"Catch the Sun" is an effort to educate and inform the next generation about solar energy.

Minneapolis, MN October 08, 2013

As the interest and demand for solar energy continues to increase at record levels, Minneapolis-based Mortenson Construction announces the release of its new children's book entitled Catch the Sun, designed to educate future generations about the importance of solar energy.

Catch the Sun is the second book in the Mortenson "Discover Renewables" series. The first book in the series, Catch the Wind, which was launched in 2008, was developed to teach readers about wind energy and the importance of making environmentally responsible choices. The book reached thousands of students in classrooms across North America.

Targeted to reading levels for ages 6-12 years, Catch the Sun will help readers understand:

*How solar energy works
*How solar power helps save energy
*Introduce students to careers in renewable energy

"Like our first book, we view Catch the Sun as a perfect vehicle for spreading a positive message, not only about clean energy, but about the opportunities afforded to society because of the renewable energy industry," said Tom Wacker, SVP of Mortenson Construction's Renewable Energy Groups. Both Catch the Wind and Catch the Sun are part of Mortenson's ongoing nonprofit outreach efforts. Profits will be donated to nonprofit entities promoting the development and use of renewable energies.

For more information, please visit http://www.mortenson.com.

About Mortenson Construction

Founded in 1954, Mortenson Construction is a U.S.-based, family-owned construction company. Ranked as the 25th largest contractor in America, according to Engineering News-Record, and the 13th largest power contractor, Mortenson provides a complete range of services, including planning, program management, preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, design-build, and turn-key development. Mortenson has offices in Chicago, Denver, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, and Seattle with international operations in Canada and China.

Since entering the renewable energy market in 1995, Mortenson Construction's Renewable Energy Groups has become a leading builder of wind and solar power facilities in North America. To date the company has been at the center of constructing more than 140 wind and solar projects generating more than 14,000 megawatts of renewable power across North America.

About the author:
Author of both Catch the Wind and Catch the Sun, Anne Johnson is currently employed as a community relations specialist with Mortenson's Renewable Energy Groups. Ms. Johnson graduated from Purdue University with a degree in engineering and joined Mortenson in 2007 as an estimator.