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As part of an ongoing discussion about electric vehicles with its member distribution cooperatives, Tri-State Generation and Transmission created the EV Experience, an innovative electric vehicle allowing co-op consumer-members to try out EVs.

Access to electric vehicles can be limited in the rural areas that Colorado’s distribution cooperatives serve; consumer-members can’t easily go to an EV dealership for a test drive. Tri-State found this was preventing consumer-members from engaging with EVs, so the power supplier decided to provide the experience through five EVs that can be loaned to Tri-State member cooperatives.

These co-ops can take one of two Tesla Model 3 EVs, a Tesla Model Y, a Chevy Bolt or an electric Pacifica Minivan for a month at a time. During that time, the co-op is encouraged to allow consumer-members and co-op staff to ride and drive the EVs, providing a first-time EV experience for many.

The program began in May, and has been “wildly successful,” according to Tri-State Beneficial Electrification Manager Matt Fitzgibbon. In the first month, 30-40 drivers got behind the wheel of an EV. Seven Colorado electric co-ops have participated so far. One co-op even had 17% of its membership participate in the EV Experience. Matt says there has been overwhelmingly positive feedback, such as, “I was interested in getting an EV, but I’m going to do it sooner” and “I though these things would be boring and not fun to drive, but I’m blown away.”

This fall, Holyoke-based Highline Electric Association took Tri-State’s Chevy Bolt and had 41 unique drivers during the month.

Highline’s Member Services Manager Tadius Huser said, “It’s an awesome program; it was good education for people.” Huser said that people were surprised at the minimal amount of maintenance EVs require. Though drivers were concerned about range, especially since it’s an “infrastructure desert” in northeastern Colorado, “Tri-State is doing good work to change that,” Huser said. Highline will install a dual-head Level 2 public EV charger at its headquarters by the end of the year with funds from a Charge Ahead grant from the Colorado Energy Office and funds from Tri-State. It is also exploring installing a DC fast charger someplace in its service territory.

“The primary goal [of the EV Experience] is to get people behind the wheel. This provides boots on the ground feedback to promote EVs and EV charging infrastructure,” Fitzgibbon said. A long-term goal is to bring EVs to member co-op annual meetings to “spark the conversation and have a well-rounded discussion about beneficial electrification.”

Tri-State has thought of everything during these unique times. Keeping safety and hygiene at the forefront, each EV Experience event has a car-specific sanitizing kit and all the materials needed to clean the EVs between drivers.

Highline’s EV Experience was well-received by its consumer-members and the co-op is gearing up to take Tri-State’s Tesla Model Y in January. The co-op is expecting even more member engagement with the all-wheel drive Tesla SUV.

Growing crops indoors is the focus of an innovative collaboration between electric power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the national Electric Power Research Institute and Moffat County School District in Craig. The program offers students and faculty an opportunity to grow various crops indoors and year-round with EPRI’s “Farm in a Box.”

This cutting-edge indoor agriculture facility will be installed by Tri-State at Moffat County High School in northwestern Colorado. The facility is housed in a 40-foot long shipping container and is temperature-controlled, has efficient lighting and plumbing infrastructure to support the production of crops.

The Farm in a Box will offer educational opportunities for Moffat County High School students and research data for EPRI. EPRI staff will monitor the container for the first two years to evaluate different metrics, such as nutrient quality of the produce, community impacts, sustainability performance and electricity load profiles.

Fort Collins-based Poudre Valley REA is working with the community of Red Feather Lakes to create a microgrid. The small community in northern Colorado gets its electricity delivered by a single transmission line, which is vulnerable to wildfires such as the Cameron Peak Fire currently threatening the area. It is also vulnerable to high winds, winter storms and car accidents — all of which can take out the power line and cause extended outages.

A community-driven microgrid project was initiated when the Red Feather Lakes library was awarded a grant to pursue solar panels. PVREA will control and own the microgrid, which will be installed at the local fire station. It features a 140-kilowatt/448-kilowatt-hour battery with 3.2 hours of storage. And the library, across from the fire station will have a 20-kilowatt solar array.

This innovative partnership between the community and the co-op is sure to be a model for future microgrid projects both in Colorado and nationwide.

In its continual effort to “Green the Grid,” Gunnison County Electric Association announced a second community solar garden, located on the roof at the co-op’s headquarters in Gunnison.

The electric co-op will lease solar panels on a month-to-month basis or consumer-members can participate in a 20-year lease agreement. There are already 195 panels leased, with the maximum shares being 5 panels per meter.

Though not in production yet, the array will be able to produce 100.8 kW. The system is entirely constructed and ready to operate, but according to GCEA Strategy Execution Specialist Matt Feier, it is awaiting approval from Tri-State and FERC before it can begin regular operation.

This innovative approach to community solar is well-received by the communities GCEA serves.

“Once members understand the community solar garden concept, it tends to be a no-brainer,” Feier says. “So much so that we are already looking for locations for our next community solar project.”