Geronimo Energy has signed several Minnesota-grown organizations to its Nordic Solar Portfolio this week. The portfolio includes more than 30 community solar gardens spread across 18 Minnesota counties. Publicly announced subscribers include the University of Minnesota, the Science Museum of Minnesota and Hennepin County.
The U of MN’s portfolio subscription will be spread out over several of the U of MN’s premises and will represent an estimated $800,000 in electricity savings over the life of the contract. Geronimo won the contract through a formal competitive request for proposal process.
“The University of Minnesota is excited to participate in the community solar garden program. By enrolling in the program, the University is able to advance its cost saving and environmental goals, while growing Minnesota’s local, clean energy economy,” said Shane Stennes, Director of Sustainability for the University of Minnesota.
Additionally, the Science Museum of Minnesota had been approached by several community solar garden developers, but ultimately selected Geronimo Energy as the preferred vendor.
“The Science Museum of Minnesota is pleased that its purchase of clean, renewable energy from Geronimo Energy’s Portfolio will save us more than $14,000 annually in energy costs while investing in the clean energy economy. In addition, the museum is gratified to know that the ground under the solar panels will be sown with a pollinator-friendly mix of prairie plants,” said Patrick Hamilton, Director of Global Change initiatives at the Science Museum of Minnesota.
Subscriptions are still available throughout many of the portfolio’s community solar garden locations, and Geronimo is actively seeking subscriptions from corporations, non-profits, government entities, and educational institutions. The eligible subscriber locations for the portfolio encompass nearly 40 Minnesota counties, including the Twin Cities metro area, as well as southwest, southeast and mid-state regions.
“Geronimo Energy is proud to invest in our home state of Minnesota,” said Blake Nixon, Geronimo Energy’s president. “Community solar gardens are a win-win for Minnesotans. The subscriptions help to reduce electricity bills for subscribers, and the projects provide economic development to communities and clean power to the grid for constituents.”
News item from Geronimo Energy