The 13th annual Montana Clean Energy Fair, an event dedicated to promoting clean energy and sustainability across the region, is coming to Billings this weekend.
The nonprofit Montana Renewable Energy Association, which has advocated for clean power education for decades, is hosting the event on the Montana State University Billings campus from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.
“Solar is becoming increasingly popular for homes and businesses in Montana,” Makenna Sellers, the nonprofit’s executive director, said. “Based on publicly reported data, the number of grid-tied solar systems in Montana grew by almost 30% in 2023.”
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This file photo shows a garage with rooftop solar panels to generate electricity for a nearby house in Billings.
The association aims to help provide people with the tools and information they need to determine if moving to renewables is right for them, Sellers said.
The event will include workshops on clean energy topics, exhibits by local businesses and community groups, an electric vehicle car show and electric school bus and e-bike demonstrations. It will also feature activities for kids, including a bouncy castle obstacle course, ultraviolet beads and bracelets, solar-powered toy car assembly, coloring, drawing and face painting.
Yulia Misevich-Crofett, a volunteer with the Montana Renewable Energy Association, helps a boy use an oven powered by sunshine to bake a cookie during the 10th annual Montana Clean Energy Fair.
Billings Mayor Bill Cole is expected to speak during the event about the city’s recent LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The certification indicates a city uses best practices in the sustainable design and operation of its facilities. Cole is expected to explain the significant energy efficiency and cost-saving advancements that made the certification possible for Billings.
