Transitioning Montana to a future of renewable energy will be the final topic of Climate Smart Glacier Country’s community climate conversations.

The forum, “Envisioning Montana’s Clean Energy Economy,” will be held at the Cedar Creek Lodge Conference Center on Thursday, Nov. 16 in Columbia Falls from 7 to 9 p.m. The forum, hosted by Xanterra at Cedar Creek Lodge, will highlight six Flathead businesses that play a role in the emerging clean energy economy of the Flathead.

“The Flathead is at the cutting edge of energy innovation,” said Matt Folz, Director of Sustainability for Xanterra and chairman of the Climate Smart Green Business Working Group. “Thanks in large part to Flathead Electric Cooperative’s willingness to invest in local power generation, we have great things happening with community solar, micro-hydro, biomass cogeneration, energy efficiency, and the landfill gas plant.”

Forum panelists include: Jacqueline Sussman, University of Montana Research Fellow; David Bopp, Flathead Electric Cooperative; Paul Siblerud, ViZn Energy; Paul McKenzie, F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber — Biomass Cogeneration; Diane Yarus, Airworks Heating and Cooling Solutions; Andrew Valainis, Montana Renewable Energy Association; Jeff Arcel, Aeon Renewable Energy; and Barbara Calm, Calm Veterinary Clinic, which installed rooftop solar for business in 2008.

The Nov. 16 energy forum is the fourth and final part of a series of events sponsored this fall by Climate Smart Glacier Country. Climate Smart is a nonprofit partnership formed by local businesses and organizations, local communities and Glacier National Park to develop local solutions to the challenges of climate change.

The 2017 educational series focuses on local solutions and has examined the implications of a warming climate for Flathead farming, forestry, water resources, snow recreation, hunting and fishing.

“To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we need clean, renewable power,” Climate Smart Chairman Steve Thompson said. “That transition is happening in the Flathead.”

For more information, visit www.climatesmartgrlaciercountry.org.