Blog: ECIC in the Field
Energy Transition in Rural America (May 2022) - Wilton Wind Energy Center
On May 19th, our class visited the Wilton Wind Energy Center outside of Wilton, ND as our final stop of the day. The Wilton Wind Energy Center and adjacent Baldwin Wind Energy Center provide more than 200 megawatts of power to the Basin Electric system.
Energy Transition in Rural America (May 2022) - Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative
On Wednesday, May 18th, our Energy Transition in Rural America class visited the headquarters of Mountrail-Williams Electric Co-op (MWEC) in Williston, ND. During the visit, we were fortunate to have a lunch discussion with MWEC’s General Manager, Dale Haugen. After lunch, Mr. Haugen gave our group a presentation introducing MWEC’s recent rapid growth. Then, we followed Mr. Haugen walking through MWEC’s headquarters to have a real taste of operating an electric utility—including the opportunity for four of us to strap in and ride up a bucket truck!
Energy Transition in Rural America (May 2022) - Dakota State University Madison Cyber Labs
What could a future home look like? The Connected Home Research Project, a partnership between East River Electric Power Co-op, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Dakota State University (DSU), aims to answer this question.
Energy Transition in Rural America (May 2022) - East River Electric
The fifth and last destination for day 1 of our ‘Energy Transition’ trip ended in Brookings, South Dakota, where our class visited East River electric cooperative for dinner and a presentation.
Energy Transition in Rural America (May 2022) - Sioux Valley Energy
Sioux Valley Energy was our fourth of five stops on Monday. They are a distribution co-op with 28,000 members in eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota. At Sioux Valley, we learned about their beneficial electrification programs and got to reflect on test rides in different electric vehicle models.
Energy Transition in Rural America (May 2022) - Deer Creek Station
On Monday, May 16th, our Energy Transition in Rural America class made our second stop on our week-long field experience at Deer Creek Station. Deer Creek is located near Brookings, South Dakota and provides enough electricity to power over 200,000 homes. It is owned by Basin Electric, a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative serving its members throughout 9 states.
Energy Transition in Rural America (May 2022) - Renville-Sibley Cooperative Power Association
The first stop on our weeklong May Trip was at Renville-Sibley Co-op Power. In addition to touring the facilities, the class listened to a presentation from Jake Rieke on RS Fiber Co-op.
Energy Transition in Rural America (Spring 2022) - Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association
On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, the Energy Transition in Rural America class visited Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association (Wright-Hennepin). Wright-Hennepin is Minnesota’s fourth-largest electric cooperative and is currently celebrating its 85th anniversary as a rural power provider.
Energy Transition in Rural America (Spring 2022) - Ramsey Renewable Station, Connexus Energy
On April 19th, the elusive spring sun came out to shine and our Energy Transition in Rural America class went to visit an innovative renewable energy site: Connexus’ solar-plus-storage facility in Ramsey, Minnesota.
Energy Transition in Rural America (Spring 2022) - Great River Energy, ACES, & NRCO
On April 12th, our Energy Transition in Rural America class visited Great River Energy’s headquarters in Maple Grove, MN. Embracing the spirit of cooperation among cooperatives, Great River Energy has close relationships with other organizations throughout the country.
Energy Transition in Rural America (Spring 2022) - Dakota Electric Association
On Tuesday, April 5th, the class visited Dakota Electric Association, an electricity distribution cooperative based in Farmington Minnesota serving suburban and rural communities southeast of St. Paul, spanning roughly from “Red Wing to 35W.” The visit featured presentations from several members of Dakota Electric management, who each answered questions from the class and later provided a tour of Dakota Electric’s control room
Energy Transition in Rural America (Spring 2022) - Dickinson Converter Station, Great River Energy
On March 29th, our Energy Transition in Rural America class visited Great River Energy’s Dickinson Convertor Station in Buffalo, MN. This is one of the nation’s few high-voltage DC-to-AC converter stations, bringing over 1 gigawatt of power from North Dakota to the Twin Cities metro area.
Energy Transition in Rural America (Spring 2022) - Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative
On March 1st, our Energy Transition in Rural America class visited Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) in Jordan, MN. Located in one of the state’s fastest-growing areas, the co-op provides electricity to 44,250+ members in nine counties in southern Minnesota, spanning 968 square miles.