Clean Energy Resource Teams

CERTs TV

is a new resource where you can view CERTs video clips and news sightings, as well as informative videos and full documentaries produced by CERTs partners! Click here to watch now >>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Juhl Wind Inc. recently announced the execution of a $10 Million wind project Development Agreement with GL Wind—a wind farm LLC formed by Gundersen Lutheran Hospital.

Gundersen Lutheran Hospital is a leading teaching hospital consistently named among the top 100 in the nation, based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and serves patients located throughout western Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, and southeastern Minnesota.

The 5MW-sized GL Wind, LLC project will be a community-owned and operated, wind-turbine electrical energy generation facility with an estimated cost of approximately $10 million.

The GL Wind project will be located in Southeast Minnesota and will consist of a locally-controlled LLC made up of Gundersen Lutheran Hospital headquartered in La Crosse, Wisconsin and an equity partner. Juhl Wind Inc. has been assisting Gundersen Lutheran in the development of the project since the Fall of 2009, and will now provide full-scale development and construction oversight services for the project. Juhl is forecasting that the GL Wind Farm is planned to begin construction in the 4th quarter of 2010 and should be completed in 2011. The project will be funded by the GL Wind, LLC.

“We are excited to move forward with Gundersen Lutheran Hospital on this Community Wind project,” stated Dan Juhl, CEO of Juhl Wind. “This project is led by a leading institution, Gundersen Lutheran, in the La Crosse, Wisconsin region and is representative of other projects we see on the horizon for our business. When an institution like Gundersen Lutheran makes a commitment to clean energy and to lead the development of a community wind farm, it makes it so much easier to get a project financed and built. Yet again, this project is very representative of a new model for our small- to medium-sized wind farm business.”

 
ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 24 – USDA Rural Development State Director Colleen Landkamer recently announced that 18 farms and small businesses in rural Minnesota have been selected to receive over $1.7 million for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvement projects under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

“This funding helps our farmers and rural small businesses become more efficient and competitive,” Landkamer said. “The road to energy independence goes through America’s farms and rural communities. President Obama and his Administration are committed to helping our nation increase its use of renewable energy and become more energy efficient.”

 
In 2007 a screen printing class at the University of Minnesota created an amazing set of posters focused on community clean energy and energy efficiency. We gave them out to lucky folks all over Minnesota over the last couple years, and now we’ve put them up on Flickr for the whole world to enjoy!

Click here to see a collection of our favorite custom-printed CERTs posters >>

 
“Going green” sounds good, but what can cities and counties really do in tight budget times? With a new program called Minnesota GreenStep Cities, we can build thriving, healthy, and prosperous communities without breaking the bank!

Community members and local government officials met in Grand Rapids, MN July 29th to learn about how this free, voluntary program can be a tool for making citizens’ vision for the future a reality. Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) and the Grand Rapids Wes Libbey Chapter of the Izaak Walton League co-hosted the event at Grand Rapids Area Library which was attended by local elected officials, community groups, and local citizens, including folks from Grand Rapids, LaPrairie, Bemidji, Virginia, Duluth, Rochester, and even Tennessee!

View photos from the event:

The event included the following presentations:

• Introduction – Art Norton, Grand Rapids Wes Libbey, Chapter of the Izaak Walton League
• GreenStep Cities Overview – Philipp Muessig, MN Pollution Control Agency (www.mngreenstep.org)
• Two Paths, One Choice – Bill Mittlefehldt, Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)
• Storm Water Update – Tom Pagel and Steve Anderson, City of Grand Rapids
• Conservation Improvement – Dan Chase, Grand Rapids Public Program Utilities Commission
• Power of One Conservation Program – Tim Gallagher, Minnesota Power
• Collaborating for the Future – Michelle Schroeder, Izaak Walton League, Minnesota Division

Northeast CERT Coordinator Bill Mittlefehldt cited several examples of folks already taking action in communities across the Northeast! Tom Pagel, Steve Anderson, Dan Chase, and Tim Gallagher gave examples of actions that Grand Rapids is taking, such as rain gardens that reduce and clean stormwater while adding beatuy.

Lakeland Public Television’s Jenny Day covered the GreenStep Cities seminars on the evening news:

Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a challenge, assistance, and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability goals through implementation of 28 best practices. Minnesota GreenStep Cities can help cities of all sizes. Minnesota GreenStep Cities allows you to get recognition for the work you’re already doing and offers free advice and tools for the areas where you need help! As Minnesota GreenStep Coordinator Philipp Muessig and Michelle Schroeder of the Izaak Walton League explained, “We’ve done the research to save you time and money!”

Minnesota GreenStep Cities offers 28 best practices, along 5 categories: Buildings and Lighting, Land Use, Transportation, Environmental Management, and Economic and Community Development. Best practices focus on cost savings and energy use reduction, and encourage innovation.

The new Minnesota GreenStep Cities website outlines each of the best practices and includes actions you can take now, plus at-a-glance costs and benefits and the phone number for a GreenStep Advisor who can help you.

Visit http://www.mngreenstep.org to learn how Minnesota GreenStep Cities can help your community thrive and prosper!

Watch a video to learn more about GreenStep Cities:

 
The folks at the West Central Research Outreach Center (WCROC) decided to throw a party recently in honor of their new green building dedication! The celebration took the form of a renewable energy road trip to showcase the great work that the folks at WCROC, University of Minnesota-Morris, local community members, and private companies in the area are doing to create a clean energy future.

The bus tour began in WCROC’s backyard. Upon arriving we received a brief overview of the work WCROC does, including: renewable energy, dairy and crop research, environmental horticulture, soil and water quality, participation in the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, and operating as a University of Minnesota Extension Regional Center.

The WCROC building itself serves as a pilot project by utilizing two different solar systems to provide data to researchers, supply energy to the building, and act as a model for the community. The first system uses Minnesota-based Solar Skies flat plate collectors to heat domestic hot water. The Solar Skies system is currently being evaluated to look at output, cost savings, and payback. The Solar Skies hot water system works in two ways: (1) on cool and warm days the water flows directly into the water heater, bypassing the backup heater as the temperature is hot enough from the solar alone; (2) on really cold days the solar-heated water enters the building and is used to preheat the water in the hot water storage, which is then heated up to the desired temperature by the water heater.

The second solar system at WCROC is a solar heating and cooling system for the building’s new additions. The system uses 1,200 evacuated tubes to provide heated water to the fan coils that heat the building. In addition, the system utilizes an absorption chiller to turn the hot water into cool water to be used for air conditioning. As with the Solar Skies system, data is continuously being evaluated and tracked for research and educational purposes. The building uses a geothermal heat pump to supplement the solar system when needed.

A short bus ride later we stopped on the outskirts of a corn field to learn about the WCROC’s 1.65 MW Vesta wind turbine. The wind turbine stands tall at 230 feet with the rotors reaching out an additional 135 feet. The turbine supplies around 60% of the University of Minnesota Morris’ electricity needs via a direct line to the campus. The average wind speed at Morris is 17.5 mph, providing ample wind to produce energy. The turbine blades weren’t moving when we first arrived, but by the time we were leaving a slight breeze had everyone craning their necks to the sky to see the rotors spinning.

The turbine not only provides energy for UMM students, teachers, and faculty, but also supplies power to WCROC’s Wind to Hydrogen to Ammonia Plant. The plant began as a pilot project to store Hydrogen that could be used to provide fuel for a generator to produce energy during peak times or as needed. After the initial success in storing the wind energy via hydrogen, WCROC began looking for additional value added products. Because of its location in farming country, WCROC decided to invest in a pilot program designed to meet their unique needs. The next phase of the project was to create wind-powered nitrogen fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia (NH3), a fertilizer which is often applied to crops to increase yield. The pilot added a nitrogen generator, again powered by the wind, which separate Nitrogen gas (N2) from the ambient air. The next step is to combine the H and N2 in a reactor to produce NH3 fertilizer. The fertilizer can then be sold to local farmers for application on their fields. Excess H is stored and provides energy through a 60 kW generator. The pilot project will look at the economic feasibility of the pilot, ability to scale up, and a life cycle analysis of the production methods.

The next leg of the tour took us down a small hill and across the river separating the WCROC wind turbine and the UMM campus. Arriving at the campus we proceeded to the UMM Biomass Gasification System. The biomass gasification system is a partnership between UMM and WCROC to develop locally-produced energy and to develop an additional market for local farmers. The facility takes biomass—normally from corn, but they are experimenting with other biomass products to test their effectiveness—and heat the biomass through a process which uses very little oxygen. The lack of oxygen prevents combustion and turns the biomass into a synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is easily transported to a turbine where it is combusted and diverted to various streams. The waste heat is used to generate steam for district heating, the heated water is diverted to an absorption chiller for cooling, and electricity produced by the turbine is used on campus. The project is estimated to save around $400,000 per year! UMM expects to power its campus almost entirely by renewable energy through the biomass plant and wind turbine in the coming years.

The last stop for the day was Grant County Wind Farm, LLC. No matter how many times I see a wind farm, it always brings a smile to my face as I think about the possibilities going forward into the future. And if the single turbine at WCROC was impressive, the stop at Grant County was incredible. The eight Suzlon towers stand at 259 feet; the total height from tip to the ground is 407 feet. From the ground to the top it’s a long way up! The blades were manufactured in Suzlon’s manufacturing facility in Canby, MN.

The turbines were producing energy as we watched them, and are expected to create enough energy to supply 3,100 homes with clean electricity in an average year. These numbers are based on the assumption that the homes use electricity for their general use and for heating—with baseboard heaters, for instance. In addition to providing clean energy, the Grant Country Wind Farm is owned by local community members, a partnership made possible through its classification as a Community Based Energy Development (C-BED) project. The wind farm, and all of those like it in Minnesota, also keep people in good jobs; an engineer was working on the top of one of the turbines doing routine maintenance while we watched from 300 feet below.

After a very exciting day, we started our way back to the hotel for the night. The first day of the bus tour was a resounding success. Most of the chatter between folks revolved around the great work the folks in West Central Minnesota are not just thinking about doing, but actually implementing in their communities.

 
The Office of Energy Security just released its most recent installment of current funding opportunities in the fields of energy and environment. Check out the opportunities now at http://funding.mncerts.org

But wait! Before you delve deep into that document, CERTs wants to bring your attention to four Minnesota-specific funding opportunities that expire soon:

• MN Office of Energy Security Renewable Energy for MN Schools and Local Governments: The Minnesota Department of Commerce Office of Energy Security (OES) requests proposals from Minnesota school districts and local governments for the Local Government Renewable Energy Grant Program funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 and authorized by Laws of Minnesota 2009, Chapter 138, Article 3, Section 5. Grants will be awarded competitively to eligible school districts and local governments for the following technologies and amounts: (1) Solar electric projects greater than or equal to 100 kilowatts rated capacity—the lesser of 40 percent of total project cost or $200,000; (2) Solar electric projects less than 100 kilowatts rated capacity—the lesser of 40 percent of total project cost or $100,000; (3) Wind projects less than 35 kilowatts rated capacity—the lesser of 35 percent of total project cost or $25,000; (4) Geothermal heating and cooling projects—the lesser of 35 percent of total project cost or $100,000; (5) Solar thermal projects—the lesser of 50 percent of total project cost or $75,000; and (6) Combined heat and power projects and district energy projects—the lesser of 35 percent of total project cost or $200,000. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is available through August 4, 2010. More at http://www.commerce.state.mn.us/EnergyRFP/LocGov_Renew.html.

• Minnesota Office of Energy Security Solar Thermal Air Heat and Hot Water Rebates: For a limited time only, the MN Office of Energy Security is offering a significant rebate for solar thermal installations on homes and businesses across the state! Start heating with a reliable, energy efficient, and cost-saving solar thermal system. Manufactured here in Minnesota, solar thermal panels can reduce your space heating and water heating bill! Businesses and multi-family housing units could see rebates up to $25,000, and home owners could save $2,000 (25% of costs) and or 2-3 family units could save up to $4,000 on the cost of a system. Up to $500,000 in solar thermal rebates are available for Minnesota businesses and residents. More at http://solarthermal.mncerts.org.

• Minnesota Office of Energy Security – Renewable Energy Systems Step-by-Step Guide for Schools: The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security (OES) seeks proposals to create a step-by-step guide, model documents, and a resource list for Minnesota public school districts—Kindergarten through 12th grade—interested in renewable energy systems. This guide will help schools to identify and evaluate the actions that are necessary to effectively integrate a renewable energy system in their district operations. Up to $40,000 in funds will be used for this Informal Solicitation. Proposals must be received no later than Thursday, August 19, 2010. More at http://tinyurl.com/2eqj3c6.

• Clean up your Minnesota school’s bus emissions for free! The Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) are partnering with the Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s (MEI) Project Green Fleet to improve the environmental standards of older school buses. Project Green Fleet provides and installs air quality retrofit equipment, normally valued at $1,500-2,000, at no cost to fleets or districts. Diesel vehicles account for 10% of traffic on Minnesota roads, but account for more than 50% of all traffic related air pollution. With a simple, free retrofit by Project Green Fleet, emissions can be reduced by 30 – 50% per vehicle. The emission reductions directly benefit students and employees that ride and work around the buses. Over 1,700 buses across the state have participated in Project Green Fleet so far. Together, CERTs and Project Green Fleet have the goal of retrofitting every eligible bus in the state. More at http://greenfleet.mncerts.org.

 
There have been quite a few postings lately for green jobs in the areas of energy efficiency and clean energy, so we wanted to make sure that you heard about them and spread the word to folks you know who are looking for work!

CERTs Coordinator for Northwest, MN: Do you lecture your family about turning off the lights? Would you consider a visit to a wind turbine a good use of vacation time? Do you like to talk with others about clean energy? We have a job for you! The Northwest Clean Energy Resource Team seeks temporary appointment of a Northwest CERT Regional Coordinator. The Northwest CERT Regional Coordinator will be instrumental in advancing the NW CERT’s mission to advance clean energy in the region by working with various organizations and individuals across the region and connecting them with the resources they need to identify and implement local energy efficiency and clean energy projects. The ideal candidate for this position will be someone with knowledge of clean energy practices, models and technologies and someone who likes to, and is good at, working with people. Send resume to Lissa Pawlisch, University of MN, 411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Cir, St. Paul, MN 55105 or to PAWL0048@umn.edu by June 15th. See the job posting for further details!

CERTs Case Study Researcher Internship Opportunity, Summer 2010: CERTs is looking for a skilled writer who is interested in researching and authoring case studies on energy efficiency and clean energy projects! This will be a great chance to build on your portfolio of written work and meet people in the industry. CERTs supports community-based clean energy projects across the state with seed grants. Once the project is completed, the grantee submits a final report telling how the project was implemented. The final step is to create a case study to describe community models, technologies and lessons learned about projects CERTs has helped fund. These case studies are typically one to two pages long and are a helpful resource to communities who want to do similar projects. Interns will be given a byline (credit) for the case study they write (if they wish) and hopefully gain valuable insight into the variety of clean energy projects springing up across the state. Please submit a cover letter and your resume to Michelle Vigen at vigen010@umn.edu by Wednesday, June 9th at noon. See the job posting for further details!

Center for Energy and Environment Project Assistant: We are looking for an exceptional and hard working individual to provide assistance in implementing our residential programs. Specific tasks assigned to this individual would vary according to their capabilities, but would cut across many aspects of our programs. It would be an ideal above-entry level position for someone to gain some great hands-on experience in implementing some of CEE’s wonderful programs, and work with some of the leading practitioners in the energy efficiency field. Potential applicants should send applications directly to the email listed on the job announcement. Applications might not be accepted after June 4th—be sure to check with CEE. See the job posting for further details!

Center for Energy and Environment Policy Associate: We are looking for an individual with a little more experience, and with exceptional and proven analytical and persuasive skills to help implement CEE’s policy agenda. Again, specific tasks would vary depending on the individual’s experience, but would include monitoring and advocating in regulatory and legislative arenas. Some amount of program development would also be involved with this position. Potential applicants should send applications directly to the email listed on the job announcement. Applications might not be accepted after June 4th—be sure to check with CEE. See the job posting for further details!

Neighborhood Energy Connection Finance and Human Resources Manager: The Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC), a 25-year-old nonprofit environmental organization, seeks a forward-thinking, entrepreneurial-minded, and highly-motivated individual to manage its finances. The NEC is a regional leader in the field of energy efficiency. With an expanding car sharing program and a long history in residential energy efficiency programs, the NEC is at the forefront of developing new tools for the burgeoning green economy. The Finance and Human Resources Manager is a qualified accountant responsible for managing the organization’s finances and benefits programs. Applications will be accepted through June 11, 2010. See the job posting for further details!

Other places to look: Minnesota-specific job boards that you should check include PCA’s NextStep and SEEK Job Listings, Minnesota Environmental Partnership Jobs List, and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Job Board. Other popular job search engines with energy listings include careerbuilder.com, idealist.org, indeed.com, job.com, monster.com, yahoo.com, and nationjob.com.

 
Do you lecture your family about turning off the lights? Would you consider a visit to a wind turbine a good use of vacation time? Do you like to talk with others about clean energy? We have a job for you! The Northwest Clean Energy Resource Team seeks temporary appointment of a Northwest CERT Regional Coordinator.

The Northwest CERT Regional Coordinator will be instrumental in advancing the NW CERT’s mission to advance clean energy in the region by working with various organizations and individuals across the region and connecting them with the resources they need to identify and implement local energy efficiency and clean energy projects. The ideal candidate for this position will be someone with knowledge of clean energy practices, models and technologies and someone who likes to, and is good at, working with people.

 
On April 26, 2010 Southwest CERT and Southwest Regional Development Commission held a workshop in Redwood Falls on wind energy development and land use to educate anyone interested in the issues and provide a forum for discussion and learning.

Introduction & Overview: Annette Bair, Physical Development Director for SRDC and Southwest CERT Coordinator, gave an introduction and overview to wind energy development and land use. Annette set the stage for the meeting by providing: a brief overview of wind in general; who regulates wind; installed capacities in MN from 1999 to 2009; project scale; wind resource maps and locations of state and local permitted turbines in MN, the generator interconnection queue map, and the transmission line map; indicators of project development in your area; and a list of useful resources. Flip through the presentation below.

Download presentation >>

State Permitting Process: Larry Hartman & Ingrid Bjorklund, Energy Facility Planners for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security, reviewed the Minnesota State permitting process for Large Wind Energy Conversion Systems (LWECS). Flip through the presentation below.

Download presentation >>

Zoning Panel: The presentations were followed by a local panel of zoning administrators who discussed issues they’ve dealt with regarding wind energy systems. The panelists included Jon Biren, Lyon County Zoning Administrator; Mandy Landkamer, Nicollet County Zoning Administrator; and Jean M. Christoffels, Murray County Zoning Administrator. Click here for the full meeting notes to read more about the panel discussion and Q&A session.