Crookston exploring solar power options

CROOKSTON, Minn. — The city of Crookston and Otter Tail Power Company are in the infant stages of a solar power project, trying to find the right spot to place solar panels.

Mayor Dale Stainbrook said the city has been trying to look into green energy options for some time.

“We even explored, two years back, a hybrid solar-wind,” he said.

Otter Tail has been looking to put 20 to 50 acres of solar panels in Crookston. Though the company would like 50 acres, 20 would work, Stainbrook said. He spoke about his conversation with Otter Tail during the March 3 City Council meeting .

The city and company are considering the industrial park near the Ag Innovation Campus. However, the railroad spur — a secondary track that connects to a main track — is nearby, and Stainbrook wonders if that would interfere with the project.

There will be no cost to the city for the project, he said, adding it would be a win-win for Crookston. The land lease with Otter Tail is for about 20 years, and the company would generate the power that goes to a substation.

Stainbrook doesn’t yet have many specifics about how the power would be used — “it’s Otter Tail’s baby,” he said — but he did say the project could be used for economic development in Crookston, and will be a good fit if the city can make it work.

“We’ve got a lot of irons in the fire and a lot of seeds planted,” he said. “We’re just kind of hoping something sprouts. We just keep grinding away.”

Otto is the region reporter for the Grand Forks Herald.