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WI Solar Project Invests in Rural Youth, Community

By Judith Ruiz-Branch

A 100-megawatt solar project in rural Polk County set to begin operating this year has a unique focus on investments in youth.

Developers said the Apple River Solar Project will be able to power about 26,000 homes and offset CO2 emissions by nearly 130,000 metric tons, the equivalent of taking about 31,000 cars off the road each year.

Jeff Ringblom, chief development officer for the renewable energy company Geronimo Power, formerly National Grid Renewables, said the project will provide economic benefits to the community and a monetary donation to the Amery and Clayton school districts totaling $500,000.

"We've always been founded under the pretense of being what we call 'farmer friendly,'" Ringblom explained. "But that really encompasses the entire community and all of the stakeholders that are engaged. So we try to give back to the communities in which we operate in."

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Governor Shapiro Visits Biodigester at Dickinson College Farm

Video: Governor Shapiro Visits Biodigester at Dickinson College Farm

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro visited the Dickinson College Farm to see the innovative biodigester project, which is turning farm and food waste into green energy. Food waste and manure are fed into the anerobic digester creating biogas, which can be used for cooking, heating and generating electricity. Dickinson College Farm's energy & livestock manager Matt Steiman says the new digester will process the manure from the neighbor’s 150 dairy cows plus two tons of food waste every day. The project will generate enough renewable energy to power the farm and will export additional energy to power 30 homes. The project will also reduce water pollution to local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.