70-year-old sporting goods store goes green by installing solar panels to power the store

Hi Tempo WaterSports and SnowSports is located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota and is owned by Brad and Debby Nelson. In the winter they’re a ski shop. In the summer they sell kayaks and sailboats. The products and services they provide enable outdoor enthusiasts to make the most of their adventures.

Protecting our great outdoors, Hi Tempo’s move to renewable energy

Solar power produces no harmful emissions or waste, that’s a win for the environment. Solar panels on the roof at Hi Tempo collect sunlight and it’s converted to electricity. That electricity is used to power the lights, equipment, computers and more needed to run the store.

Hi Tempo’s Solar Panel System Statistics

• 56 roof mounted solar panels
• Projected to supply 56% of electricity needed to power the store
• Over the next 25 years the system will help to avoid 410.3 metric tons of CO2

When asked what motivated Hi Tempo to make the move to solar, Brad Nelson said  “Debby and I bought Hi Tempo 44 years ago. Since our very first day our mission has been to serve our community, our customers and our staff. The move to solar is a move that supports all these stakeholders. The climate needs support, the technology is strong and financially it’s a good decision”.

“Hi Tempo, was founded 70 years ago in a garage on Bald Eagle Lake by Doody Nelson (no relation). Over our time at Hi Tempo, Debby and I gradually stopped thinking of ourselves as owners and started thinking of ourselves as caretakers. As such, our goal has been to do what we can to help this company see its 100 year anniversary. While Debby and I will be long gone, we think that the move to solar energy is one of the things that will help make that goal possible”.