Windustry’s New Initiative

We’re very excited about something new at Windustry. We’re building new relationships and new foundations for a more diverse and equitable renewable energy industry and sustainable energy economy.

There is no question, 2020 was a year that was tough, tragic and seemed to have never ending twists and turns for us all to navigate. As most of you know, Windustry was not able to do its annual outreach and educational extravaganza Wind Energy Center at the Minnesota State Fair because the whole Fair was cancelled.

Our Work in 2020 Going Forward

Windustry was busy working for the whole year on a new initiative to grow a more just and equitable renewable energy industry. Windustry partnered with Robert Blake, member of Red Lake Tribal Nation, and helped to launch a new native-led nonprofit call Native Sun Community Power Development.

The Project - The Legacy

We are working with Native Sun and Red Lake Tribal community. They are not only building an amazing solar and storage project in the community but the community is poised to see tremendous community economic development resulting from it. It is essential that they leverage the solar, being built now, with
K-12 STEM education and workforce training program work to bring along the whole community for long-term benefits and build the region’s clean energy future.  The rooftop systems’ impact will be much larger with community engagement, emphasizing the role of local ownership and all that it brings towards a just energy transition:

• Sustainable Energy
• Economic Development
• Education and Training
• Preserving Native Sovereignty
• A Route Out of Poverty
• A National Model.

Stay connected with Windustry to help us advance this energy equity initiative.

Windustry thanks the following companies that made sponsoring donations to support Windustry’s new initiative.

Thank you to our Sponsors who make this work possible!

The #StickWindHere video features wind turbines from across the United States. It includes many types of community wind projects, from small turbines to commercial wind farms.

Both links redirect to our Wind Library website.

Check out the gallery of turbines here.

Browse a map of the turbine locations here.

The Wind Energy Center is an interactive, museum-quality display within the Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair, in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Developed and presented by Windustry and partners, it teaches hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans each year about our great wind resource and how wind energy can provide both environmental and economic benefits to Minnesotans. 2021 will be the 15th year of the Wind Energy Center, inspiring visitors to actively support and participate in small, midsize, and large wind energy development in Minnesota.

If you'd like to volunteer at the Wind Energy Center at the 2021 MN State Fair, please fill out the volunteer form.

If you want to know more about Partnering with Windustry for the Wind Energy Center at the 2021 MN State Fair, please download our Partner Opportunites PDF and contact Lisa Daniels: lisa (at) windustry.org.

Click here to see photos from the 2020 State Fair

Click here to see photos from the 2019 State Fair

Click here to see photos from the 2018 State Fair

Click here to see photos from the 2017 State Fair 

Click here to see photos from past State Fairs on Facebook

Windustry thanks our 2019 Minnesota State Fair Partners!

Presenting Partners:

Spotlight Partners:

Sustaining Partners: 

Allied Partners:

The Wind Energy Center is also made possible with exhibit assistance from:

Helpful Websites

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency: http://www.dsireusa.org/

National Renewable Energy Lab: https://www.nrel.gov/

US Department of Energy: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: https://energy.gov/eere/office-energy-efficiency-renewable-energy 

US Energy Information Administration: https://www.eia.gov/