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February Manager's Column

DANNY YOUNG MEMORIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PARK

by Robert L. Hance

As a regional provider of electricity and energy solutions, we are a small fish in a very large pond. Like most electric cooperatives, our primarily rural service territory is surrounded on all sides by the mammoth investor-owned utilities. They are bigger, have deeper pockets and enjoy some economies of scale that we just don’t have.

But bigger does not mean better.

Within the Midwest family is a breadth and depth of knowledge that defies our overall size. The family building a new house experiences that as we walk with them through the new construction process. The homeowner with questions about heating and cooling systems learns that as we share information on newer and more economical technologies that allow her to take advantage of special rate programs. The local business owner takes advantage of that as he updates machine motors and adjusts operating hours, based on our energy audit, to save on energy expenses.

As the small, member-owned utility, we are not immediately considered as a knowledgeable resource and player in the energy and technology arena. But a resource we are, and in coming months we will truly showcase our expertise with the opening of the Danny Young Memorial Renewable Energy Park.

The Energy Park will be a regional resource to educate individuals, students and groups on energy information and technology, particularly as it relates to renewable energy. Located on the grounds of our Cassopolis office, it will be a modern and innovative learning center featuring a wind turbine, a solar panel display and a fuel cell.

Our goal with the Energy Park is not necessarily to promote renewable energy, but rather provide balanced information and education to those interested in renewable options, both in concept and in practice. The park will be grid-tied, giving us continuous data on output and availability that will demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy and provide a realistic view of the financial investment and payback.

We have long provided energy information related to safety, efficiency, conservation and a myriad of other topics. The Energy Park is an addition to that menu of options. Our goal is to meet the educational and informational needs of visiting groups by creating customized experiences. Whether it’s a field trip about electricity for 30 fourth grade students from the local elementary or a viability study on wind generation for a small group of business leaders, we will be positioned to provide meaningful and practical information and resources.

We may not be big, but we are extremely knowledgeable and ready to make our mark. I look forward to sharing with you the official opening of the Danny Young Memorial Renewable Energy Park later this year, and to positioning your cooperative as the regional resource on energy and technology.