In the News

Great River Energy supports shovel-ready sites large enough for EV charging depots. The Minnesota sites identified in our member-owner service areas are ready for development with the infrastructure already in place. We can provide dedicated renewable energy or a combination of renewable and traditional sources to serve these sites, an...Continue Reading

Medium duty EV charging locations are being developed throughout the country. Great River Energy supports shovel-ready sites in Minnesota that can be used for heavy and medium duty EV charging for electric fleet vehicles. Our available sites often come with financial incentives and project financing is also available.  Medium Duty E...Continue Reading

Since 2013, the rise of e-commerce has caused such an enormous boom in industrial real estate that it has become the preferred asset class of many commercial real estate investors. At the heart of the e-commerce revolution has been Amazon. Even before the pandemic, the firm had around 192 millio...Continue Reading

The Office of Advocacy has released the Minnesota 2022 Small Business Profile. Click here to view the original article from the SBA.Continue Reading

Bremer Bank has been awarded the 2022 SBA Minnesota Lender award for banks with assets of more than $1 billion from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Minnesota District Office. The award, which is based on SBA 7(a) loan volume between July 1, 2021, and June 30 of this year, will b...Continue Reading

The race is on to lead the auto industry’s electric vehicle (EV) transformation. Today, Tesla holds a sizable lead in production capability, technology, and market share, but legacy manufacturers like Ford, Volkswagen, and General Motors are gaining ground with aggressive efforts to prepare for mass production of new EV models. Accordin...Continue Reading

Class 6 vehicle charging makes it easier to charge a large fleet of trucks quickly. It requires substantial and reliable energy sources, something Great River Energy has in abundance. Our energy comes from diversified sources, meaning it is dependable and consistent. Plus, our shovel-ready sites support Class 6 vehicle chargin...Continue Reading

Life sciences has become much more than a niche sector on the outskirts of commercial real estate — and, like other accelerating sectors in real estate, it is experiencing growing pains. Demand for space is being driven by promising new technologies and medical advancements moving from research to everyday miracles...Continue Reading

It’s no secret companies are finding it more difficult to locate big-box distribution centers at desired strategic areas and sites. Elongated planning and zoning permitting review timelines, political pressure from elected officials and citizens criticizing the quality of jobs and increased traffic, and restrictive ordinances and technical standards targeting distributio...Continue Reading

Lack of summer rain forced Nebraska farmer Kevin Fulton to go underground to find water for his crops. Not a perfect solution: the Ogallala Aquifer, where Fulton tapped in, has pumping restrictions in some areas, just not where Fulton is located. That’s because the aquifer is running dry. As drought extend...Continue Reading

Allina Health is pleased to announce that it has chosen a site for the new Cambridge Medical Center. After months of research and planning, the site selected for Cambridge Medical Center’s new facilities will be located between Highway 65 and Xylite Street Northeast, just north of Highway 95. “From the star...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2022 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that the Department is accepting applications for funding to help create jobs and economic growth in rural communities. USDA is making loans and grants available under the Rural Economic Developmen...Continue Reading

Heavy duty EV charging locations are necessary for large-scale fleet electrification. Great River Energy has identified shovel-ready sites in Minnesota that are ideal for heavy duty charging and can be served by the organization’s low-cost and renewable energy solutions.  Heavy Duty EV Charging Locations for Distribution Companies Distribution companies such as Amazo...Continue Reading

“It would have been easier just to bypass all this,” was one participant's observation while attending MnDOT’s informal meet and greet on Thursday, Aug. 25. It was one of many observations concerning the four-lane expansion of 6 miles of Hwy 10 on either side of Wadena. But it was one tha...Continue Reading

Just three days after suing the Biden Administration to reclaim its mineral leases, Twin Metals was focused on the future Thursday. A large group of business leaders, citizens and elected officials gathered at their Ely headquarters to tour the facilities and bring “Mining and the Clean Energy Transition’’ to the forefront. A...Continue Reading

The number of small businesses owned by Minnesotans of color is growing — and not by chance. Honest conversations about inequities, including bank lending and job opportunities, occurred after the police killing of George Floyd and the riots that followed. They prompted entities from governments and banks to companies and nonprofit...Continue Reading

Great River Energy offers hands-on project support for companies with EV fleet charging needs. Our engineering and design assistance program (EDA) is available for companies looking to start new construction or complete a major site renovation on 5,000 square feet or larger. The benefits of using our EDA program i...Continue Reading

Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) hired Fox Advancement, a professional grant writing firm, to write grant applications for funding to develop The Forge, a 16,500-square-foot entrepreneur innovation center. Fox successfully secured over $1 million in grants from various sources: $750,000 – United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Innovation Stronger Econom...Continue Reading

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts take more of a front seat in economic development strategy and growth. We see communities benefit from these efforts, and funders start to expect them when reviewing future plans. Convergent Nonprofit Solutions has managed capital campaigns for EDOs and Chambers of different sizes an...Continue Reading

Business owners in the cowarehousing space across the U.S. are seeing opportunity, not unlike the early days of coworking in the office sector. Whether cowarehousing will take on the prominence that coworking has isn't certain, those who work within the industrial sector see it proliferating. Click here to view the origina...Continue Reading

Big improvements are almost ready to take off at the Alexandria Airport. At its Monday meeting, the Alexandria City Council approved a grant agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration to reconstruct runway 13-31 and replace the airfield’s electrical system. Runway 13-31 is the main runway at the airport. Click here to vie...Continue Reading

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced funding for five businesses through the Minnesota Job Creation Fund and the Minnesota Investment Fund. These projects are expected to leverage more than $30 million and create 321 jobs over the next three years. “In this tigh...Continue Reading

As a leader in renewable energy resources, Minnesota could have an outsized impact from the climate change-fighting provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden on Tuesday, would offer nearly $370 billion in incentives to consumers, utilities and corporations to curb planet-warming emissions. Click her...Continue Reading

The Area Partnership for Economic Expansion recently appointed Rachel Johnson as its new president and CEO. The position was formerly held by Brian Hanson for 10 years. APEX is a business development engine with a mission to leverage private sector resources to drive investment throughout the region. In her new role...Continue Reading