Stearns Electric Association offers its members access to solar electricity
Thus, the residents of the St. Cloud District can use alternative sources of energy without worrying about purchasing expensive equipment.
Stearns Electric is an energy cooperative providing access to electricity in the six counties of Northern Minnesota. To date, the company has 25,000 members. Not long ago, the company acquired 50 solar panels with 410 watts capacity of each. Despite the fact that they will be put into operation only in June, powers of 14 panels have already been reserved by consumers.
The cost of each panel is $ 1,300, and members of the association may enter into a 20-year-old agreement on connecting to them. This allows individual consumers to avoid the difficulties associated with independent acquisition of panels, their installation and connection.
Access to a single panel will cost $ 5 a month, and each member can connect to five panels simultaneously. The cost of access may vary according to changes in electricity tariffs.
Dave Gryuns, the regional representative of company, said that renewable energy sources are becoming more popular among the members of the association. To date, 15 of them have established their own solar panels, and seven more have mounted wind turbines on their sites.
It is expected that this project will facilitate access of the inhabitants to renewable energy, because many of them live in rented houses or in forested areas, where the use of solar panels is difficult. At the same time ownership of the panels and responsibility for their service retained by the Association. "Thus, there is no difference between the participation in our project and the acquisition of the panels, but in this case you get rid of the need to do everything myself," - said Rick Bank, manager of Stearns Electric.
This project has been discussed for several years and its start was postponed due to controversy with Great River Energy company, which had supplied electricity to the association. Today it is regarded as an experiment, and if it will be successful, the management of Stearns Electric is ready to increase the number of used panels. Note that rates for members who do not take part in the project will remain the same.
