Megan Wittman, megan.wittman@sierraclub.org
Ramsey, MINNESOTA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Connexus Energy will move forward in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Empowering Rural America Program (New ERA) award process to procure new clean energy investments throughout rural Minnesota and South Dakota. Connexus is the largest electric cooperative in Minnesota, serving over 130,000 members.
Connexus Energy’s New ERA award will procure over 227 megawatts of renewable resources including hydro, solar, and wind energy, as well as 20 megawatts of battery energy storage throughout rural communities. The new clean energy projects will be a significant investment for Minnesota, powering nearly 80,000 homes every year, creating up to 370 short and long term jobs, and reducing Connexus customers' energy bills by 25% over the next 20 years. Additionally, the clean energy investments will cut carbon emissions by over 1.1 million tons each year– the equivalent of taking 250,000 gasoline-powered cars off the road annually.
The USDA will be investing nearly $1 billion in grants and loans for six newly-selected cooperatives to build 1.75 gigawatts of clean energy for rural communities nationwide– reducing at least 6.4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Since September, the USDA has announced over $8.3 billion in funding for twenty-two selectees through the New ERA program. This funding will allow these leading electric cooperatives to tap low cost clean energy, improving affordability and resilience, and lowering costs for their members. The projects awarded will create good-paying jobs and benefit one in five rural Americans.
“We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration and electric cooperatives for partnering together on clean energy investments across the country. Connexus has put together a creative, forward-thinking path for a clean energy future that’s reliable and cost-effective for its customers. Through this award, the New ERA program is supporting innovative approaches to clean energy that will expand economic opportunities and create a better future for Minnesota communities,” said Jenna Yeakle, Central Region Campaign Manager, Beyond Coal Campaign at Sierra Club.
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.