by Alec Olson
The Grand Rapids community will enjoy equitable solar energy by November 2021. Construction crews broke ground on 15 acres of city land in October, with plans to install a solar array and lithium-ion battery storage system in the spring of 2021.
Citizen-led group Itasca Clean Energy Team (ICET) partnered with the Grand Rapids Public Utilities Commission and Minnesota Power, the city’s wholesale power supplier, to bring renewable energy to city residents, cut down on energy costs, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. You read that right: energy from the sun is making utility bills in Northern Minnesota cheaper. And not just for those who can afford the initial investment of solar panels -- everyone in Grand Rapids will benefit.
A 5-Year Project-in-the-Making Becomes a Solar Success Story
The original plan was to create a community solar garden, with roughly enough energy to power 300 average sized homes, according to the Grand Rapids Herald-Review. That would’ve been a 1-megawatt solar array. Following this plan, residents who wanted solar power would subscribe for solar energy, with a premium charge for plan management and administrative costs.
This would’ve made solar energy slightly more expensive for residents in the short term, which wasn’t the ideal outcome, explained Vicki Andrews, founder of local environmental group Earth Circle that’s also involved with the project. “We wanted to be sure low-income people could also be a part of the plan,” she said. “We were struggling because it was going to cost a little extra money to be a part of it.”
In 2018, ICET collaborated with the Grand Rapids Public Utilities Commission (GRPUC) to hire Cliburn and Associates, a national solar consulting firm. After a thorough analysis of local conditions, Cliburn and her team recommended a better way to introduce solar energy to Grand Rapids — one that would cut costs and create a more equitable utility.
What’s under construction now is a 2-megawatt solar array and 2.5 megawatt-hour battery storage system — double what ICET originally asked for.The renewable energy produced by the system will roll into Minnesota Power’s existing power supply to Grand Rapids. That means no additional administrative fees to residents.
What’s more, the battery storage system creates a wealth of cost-savings for residents by capturing renewable energy for use when the price of conventional electricity is highest. This system will supply at least 8% of energy to the city and, as an added benefit, the solar panels will be made locally on the Iron Range in Minnesota. The roughly 15-acre site will be managed as a pollinator garden.
The project entails a private investment of over $6 million and will support over 25 construction jobs. And, over the course of its expected 25-year lifespan the project will provide the city of Grand Rapids with almost a half-million dollars in local tax revenue and land lease payments.
ICET, a small group of local citizens, celebrated the win for renewable energy this November after the GRPUC authorized Minnesota Power to contract with national solar developer US Solar to construct the solar and storage system. ICET worked tirelessly for the last five years to push the project to this point and, finally, they see the fruits of their labor.
Achieving Solar Aspirations Depended on Partnerships with Key Decision-Makers
The Grand Rapids Public Utility Commission unanimously voted in favor of the construction of the solar array and battery storage system on Nov. 18, 2020, according to a local report by the Herald-Review.
That’s right: unanimously.
This slam-dunk win for solar took a considerable amount of time, because of the many hurdles that often bogged down progress.
“There were times I thought it wasn’t going to happen at all,” Andrews said. “I’m so glad it turned out the way that it did. It’s twice the system we asked for and it will reach everybody that gets power from the public utilities.”
With key leadership from Andrews and Schnell, along with support from Natalie Cook, organizing representative with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Northeastern Minnesota, the volunteer group kept pushing forward even when the project felt hopeless.
Early on, the group recognized the importance of aligning with key stakeholders. Without buy-in and support from the local government, the GRPUC, and — most importantly — the community, it’s hard to say what the outcomes would’ve been.
The idea for bringing solar energy to Grand Rapids came from a meeting of like-minded volunteers. Hosted by Earth Circle and sponsored by the Sierra Club, they gathered to discuss ways to move the community beyond fossil fuels and double-down on renewables.
“Awareness of climate change hit me like a ton of bricks,” said Bill Schnell, a retired forester and volunteer with ICET, adding that he wanted to address the issue and help find a solution. “Solar seemed so applicable to where we live.”
After arriving at the idea to introduce solar energy in a community-oriented way, Andrews, Schnell and their group of supporters ICET members focused on broad, grassroots outreach efforts.
They involved city officials, reached a partnership with the GRPUC, and expanded their reach as far as possible to communicate that this project was right for Grand Rapids. ICET posted on its website and social media platforms; appeared on local TV and radio shows; made presentations to local service clubs; pitched stories to the Herald-Review; hosted seminars and community forums; and tabled at the county fair and other events in town. ICET received signatures from hundreds of residents who signed on in support of the solar garden.
“One of the first places we went was a city council meeting to tell them what we were up to,” Schnell said. “Reaching out was a key element. We had to keep people informed and engaged.”
Itasca Clean Energy Team’s Wisdom to Communities with Plans for Solar Energy: Find Your Support Network
ICET members researched other communities and organizations working on community solar projects around the U.S, with a focus on the Midwest. They made connections and learned from others’ experiences to find out what it takes to get a project like this done.
Schnell advises other groups pursuing solar projects to start with their local decision makers and government officials. “Let them know what you’re about,” he says. “You want to give them your information before the naysayers have a chance to talk it down.”
In the case of Grand Rapids, the community was largely open to the idea of a solar project. And a critical element in ICET’s success was the support of the Grand Rapids Public Utilities Commission and its general manager. However, there was a group that denounced the plan, saying it was a waste of taxpayers’ money, Schnell explained. That group voiced its concerns to GRPUC and the city council and advocated against the project.
ICET’s answer focused on education and outreach. Communicating accurate information about the cost-savings and environmental benefits of the solar project won the day. However, the naysayers weren’t the biggest hurdle. The real challenges were creating an equitable solar model and reaching a partnership with Minnesota Power.
By late 2018, GRPUC was ready to develop specifications and solicit bids to build the solar garden. Minnesota Power then notified GRPUC that it would consider such actions to be a breach of their power supply contract and threatened legal action if GRPUC proceeded independently. GRPUC decided it would be prudent to allow Minnesota Power to partner with them to move the project forward.
Eventually, Minnesota Power signed its own contract with solar consultants Cliburn and Associates to develop specifications for the project. In essence, what started as a citizen-led initiative resulted in Minnesota Power controlling and leading the project.
ICET’s role was subsequently reduced and the process lacked the transparency and inclusivity it started with. But ultimately, it worked out in everyone’s favor because the project doubled in size and avoided becoming a premium utility only available to those who could afford it.
In spite of the logistical challenges, the group of volunteers persisted and continued to advocate for the project whenever possible to ensure it was well-received by the community.
“You have to keep at it and not give up,” Andrews said. “There were times when I felt like giving up when things looked bleak. I think we all did — but we couldn’t. We knew it had to happen so we kept at it.”
In addition to aligning closely with key decision-makers, Schnell and Andrews agree it’s important to partner with organizations like the Sierra Club, which helped fund community outreach, as did the Blandin Foundation. The University of Minnesota and staff from Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light played key roles in the decision to add battery storage to the project. Support from external sources like this can help establish credibility and create momentum.
Without the support of organizations like this, the local government and public utility, as well as the community, this solar project might not have happened at all. Any weak link in the chain could’ve let the project fall by the wayside, but because of the perseverance of volunteers like Schnell and Andrews the project will now become reality.
“We all need to take a look at what we can do to cut down on fossil fuels,” Andrews said. “Clean energy is the answer as far as I can see.”