The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Legislative Conference took place in Washington, D.C., the first week in April and Colorado co-ops attended to meet with legislators. The annual conference gives rural electric cooperative leaders the opportunity to discuss co-op priorities and legislation that directly affects co-ops and rural America. This year, one of the topics was broadband for rural America.

Work on the House Farm Bill and expanding funding for rural broadband was discussed by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who was the keynote speaker at the NRECA conference. “Rural broadband is not just a luxury — it’s essential,” Perdue told more than 2,000 electric cooperative leaders attending the conference in Washington on April 9. “I don’t believe that America would ever reach the productivity we have today across our nation without abundant flow of electricity everywhere,” said Perdue. “In the same way, we cannot make America great again without high speed e-connectivity available to every American.”

Broadband access will improve rural education, medical care, communication and business, including farming, he continued. Perdue described how smart technology can drive precision fertilization and seeding at large farms. “You can’t do that without broadband e-connectivity,” he said.

Perdue said that the USDA is working now to distribute $600 million in rural broadband grants and loans, which has the potential to directly impact rural parts of Colorado. Several Colorado co-ops are currently innovation leaders in expanding high-speed internet into underserved parts of rural Colorado.

Nucla-based San Miguel Power Association, CoBank and power supplier Basin Electric awarded the Apple Core Project with a “Sharing Success” grant. The grant from these three cooperative sources will assist in the installation of a demonstration orchard at the Pinion Farm Homestead in Nucla.

The Sharing Success grant seeks funding opportunities that will stimulate and enhance the local economies by job creation in the area, creating and improving local commerce, offering sustainability progress and building collaboration.

The funds from this particular Sharing Success grant will aid in planting hand-grafted apple trees in the demonstration orchard. According to the Apple Core Project’s website, “Each tree planted [in the demonstration orchard] will become part of a new generation genetic bank from which [the Apple Core Project] will collect the scion for grafting additional trees to plant.”

The Apple Core Project aims to identify and map fruit tree varieties on the Western Slope; to discover the stories of the people who planted and cared for these trees; to propagate local and rare fruit genetics by grafting and planting new trees in the area; and to revive the fruit growing economy on the Western Slope.

The Sharing Success grant is just one way that SMPA uses resources in an innovative way to help members support the local community. Visit applecoreproject.org for more information about the demonstration orchard and for interesting historical facts about the fruit industry on the Western Slope. Visit smpa.com to learn more about how the electric co-op supports their community.

Nationwide, electric cooperatives install automated metering systems, energy efficiency and demand response programs, and grid monitoring systems that all require real-time communication in order to provide members the safe reliable electricity they are accustomed to receiving 24 hours a day. As technology advances in the electric industry, cooperatives are requiring more sophisticated telecommunications technology.

A such, electric cooperatives — as well as their members — need access to fast and reliable high-speed internet service for system management, work, video conferencing, entertainment and to stay relevant and connected to the world. Studies still show that rural Americans are less connected than their urban counterparts due to limited or no access to high-speed internet.

In a recent survey to members of Granby-based Mountain Parks Electric, Inc., the electric co-op reports that members agree that low-cost, high-speed internet is “very important to the future of the local economy.” In response to survey results, the MPE Board of Directors has weighed two business cases for becoming a retail internet service provider, which prompted two feasibility studies.

Both studies proved that there would need significant capital investment. One study estimated a cost of $95 million for MPE to form, construct and operate a “last-mile” (retail) internet service. The area’s rugged terrain, and its sparse population are the biggest factors in this cost estimate.

When the electric co-op formed in 1946, nearly 100 percent of households in the territory signed up for electric service. In contrast, the internet feasibility study revealed that only about 45 percent of current electric co-op members would sign up for retail internet service through MPE.

With those lower numbers is the potential for members to see an increase in electricity rates if MPE were to move forward with the retail internet project. The MPE board is not eager to impose such rate increases on co-op members.

However, the board of directors is still convinced that high speed internet is a need in the community it serves. As such, at the February meeting the board adopted a motion to improve internet access in a more cost-effective manner. Instead of building an expensive retail service, the board moved to construct a “middle-mile system.”

A middle mile system is the backbone of a high-speed internet network. Once constructed it will allow for immediate electric utility operational improvements. An MMS backbone investment will not significantly impact MPE’s electric rates to members. MPE also reports that the backbone will position the co-op to implement technologies that may help manage future wholesale power costs, benefiting all members.

Look for future Innovations in Energy Newsletters from CREA for updates on this forward-thinking project from a Colorado cooperative.

Since January 2018, Colorado electric co-op, Empire Electric Association, has presented over $15,700 in rebates to 10 local businesses that built, updated or retrofitted their spaces with LED lighting.

A new cider brewing company in Mancos outfitted its tasting room lighting with LED pucks for a pleasant and inviting look and feel. It also installed bright LEDs in the brew room’s high ceilings for an efficient and well-lit workspace.

LED horticulture lights are now installed at The Herbal Alternative, which save on energy and are passively cooled. Less heat is generated by LEDs compared to the old lighting, helping to maintain the correct temperature for the plants.

In another retrofit, 6500 Kelvin lighting brought new sparkle to an antique store in Cortez, updating the space with bright white lights.

Steve Keetch Motors retrofitted existing showroom fixtures with LEDs, as well as placing them in the service garage, offices, waiting room and restrooms. These efficient bulbs make lighting spaces more efficient and cost-effective.

Denise Moore, EEA’s communications specialist takes photos of the rebate check presentations to share on social media and says that the co-op “Has enjoyed featuring business in our area that take advantage of our rebate program.” This thriving program is just one way that the Cortez-based co-op helps commercial members save money and develop more efficient spaces.