Clean Energy Resource Teams

Todd Juwizak and Eva Barr are combining traditional homesteading practices with modern renewaable energy technology at DreamAcres Farm, an off-grid 60-acre organic farm in Southeast Minnesota.

Wild River State park converted the fuel oil-fired water heater at one of its campground showe facilities to a liquid propane and solar thermal water pre-heating system.

This report focuses on one neighborhood’s effort to jump start solar thermal in the Twin Cities. It also contains useful information on the potential of solar hot water systems in Minnesota.

Environmentally integrated curriculum, community involvement, technology—these are three integral parts of the charter for the North Shore community School. The North Shore Community School wrote a grant to the EPA and was chosen as one of the 16 out of 130 proposals to receive funding.

A Sebeka Family has become the first in the neighborhood to have a solar space heating system will heat two bedrooms with energy from the sun. It does not use electricity or any other energy source for its operation.

Beginning in January 2004, the Green Institute began installation of a photovoltaic power system on the warehouse portion of their building at 2801 21st Avenue South in Minneapolis. The PV system will supplement the electrical loads and ease the building power needs primarily on winter mornings and summer afternoons.

In early 2002, a group of St. Paul residents began to discuss opportunities for solar power. Many were interested in using solar energy to power their homes but found it somewhat cost prohibitive. The idea soon emerged that interested parties could pool their resources to develop a photovoltaic system that would provide green power for the community and demonstrate the value of solar and show the relative ease of installation and maitenance.

Science House, a four-season, 1,200-square-foot building located in the Science Museum of Minnesota’s 1.2-acre outdoor science park, The Big Backyard, will operate as a public laboratory, classroom, exhibit area, or a special events space for the park. It is designed to be a zero-emissions building.

Minnesota Power’s Solar Sense program has not only participated in 13 solar installations since last May. They also have created a training program for installing and inspecting grid-connected solar photovoltaic electric systems.