South Dakota

The bike cooperative was established in 2009 in the small town of Spearfish, South Dakota—directly east of one of the largest coal and natural gas producing regions in the country. In a town that is only 6.1 square miles and powered almost entirely by coal, the bike cooperative is a community hub for its 8,000 residents centered on the sport of bicycling as a clean energy solution in small town, coal-dependant America. The cooperative encourages bicycles as an effective and clean mode of transport, while at the same time serves as an educational community resource for alternative energy for low-income residents in the area. The cooperative also hosts a 600-watt demonstration solar system to power the facility.