The Lignite Energy Council is hosting more than 100 teachers to its annual Lignite Education Seminar on June 10-13 at the National Energy Center of Excellence at Bismarck State College. On Thursday, June 13, the state’s first all-electric school bus will be available to view starting at 11 a.m. in the NECE’s parking lot. Luke Hellier with the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future will be on hand to answer any questions.

On June 17, the bus will also be part of an electric vehicle display at a Tailgate Party hosted by Capital Electric Cooperative on the state Capitol grounds, 608 East Boulevard Avenue. The tailgate event starts at 4 p.m.

The Lignite Energy Council has been hosting the annual Lignite Education Seminar for the past 34 years. Teachers receive two professional level credits for attending the seminar and completing assignments. The credits are awarded by Minot State University, University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University.

As part of the seminar, teachers tour active surface mines and lignite-based power plants to see first-hand how electricity is generated. The state’s lignite industry supplies affordable and clean electricity to more than 2 million customers in a four-state region. Part of this year’s seminar focuses on emerging markets for the lignite industry, which include electric vehicles.

The electric school bus was unveiled in the West Fargo School District on June 3. The partners in the bus include the West Fargo Public Schools, Minnkota Power Cooperative, Cass County Electric Cooperative, the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future and the State Of North Dakota. 

The bus was manufactured by Blue Bird in Georgia and is the first American-made school bus in the Midwest. It has a range of 120 miles when fully charged. The cost is 9 cents per mile, which compares to 44 cents per mile for a typical diesel-fueled bus.