recovery

As many of you likely know, Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability goals through implementation of 28 best practices. Each best practice can be implemented by completing one or more specific actions from a list of four to eight actions. These actions are tailored to all Minnesota cities, focus on cost savings and energy use reduction, and encourage innovation.

There are now cities across the state documenting their current efforts on the GreenStep Cities website. This is because many cities are already doing many of the items listed as best practices for the program, using this as a baseline from which to move forward. We have so many active and innovative cities here in Minnesota—there is much to be proud of!

Check out the website at http://www.mngreenstep.org to learn more! When you get there, just click on the linked city names to the right of the map to find out more about what individual cities are doing. Cities with recent updates include Eagan, Elk River, Hopkins, Mahtomedi, Mankato, Milan, Northfield, Pine River, Royalton, Saint Cloud.

The CERTs 2011 Clean Energy Convergence will unite you with other Minnesotans who are blazing the paths to a clean energy future by working on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in their communities. Get ready to learn, connect, and act with CERTs and 600 engaged community members on February 2-3, 2011 in Saint Cloud, MN!

Converge: CERTs 2011 is a venue for both broad and in-depth learning opportunities, connecting and networking with engaged community members, and taking action on energy efficiency and clean energy projects. The event will begin with In-Depth Workshops and an Evening Reception on February 2nd, and continue with a Daylong Conference on the 3rd.

Learn: At CERTs 2011 you will learn from experts and community members alike on what it takes to get projects done. Find out how individuals and communities are partnering, planning, funding, and implementing projects. Hear success stories and models that demonstrate how to become more energy efficient and harness clean energy while strengthening local economies and protecting the environment.

Connect: CERTs 2011 will provide networking opportunities for you to connect with Minnesotans of all stripes—community leaders, energy experts, local government staff, teachers and students, utility representatives, business owners, homeowners, farmers—and more. All have the same goals: saving energy, saving money, creating jobs, and powering our future renewably.

Act: Whether you’re looking to save energy in your home, business, school, or local government; passionate about installing a renewable energy system like solar, wind, or biomass; interested in educating your community about energy issues; or looking for good training opportunities in Minnesota, CERTs 2011 has what you’re looking for!

Early Bird Registration Now Through December 1, 2010!

Participant registration is now open for the CERTs 2011 Conference! Register today to join hundreds of other Minnesotans in saving energy, saving money, and building our shared clean energy future. Click here to register >>

Click here to learn more about the conference!
 

Find a camera and get ready!

 
Submit a digital short for a chance to win $500 or cool clean energy prizes! Videos are due on January 7th at 5pm. We will have an 18-day public voting period in January, and finalists will be screened at the CERTs 2011 Conference Reception on the evening of February 2nd, 2011!

All you need to do:

1. Find a camera
2. Use it to tell a story about clean energy or energy efficiency in your community in 3 minutes or less
3. Submit the video to CERTs
4. Tell all your family and friends to vote for your video online when the time comes. That’s it!

Watch this video to learn the basics!

Click here to learn more and get started!

The Minneapolis & D.C. based Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) recently launched the website Energy Self-Reliant States. The website hopes to “provide the tools and rules for states and communities to maximize their returns from renewable energy.” We spoke with primary author and ILSR senior researcher John Farrell to learn more.

Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs): Why did you decide to start the Energy Self-Reliant States website separate from the already-excellent Institute for Local Self-Reliance website?

John Farrell (JF): Two reasons. One, our website is configured to highlight the rules and policies we’ve identified to help encourage local self-reliance, and not to present information in the kind of format we envisioned for Energy Self-Reliant States. Second, we needed something to fill the gap between our larger policy briefs and reports, and to be able to comment more quickly on current events.

CERTs: How has your response been so far?

JF: The response has been tremendous. Everyone I’ve talked to really likes the content and the focus on analysis.

CERTs: It looks like you are primarily focusing on dispersed solar photovoltaic. Will you be posting about other dispersed clean energy solutions?

JF: Absolutely. Solar lends itself to a DG discussion more easily that just about any other technology, but we’ll be discussion geothermal, energy storage, electric vehicles, and many other components of a distributed generation grid.

CERTs: What do you see as primary barriers to dispersed community clean energy?

JF: As you might expect, we find policy to be the largest barrier. Clean energy incentives based on tax credits (the federal Production Tax Credit and Investment Tax Credit) favor large, institutional investors rather than community-based organizations, whether cooperatives, cities, or nonprofits that cannot use tax credits.

CERTs: What models are you most hopeful about?

JF: Community solar as done by the Clean Energy Collective in Colorado and group buying models for solar PV like we’ve seen in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, make me very hopeful. So do innovative public-private partnership models like we’re seeing Hennepin County, Minnesota, consider for its wind project.

I’m most hopeful for a policy change from tax-based incentives to cash-based incentives or feed-in tariffs, because they would remove the barriers and the need to be so creative with models for distributed generation.

CERTs: Here in Minnesota, do you see specific models or projects that could be replicated easily by other communities?

JF: The Hennepin County wind turbine public-private partnership could be replicated, but I don’t know that easy is the term that comes to mind. Most models for local ownership of distributed generation, unfortunately, depend either on the availability of an institutional equity partner (e.g. an investment bank) to soak up federal tax credits or additional incentives from the state or local utility. Even the leasing models – where individuals get a rooftop solar PV system at little to no upfront cost – only operate in states with additional state or utility-level incentives for solar.

That’s why a policy shift is so important.

CERTs: Are there models for energy self-reliance that you are surprised haven’t gained further traction in Minnesota?

JF: No.

CERTs: Finally, any last thoughts or suggestions to those communities striving for energy self-reliance?

JF: As seen in our Community Solar Power report, it is possible to develop locally owned distributed generation solutions for energy self-reliance. All it takes is a little organizing. But the Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative in Washington, DC, provides a good lesson. They didn’t just organize to get group solar discounts, they also organized politically to get more incentives for solar power.
 
 

The Minnesota Department of Commerce Office of Energy Security (OES) requests proposals from eligible applicants for Training for Dislocated and Disadvantaged Energy Professionals (an ARRA Grant Program). Grants will be awarded competitively to successful respondents.

The goal of the program is to train low-income, displaced, unemployed, or underemployed MN residents in skills needed in the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) sectors. It is the goal of this project to train individuals at low or no cost to the participant, for the EERE workforce through recognized, approved training that prepares a participant to obtain an industry related credential.

Up to $1,000,000 is available for this grant program. The anticipated award range is $50,000 to $100,000, with a maximum $150,000 allowed per grant award.

At a minimum, respondents must include an eligible training provider as defined below and an EERE industry partner or employer:

• Either can serve as the lead applicant;
• All identified partners must be listed as co‐applicants; and
• A signed letter of commitment, detailing role in project, is required from all partners.

Eligible training providers include:

• An institution that is operated by this state;
• Public school districts;
• The Board of Regents of the University of MN;
• A licensed or registered private, for profit or not‐for profit training provider; or
• A training provider that is exempt from licensure or registration.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) and required forms are available here through December 6, 2010. Responders may also request a hard copy of the RFP by mail from this office.

If you have questions or need more information about this RFP, contact Ann Zechbauer at energy.contracts@state.mn.us

Help CERTs tell the story of clean energy action in Minnesota through photos! On 10/10/10, people across Minnesota—and the world—will celebrate climate solutions through events and by sharing stories as part of the 350.org Global Work Party. Check out the photos below!

WHAT’S THE PLAN? CERTs is collecting photos from October 2010 through the end of January 2011, leading up to the Feb. 2-3 CERTs 2011 Conference in St. Cloud, MN. At the conference we will have a giant photo wall where all of the submitted images will be rolling through during the entire two-day event. The photos will also be available here on the website and on Flickr for people who are interested in clean energy and energy efficiency to be inspired by the amazing work already happening in Minnesota.

TAKE PART! Help us share energy efficiency and clean energy actions going on in Minnesota by submitting your photos with CERTs and 350.org and letting us shine a light on your efforts! Visit http://photos.mncerts.org to share your photos:

Submissions So Far:

This 18-minute video introduces you to a 9th grader at Mayo High School in Rochester, MN who won local, national, and international awards and scholarships for her clean energy-related science fair project. She and the program that supported her are a model for others who want to help young leaders rise up through outstanding and innovative science fair projects. Watch the video to learn more!

If you want to get involved or do more with your local science fairs and mentoring young people, contact NE CERT Coordinator Bill Mittlefehldt at 218-726-6146 or bill@cleanenergyresourceteams.org.

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 >>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 >>

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.