairie planting that will re-establish the native habitat that pollinators […]
Ten years ago the U.S. Senate unanimously approved and designated a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” to address the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. National Pollinator Week has now grown into an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. “We rely on pollinators for […]
Today, students from Holy Rosary in Duluth made a positive difference in native north eastern Minnesota habitats by planting common milkweed, wild bergamot, fragrant giant hyssop and lindleys aster around a new solar PV array at the Laurentian Environmental Learning Center near Mesabi, Minn. With everything in place, the enthusiastic students headed outside, shovels in […]
From bees to butterflies, pollinator populations have been dwindling in recent years, and many groups have stepped in to help re-establish their native habitat. Among them, electric cooperatives have a unique opportunity to highlight their commitment to community and education by participating in the nationwide effort to bring back the bee and butterfly populations. Great […]
Honey bees and butterflies looking for a home will soon have more than nine new acres in Elk River to settle into. It’s all thanks to Great River Energy, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the city of Elk River and their shared commitment to helping pollinators. Together the organizations are re-establishing pollinator-friendly habitat on […]