Headlines from media outlets describe solar array successes

The headlines are everywhere. Yet one is no less important than the next — each tells a story of sustainability, maximization, and resourcefulness. MLCV’s solar array is no different, but the ingrained why behind the project is an extraordinary separator from most.

MLCV’s solar array, situated on our gaming subsidiary, Grand Casino Hinckley’s property, thrives near the powwow arena. The vast land broke ground for the 3-megawatt solar panel system in the fall of 2021, and completion commenced with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the summer of 2022.

The array operation is a team effort with the support of our partnerships. MLCV leases the land to Next Era Energy Resources for 30 years at no charge. They then sell the energy produced to East Central Energy, with whom we purchase it.

The outcome shares advantages with each nurtured partner, and the positive imprint continues to cascade.

A Purpose Beyond Energy

The effects — seen and unseen — have continued to develop within the last year.

The amount of energy created by the Hinckley solar array is enough to save nearly $3 million over its lifetime, with a reduction in energy bills at Grand Casino Hinckley. If solar power worked like a magnet directly charging what it touched, it would develop enough energy to power approximately half of the casino.

Producing energy through the sun generates a butterfly effect that benefits the environment. Reducing carbon dioxide output (activated through traditional power generation methods) minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, diminishes climate change, and reduces water use.

To date, the array has generated 4.8 gigawatt-hours of energy, with impacts equivalent to planting 84,948 trees or saving 2.4 million gallons of water. With each passing minute, the numbers will only grow upward.

The significance of the array goes beyond creating energy and helping the environment. It hits individuals across the region in many ways, some of which we may never witness. For example, the money saved on energy bills is additional funds used to give back to the Mille Lacs Band Community. And there’s hope, too, that the arrays will increase employee acquisition and retention.

Ultimately, the location of the panels holds the symbolism that defines the why. The powwow grounds are a sacred landing place where spanning generations come together to acknowledge and celebrate the traditions of our ancestors. There is no better place to introduce our starting point within solar sustainability, meant to protect, secure, and enhance those same generations.

This imagery is a perfect example of who MLCV is — an organization that looks toward the future but only with its sights on the past.

The Future of Sustainability at MLCV

The direction toward a solar carport was first considered when looking at opportunities to embark on the sustainability journey. At the time, development costs limited the efforts, motivating a different plan under the guidance of World Connect Energy Services. With continuously thinking of ways to take a step onward to deepen our impact, the thought of implementing solar carports has never escaped.

And today, that step onward is possible. In 2022, the federal government passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides tax incentives and credits for solar developers, particularly in low-income or Tribal land. The immediate near 40% reduction in costs opens the pathway to options never thought possible.

MLCV took this as an even brighter sign to broaden our solar projects, thus, broadening those lasting effects. Plans are underway to add solar panels to our subsidiary, Grindstone Laundry, workforce housing units, the MLCV HQ Corporate Building, and any additional new or recent infrastructure. And, of course, re-examine that solar carport odyssey — this time, to reach our other gaming subsidiary, Grand Casino Mille Lacs, with a 1.2-megawatt system.

The Hinckley Solar array is complete. But over the next 30 years, the community will continue to feel its impact. The next time you see one of those headlines come across your desk or flash on the news, we encourage you to think beyond the power it generates. Yes, minimizing our footprint is a remarkable perk, but the people we can touch, that’s the why.

This article was written by Hannah Torkelson, MLCV’s Brand Communication Specialist. Hannah is a storyteller and is responsible for capturing great moments within MLCV’s portfolio.

Photography by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Digital Media Specialist.