Clean Energy Resource Teams

Save money on a new system & support MN manufacturers while incentives last

 
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!

Heat your water or your home this winter with a reliable, energy efficient, and cost-saving solar thermal system. Manufactured here in Minnesota, solar thermal panels can reduce your heating and water heating bill!

To participate, visit http://solarthermal.mncerts.org and fill out either the Solar Air Heating Form or the Solar Water Heating Form.

“This is an amazing opportunity for people to get great deals on a solar thermal installation and support green manufacturing jobs right here in Minnesota at the same time,” says Joel Haskard, co-coordinator of the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs).

About Solar Thermal: While “solar energy” is often thought of as generating electricity, solar thermal systems offer a more efficient use of solar power, using the sun’s energy to heat our water and warm our spaces. A Solar Air Heating System directly transfers the sun’s warmth into hot air to heat your home, reducing your heating costs when you need it the most. A Solar Water Heating System uses the heat of the sun to heat your water, saving on your hot water costs. Both solar thermal systems utilize a clean and renewable energy—the sun!

About the Rebates: The Minnesota Office of Energy Security hopes that Minnesotans will take advantage of this technology, and is offering up to $500,000 in solar thermal rebates for business and residents for a limited time. While rebate amounts will vary, businesses and multi-family units can apply for a rebate up to $25,000 for a solar thermal system. Homeowners are also eligible for of to 25% of the cost of smaller systems.

To learn more about solar thermal systems, available rebates and incentives, our Minnesota manufacturers, and to take action, visit http://solarthermal.mncerts.org or email solar@cleanenergyresourceteams.org with detailed questions.

Please spread the word about this opportunity to all of the people and groups that you know who might be interested in adding a solar thermal system to their home or business! Click here to download the official program announcement >>

Hot Rebates for Solar Thermal is the third in a series of “CERTified Campaigns” from the Clean Energy Resource Teams to provide Minnesotans with clear and actionable ways to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in their community. To learn about other campaigns, visit http://act.mncerts.org.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon won the 2010 Environmental Initiative Award in the Energy and Climate Protection category at the Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Award Ceremony! Congratulations, everyone!

The Minnesota Environmental Initiative Awards are held every year to recognize outstanding partnerships. Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon won the Energy & Climate Protection Award for using innovative approaches to improve air quality, reduce energy use, and protect the climate by reducing energy consumption, promoting greenhouse gas reductions, and reducing criteria pollutants.

We’d like to extend a giant thanks to the students, teachers, building professionals, and other participants who have worked so hard in their schools to reduce energy use and cut carbon emissions! Thank you also to our project partners: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Office of Energy Security, Department of Commerce, and Environmental Resources Management. Finally, a special thanks is due to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (LCCMR) for their financial support!

To learn more about the awards and see the other winners and finalists, click here.

Check out these photos from the event:

 
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.

 
The Metro CERT Spring Resource & Networking event was a big hit this year! On April 14th from 4-8pm the shindig brought together more than two hundred Metro CERT affiliates, partners and friends excited to celebrate Metro CERT’s second year of connecting communities to resources, hear about our first round of seed grants to Twin Cities communities, learn about our new energy efficiency campaigns and other resources, and connect with their fellow energy geeks.

Photos: Check out photos from the event to reflect on the good times you had or to see what you missed. Press play on the slideshow below, or click here to see the images on Flickr.

The evening’s line up:

• Terry Webster, Office of Energy Security: Making Smart Energy Investments
• Sam Hanson, East Side Neighborhood Development Company: Building BLOCKS
• Greg Palmer, Xcel Energy: Partnership with CERTs & Xcel Programs
• Diana McKeown, Green Institute & Metro CERT: Metro CERT: Year in Review
• Everyone: Networking and refreshments

If you’re looking for an event keepsake, you can download the promotional postcard.

Thanks to our sponsors!

Eureka Recycling was proud to partner with Metro CERT to make this a zero waste event. By rethinking, reusing, recycling, and composting all the discards, we greatly reduced our environmental impact! For more info, visit http://www.eurekarecycling.org.

Xcel Energy was a proud sponsor of the Metro CERT Spring Resource & Networking Event. To learn more about their commitments to energy efficiency and conservation, as well as renewable energy, visit http://www.xcelenergy.com. Also, check out the award Xcel just honored CERTs with here.

 
Past events: If you want, you can also learn about 2009 and 2008 Metro CERT Spring Resource & Networking events, and see photos from the 2009 get together.

 
Students from across the state gathered in the Rotunda at the Minnesota State Capitol this Earth Day to talk about actions they’re taking to reduce the carbon footprints of their schools.

They shared the microphone with legislators and climate leaders who have been working to advance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green jobs in Minnesota. This was a fantastic opportunity for students to network and also be recognized for the amazing work they’re doing.

The event, “Earth Day at the Capitol: Thumbs Up for Clean Energy!” was a celebration of student-led energy efficiency and clean energy projects, Minnesota’s leadership on clean energy and green jobs, and working together to build our clean energy future. Seven schools presented, as well as Abby Fenton, Youth Programs Director, Will Steger Foundation; Senator Ellen Anderson from District 66; and Representative Kate Knuth, District 50B.

WCCO Radio 830 AM interviewed students from Ortonville High School’s Local Environmental Focus Team (LEFT) about their initiatives to reduce their school’s carbon footprint during their Noon News Hour with Adam Carter and Telly Mamayek. Click the play button below to listen to the full interview.

 
Find out more about the schools that attended by visiting their webpages!

• Central High School – St. Paul, MN
• Ortonville High School – Ortonville, MN
• Henry Sibley High School – Mendota Heights, MN
• Osseo Senior High School – Osseo, MN
• The City, Inc. – Minneapolis, MN
• LEAP High School – St. Paul, MN
• School of Environmental Studies – Apple Valley, MN

See photos from the event in the slideshow below or click here to see them on flickr.

 
We are absolutely elated by all of the super-awesome Earth Day events happening in schools across the state, and all of the time and energy that students in Minnesota have devoted to saving energy and reducing our carbon footprint!

As energy-related issues are ever-present in our society, climate change is said to be the greatest challenge of our time. But let’s not forget, with great challenge comes opportunity. I’m sure you’ve heard the metaphor which compares the challenge of solving the world’s climate crisis to that of landing a man on the moon (think: JFK’s Apollo Project of 1969). Over the past forty years, we humans have mustered up the willpower to do some amazing and exceptional things—including, successfully landing not just one, but several, men on the moon.

And how fitting that, forty years since the inception of Earth Day and our first steps on the moon, another momentous trial imminently awaits our courageous and resourceful attention! In celebration of Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary, Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon encourages you to let these legacies inspire and advance the clean energy and conservation projects already underway in your homes, schools, and communities.

Remember, every action you take toward creating a just and sustainable future is perhaps, one small step for man…and one giant leap for mankind.

And that’s EXACTLY what humanity needs to solve the climate change challenge.

So, cheers to YOU, and cheers to Earth Day for 40 years of innovative environmental stewardship!

HAPPY ENERGY SAVING!

Your friends at Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon,
Mollie & Patrick
 

Want to take action?

• Attend a student-centered Earth Day event today at the Capitol!
• Learn more about Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon and the actions schools across the state are taking!

 
CERTs is taking this opportunity to highlight events and reflections on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.

So, if you’re looking for something to do tomorrow or looking to do a little reflecting on how far we’ve come since the first Earth Day, check out the links below.

I’m sure there are events we’ve forgotten. If you know of something that is going on to celebrate Earth Day that you’d like others to know about, click here to share it on our Facebook page!

 
EVENTS & RESOURCES:

• Events happening on Earth Day on the CERTs calendar
• Events posted by Minnesotans on the CERTs Facebook page
• Earth Day resources from our friends at Office of Energy Security

 
REFLECTIONS FROM AROUND MINNESOTA:

• Earth Day 40: A Week of Reminiscence From Those Who Were There – Conservation Minnesota, John Helland
• Earth Day 40 years later: Renewables – Bemidji Pioneer, Brita Sailer
• Looking Back on Progress After Earth Day 1970 – Conservation Minnesota, Bob Dunn
• The birth of Earth Day – Marshall Independent, Ted Rowe
• Earth Day Then and Now: Naiveté, Realism, Fear, and Hope – Conservation Minnesota, Chuck Dayton

 
EARTH DAY AT THE CAPITOL: THUMBS UP FOR CLEAN ENERGY!

Students from across the state will gather in the Rotunda at the Minnesota State Capitol this Earth Day, April 22 from 10am-2pm to talk about actions they’re taking to reduce the carbon footprints of their schools. They’ll be sharing the microphone with legislators and climate leaders who have been working to advance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green jobs in Minnesota. This is a fantastic opportunity to document innovative clean energy efforts in Minnesota. The event, “Earth Day at the Capitol: Thumbs Up for Clean Energy!” is a celebration of student-led energy efficiency and clean energy projects, Minnesota’s leadership on clean energy and green jobs, and working together to build our clean energy future. Click here for more information about the event.

 
From Rochester Post-Bulletin, story by Jeff Hansel

Mayo Clinic announced yesterday that it plans to undertake what they’re calling the the largest solar energy project in southeast Minnesota.

Beginning this summer, about 500 solar panels will be installed on the roof of Mayo Clinic’s Damon Patient/Visitor Parking Ramp in downtown Rochester, the clinic said.

The effort will save costs and help offset peak summer energy use, as solar energy production peaks during summer when power demands soar for air conditioning.

Rochester Public Utilities will help with installation costs through their new SolarChoice Program.

Click here to read full story >>

 
Some of the best legislation yet to help consumers, manufacturers and construction workers in the nation became law today in Minnesota, when Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the Jobs bill—which will bring benefits for clean, renewable energy as well as jobs.

The Jobs bill includes provisions for Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), which enables local governments to create programs that will allow property owners to make energy efficiency, solar and other renewable energy improvements to their homes or businesses.

Sixteen states have passed similar PACE-enabling legislation. “Minnesota property owners can be part of the solution by tapping into the renewable energy resources that our state is blessed with,” said Ken Bradley, director of Environment Minnesota. “PACE allows building owners to make investments by using energy savings and pay those investments back through property voluntary assessments. This is a program that helps consumers put more money in their pockets at the end of the day!”

Stay tuned to CERTs for more news about PACE. If this is getting you excited about installing a solar energy system, check out our Minnesota solar installers map and other resources!

Thanks to Environment Minnesota and the Minnesota Solar Energy Industry Association for the news!