Ideas For Innovation
Join the Co-op Innovation Network for a webinar series highlighting how rural electric cooperatives are building resilient, efficient, and equitable energy systems through innovative energy solutions.
Upcoming webinars:
Beyond the storm: How Co-ops are preparing for and responding to emergencies
july 22nd at 4pm CT
From wildfires to hurricanes to snowstorms, rural electric cooperatives are experiencing storms and natural disasters that test the limits of their local electric grids. Co-ops across the nation are rolling out innovative solutions to prepare for and mitigate the effects of emergencies caused by bad weather. Join Beyond the Storm to hear from co-ops in different states and learn how they’ve utilized technology and organizational planning tools to weather whatever storms may come their way.
Past webinar Replays:
Building Broadband: How Co-ops are Navigating the Future of Connectivity
June 10th, 2026
This session explored how cooperatives across the country are bridging the gap in connectivity for their rural communities by offering broadband services. Speakers from East Central Energy, La Plata Electric Association, Delta Montrose Electric Association, and Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services discussed their cooperative’s broadband implementation process and how this has impacted their members.
Electrifying Rural America: How Co-ops are Supporting Energy Use and Electrification for Farms.
April 30th, 2026
Representatives from the Beneficial Electrification League, American Farmland Trust, and Wy’East Resource Conservation and Development discussed beneficial electrification and other innovative solutions to meet the energy demand of rural communities, particularly farms. They shared the broad impacts of beneficial electrification as well as tangible examples being implemented in rural communities.
Farming in a New Light: How Co-ops Can Harvest Sunshine with Agrivoltaics.
March 25th, 2026
Representatives from Delta-Montrose Electric Association, Silicon Ranch, US Solar, and Jack’s Solar Garden discussed how agrivoltaics projects have benefitted rural electric cooperatives across the country. They shared the many benefits of different types of agrivoltaics and how implementation saves money for co-op members.
Driving Innovation: How Co-ops Are Encouraging Adoption of Electric Vehicles.
February 5th, 2026
This webinar explores how co-ops are encouraging their members to drive EVs by offering rebates, creating consumer friendly time of use rates for EV charging, and more. Panelists share programs and insight from Surry-Yadkin Membership Corporation (SYEMC), Gunnison County, Electric Association (GCEA), and Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC).
Financing the Future: how co-ops are expanding access through on-bill financing.
November 19th, 2025
This webinar explores how different rural electric cooperatives across the nation are deploying on-bill financing or on-bill repayment programs to reduce electricity prices and improve energy efficiency for their members. Panelists from Midwest Energy and the Collective Clean Energy Fund discuss the opportunities of on-bill financing as well as lessons learned from implementing these programs in their community.
Power in Reserve: how co-ops are making storage work
October 20th, 2025
This webinar explores how rural electric cooperatives are deploying battery storage at various scales to increase reliability and decrease member prices. Feature speakers are from Vermont Electric Cooperative, La Plata Electric Cooperative, and Connexus Energy.
The Orchestrated Grid: How co-ops are managing the surge in renewables
September 9th, 2025
This webinar explores how rural electric cooperatives are deploying grid orchestration tools—such as software, sensor networks, and pricing signals —to manage increasing loads of renewables while improving reliability. Panelists share insight into how real-time grid data and coordination platforms allow co-ops to unlock capacity and integrate variable generation sources while maintaining reliable and affordable systems.