The Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce will host a panel discussion from 10 a.m.to noon Feb. 17 at the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village. The event is entitled “Minnesota’s Clean Energy Revolution – What You Need to Know as a Business.”

Chamber President Randy Kehr said, “Minnesota is leading the way in transforming our energy infrastructure into a much more modern grid, incorporating cleaner technologies and taking advantage of Minnesota’s wind and sun, to complement our existing energy resources.”

Sandwiched between the borders of Minnesota and Iowa, the Albert Lea region is no stranger to the development of these new technologies, and their resulting economic and environmental impacts.

“For many businesses, these new projects can cause some anxiety due to energy costs and reliability, for other businesses, this is an opportunity to build a new industry, and for others, it is an opportunity to diversify their own energy sourcing and own their own generation” Kehr said.

The event is open to chamber members and community members alike. Panelists for the event include representatives from Albert Lea Seed, Invenergy, a wind energy company that has proposed a utility-scale project near Albert Lea, as well as representatives from Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services. Panelists will answer questions related to clean energy technologies, costs, and implementation.

If you have questions or are in need of more information, call the chamber at 507-373-3938.