Co-op Energy Talk

S3E6 - Cooperative Governance with Adam Schwartz

The cooperative movement has been changing the way we do electrification in the US since the 1920s. Cooperatives are member-owned and member-governed; our governance model is vital to our health and success. In this podcast, we sit down with Adam Schwartz, Founder and Principal of The Cooperative Way. Listen in as we talk about how co-ops can increase member engagement and help strengthen our communities.

S3E5 - Local Experts Talk Solar

Is Northern Michigan poised to see a boom in solar energy? We sat down with several local experts to find out their opinions. Listen in as Crystal Mountain's Jim MacInnes, Groundwork's Dan Worth, and Wolverine Power Cooperative's Zach Anderson discuss and debate the future of solar energy in our region.

S3E4 - Valerie Brader on Michigan's Energy Future

In the last few years, the state of Michigan dealt with an energy crisis in the U.P., public concern over pipelines spanning the straits of Mackinac, the looming shut down of a significant portion of the state’s baseload energy capacity, and a complete revision of the state’s energy policy. In this podcast, we sit down with Valerie Brader, the Executive Director for the Michigan Agency for Energy, to discuss the challenges and opportunities Michigan faces as we continue to modernize our energy portfolio.

S3E3 - Energy Policy Under Trump Part 2

Many of the decisions and changes being made to U.S. energy policy will have implications for our energy supply here in Michigan. In the second part of this series, we sit down with Craig Borr, CEO of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association to find out how Trump's policies might impact electric cooperative members in Michigan.

S3E2 - Energy Policy Under Trump Part 1

President Trump has vowed to shake things up in Washington, D.C. The nation's energy policy, regulations, and future infrastructure are all areas that might see significant change. In part one of this series, we sit down with Kirk Johnson, the Senior Vice-President of Government Relations at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to find out what the future of energy might look like under Trump's administration.

S3E1 - Meet David Schweitzer

In this month's episode, we sit down with the newest member of Cherryland's Board of Directors, Dave Schweitzer. Listen in as he discusses why he wanted to serve on the board and what he hopes to accomplish in doing so.

S2E11 - Remembering Rick

In this episode we remember our friend, colleague, and former Cherryland board member and Wolverine Power Cooperative Chairman, Rick Deneweth. Tune in as we discuss his legacy with the co-ops and how both organizations plan to move forward with filling their board vacancies.

S2E10 - What Goes Into Maintaining The Grid?

For most of us, the electric grid is a bit of an enigma. We know we need it. We know it's complex. But, we don't really understand what makes it work. Here at Cherryland, that's why we rely on Engineering and Operations Manager, Frank Siepker to keep everything working. In this episode we sit down with Frank to discuss what goes into maintaining our grid and how technology is changing and improving the grid.

S2E9 - Local Businesses on Energy

When it comes to energy, businesses are thinking about more than just how it impacts the bottom line. From investing in energy efficiency to concerns about long term reliability, in this episode we sit down with representatives from the business community to discuss all things energy. Listen in and find out what they see for the future of energy. Featuring: Kent Wood, Traverse City Chamber; Michael Lahti, Black Star Farms; Rick Deneweth, ThreeWest and Copper Ridge.

S2E8 - Meet the New NRECA CEO

In June, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) welcomed a new CEO, Jim Matheson. He's only been on the job for a few weeks, but Jim took time out of his busy schedule to record a quick podcast with us. Listen in as we learn more about Jim and his vision for the future of America's electric cooperatives.