On Friday, October 6, Roanoke Cooperative will hold our 3rd Annual Clean Energy Expo, an exciting day dedicated to advancing clean energy solutions and beneficial electrification. The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ahoskie Creek Amphitheater, 125 Edgewood Drive, in Ahoskie, NC.
Highlights of the Expo include:
- Exhibitors will showcase their clean energy products and services
- Presentations and discussions about the benefits of clean energy and its impact on the environment
- Local vendors offering local wares, crafts, and goods
- Several door prizes to be given away
- Food trucks and refreshments
- Electric vehicle car show
Expo Schedule: Events begin at 11 a.m. and include program overviews, speakers, and prize giveaways. Lunch begins at 12 p.m. as well as exhibitor and vendor booths and displays. At 1 p.m., attendees can take electric vechicle test drives.
The event is free and open to the public. For those who want to check out the event online, we’ll livestream it starting at 10 a.m. on Roanoke Cooperative’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X54vX8419Y.
The Clean Energy Expo is an opportunity for Roanoke Cooperative to share updates and detail efforts to make a clean energy transition that reduces carbon-intensive power generation. Working with cooperatives across the state, we are implementing innovations to evolve the grid and enhance service to members while also pursuing a sustainability goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
“Our strategy, known as Electrify Roanoke, focuses on beneficial electrification,” said CEO Marshall Cherry. “This concept encompasses both environmental concerns and lower energy costs. Electricity should be the expansive fuel source for residential, agricultural, commercial, and industrial technologies, thereby increasing load growth while simultaneously working with policymakers to ensure the capacity is available to maintain a reliable electrical grid.”
The Expo also serves as a platform for the co-op to share its clean energy vision for the future. Join Roanoke Cooperative and special guests and vendors to discover the latest, most innovative clean energy products, services, and technologies in the electric cooperative industry. Clean energy initiatives by Roanoke Cooperative include:
- Upgrade 2 Save program – This program is based on decarbonizing buildings by converting heating fuel sources to electricity. By enrolling more member-owners into our program, we continue to retrofit buildings for energy efficiency, thereby reducing energy waste. Each new residential heat pump added to our system increases the need for our services while reducing the additional cost to serve them since the units are more energy efficient.
- Home Charging Electric Vehicle program – We install home chargers for enrolled members and offer rate incentives. We also are actively working with funders to secure additional rebates for electric vehicle purchases.
Our collaboration with Tesla has shown tremendous promise. Tesla is now one of the cooperative’s largest accounts, given the number of Tesla vehicles that travel Interstate 95 and charge on our system. We will have fast chargers that charge a car in less than an hour. They will be strategically placed at locations where EV drivers can charge, take a break, and experience our community until the charge is complete. Our most recent installation includes the first-ever fast charger in Gates County. - Electric School Bus program – We have worked closely with our school systems to garner grant support in order to add electric school buses to their fleets. We are excited to report that Bertie County County Schools and Halifax County Schools will receive funding from federal programs, and will experience electric mobility within their school bus fleets.
- Agricultural Innovation program – We are working closely with Raleigh-based North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation’s (NCEMC) Innovation and Business Development division on several commercial and agricultural opportunities that align with our goals. By seizing these opportunities, we will not only enhance our load factor but also contribute to the prosperity of our local businesses and agricultural communities.
For more information about vendors and exhibits, contact Basil Williams at bwilliams@roanonokecooperative.com or 252.518.2751.
For press and media information, contact Angela Perez at aperez@roanokecooperative.com or 919.614.0945
About Roaonoke Cooperative
RC serves over 13,500 member-owners in Bertie, Chowan, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampton, and Perquimans counties. This Expo demonstrates RC’s mission and vision:
Our mission is to pursue innovation relentlessly and offer the industry’s finest, most reliable, and most cost-efficient services. The co-op will serve member-owners tirelessly and enhance their lives and communities. The supporting vision is that the co-op will commit to being one of our member-owners’ most trusted service providers and most admired by its peers.
Our work advances local economic prosperity, demonstrates community spirit, and promotes a path to resilience in rural northeastern N.C. This cooperative exists to marshal collective action and provide services and programs that help solve local problems — together, we are progressing toward shared prosperity. We believe RC can be a leader in navigating this moment of change in a post-pandemic world where we need to be connected more than ever before. By taking decisive actions to create innovative services (such as promoting clean energy and businesses in our region) and seeking partnerships to drive change, we are a strong and vibrant service provider committed to our member-owners — Today, Tomorrow, Together!
Roanoke Cooperative logos:
RC logo with tagline_RGB_Vertical (.png file)
RC logo with tagline_RGB_Horizontal (.png file)
Roanoke Cooperative uses Azo Sans type for the logo header and Teimer for the subheader/tagline.
Roanoke Cooperative’s social media sites include:
Instagram: @roanoke_cooperative
Facebook: @roanoke_cooperative
Twitter: @Roanoke_C
LinkedIn: @Roanoke Cooperative