Southwest Minnesota Foundation Holds Renewable Energy Summit

More than 120 community and business leaders from throughout southwest Minnesota gathered in Granite Falls on March 25-26, 2004, for the Southwest Minnesota Foundation's Summit on Renewable Energy. The event was a first-time opportunity to engage private sector leaders from the region in the advancement of renewable energy as a regional economic asset.

Co-sponsored by The Energy Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, Blandin Foundation and Southwest Minnesota State University, the summit brought together regional business leaders from both inside and outside the renewable energy industry with key government and industry experts to define opportunities for renewable energy resource development, identify and address barriers to regional progress, and explore areas for innovation.

"I am truly grateful that so many key community and business leaders from throughout southwest Minnesota made the commitment to participate in this important discussion around the region's economic asset of renewable energy," said Sherry Ristau, president of Southwest Minnesota Foundation in Hutchinson. "Sixty-five percent of our participants were private sector businesspeople who will be instrumental in intensifying our effectiveness as a region to capitalize on the opportunities that renewable energy presents for economic advancement in our area."

Following a full day of presentations and education, on the second day summit attendees participated in work sessions to explore business opportunities based on current policies, technologies and infrastructure and to discuss how to strengthen the regional platform for growth through new policies, technologies and infrastructure. The event culminated with a keynote address by U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, who discussed rural collaboration, innovation and jobs related to Minnesota's renewable energy industry.

"Growing the renewable fuel industry is a winning situation for Minnesota," Coleman said. "It is a boon to our rural economy, creates jobs and is at the cutting edge of innovation. I applaud the private and public sector collaborations in taking a leading role in this emerging industry."

Ristau said information gathered at the summit will shape the foundation's future role in helping advance renewable energy as a regional economic development asset.

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