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The Chippewa Indian reservation has taken steps to use crowdfunding to finance one of the region’s largest solar panel installations.

The Chippewa Indian reservation has taken steps to use crowdfunding to finance one of the region’s largest solar panel installations.

A local workforce training center for the Red Lake Nation will receive a solar array that produces 240 kilowatts of electricity, which should be enough to power about half the electricity needs.

And the Interfaith America has some more information to share about further projects.

“The workforce training center solar array is the second of 12 solar projects planned for the reservation. The first sits not far away atop the Red Lake Government Center, a building distinguished by incorporating a two-story face of an eagle with wings spread across the façade.

The projects are the first two solar installations in Minnesota to be financed through crowdfunding, in which dozens of small investors lend to businesses to support entrepreneurs and their products.”

But the tribe is not planning to stop at small-scale installations.

They are also planning a large 13-megawatt solar plant in partnership with one of the region’s largest renewable electricity providers.

Ultimately, the dream is to have a tribal utility provider that grows and competes on a genuinely renewable energy platform and make the entire reservation self-sufficient when it comes to electricity.

It’s a great story that shows how smaller communities can work towards large solar projects.


Chris is one of GreenCitizen’s writers who has been a long-time advocate of individual responsibility when it comes to the environment. He shares GreenCitizen's passion for making the world a better place every day of the year.

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