Clean Energy Resource Teams

The reports on this page cover a variety of topics, from general resources to those dealing specifically with solar, wind, biomass, and biogas technologies. They are authored by either the Clean Energy Resource Teams or our project partners.

General

Frequently Asked Questions
By CERTs Staff

• Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) >
• Biofuels >
• Biogas >
• Biomass >
• Distributed Generation (DG) >
• Energy Efficiency & Conservation >
• Energy Efficiency in Schools >
• Energy Production at Schools >
• Ground Source Heat >
• School Transportation Issues >
• Solar >
• Wind >

Minnesota Energy Systems: A Primer >
By The Minnesota Project & CERTs (March 2004)
This booklet provides CERTS members with a general overview of the systems that deliver the energy that runs our economy, keeps us warm, and provides necessities and conveniences of modern life.

Renewable Energy & Energy Conservation Resource Guide >
By Southwest CERT
This resource guidebook has been developed to enable the residents in Southwest Minnesota to access various renewable energy and energy conservation resources.

Renewable Energy Task List for Schools >
By CERTs Staff

15 Questions You Can Ask to Improve Building Efficiency >
By Rin Porter, Central CERT

Biogas Digesters

Anaerobic Digester Systems for Mid-Sized Dairy Farms >
By Amanda Bilek, The Minnesota Project
96% of Minnesota’s dairy farms have 200 cows or less. However, current anaerobic digester technologies are only economically feasible for dairy farms that have 300 cows or more. The Minnesota Project is beginning work on studying appropriate digester models for Minnesota’s average dairy farm.

Small Digesters: Jennissen Dairy Farm >
By Amanda Bilek, The Minnesota Project
Overview of small digesters in Minnesota with a focus on the Jennissen Farm.

Haubenschild Farms Anaerobic Digester >
By Carl Nelson & John Lamb, The Minnesota Project
This report was updated in August 2002 and provides detailed information about the Haubenschild digester project. Along with the report, The Minnesota Project website has a wealth of information on digesters.

Biomass

Farm-scale Oil Extraction & Sustainable Uses for Oil and Meal >
By UMN RSDP and Partners
As oil prices hover around $140/barrel, farmers are expressing interest in farm-based biofuel production to provide energy security and control of production costs. This project is focused on farm-scale opportunities to press oil from oilseed crops, specifically canola and sunflower, and utilize the products on-farm as an economically viable replacement for diesel fuel and livestock feed.

Energy from Biomass >
By Loni Kemp, The Minnesota Project
This report details the three most popular Minnesota energy crops (corn, alfalfa, and hybrid poplar) that could be as biomass fuels.

Renewable Energy from Farms: Building on the Principles of Sustainable Agriculture to Achieve Sustainable Energy >
By Carl Nelson, The Minnesota Project
This is a position paper of the Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, June 2002.

The Potential for Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration in Minnesota >
By MN Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Initiative
In 2007, the Minnesota State Legislature (ML 2007, ch. 57) requested that the University of Minnesota produce an assessment of the potential capacity for carbon © sequestration in Minnesota’s terrestrial ecosystems. This is February 2008 report to the Department of Natural Resources from the Minnesota Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Initiative.

Solar

Solar Pioneers: A Case Study of the Southeast Como Neighborhood Solar Thermal Project >
As part of their work on the emerging Metro Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) Network, Green Institute is proud to release this report 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.

Creating and Implementing Your Community Solar Plan >
By CERTs Staff
Overview of community solar project decision-making process and action steps to involve community members while also strengthening the relationships and the mission of your organization or group.

Wind

Community Wind Development Handbook >
By Rural Minnesota Energy Board and partners
This Handbook is designed to provide local community leaders of “wholesale” community wind projects with practical knowledge of what to expect when developing commercial-scale projects in the range of 2 to 50 Megawatts.

Minnesota State Wide Study of Dispersed Generation Potential >
By Matt Schuerger, Energy Systems Consulting, LLC, and Brian Antonich, Antonich Wind Energy Consulting
In 2007 the Minnesota Legislature adopted a requirement for a Statewide Study of Dispersed Generation Potential. The Minnesota Department of Commerce, community based energy developers, and advocates believe the results of the study can be used to help guide the development of locally-owned renewable energy projects which have the potential for significant economic benefit in rural Minnesota. Read this publication to learn more about how smaller dispersed wind projects can be incorporated into transmission systems that are approaching capacity.

2007 Minnesota Legislation Relating to Community Wind >
By Carl Nelson, The Minnesota Project
This summary by Carl Nelson summarizes the two major bills SF 145 and SF 2096 passed during the 2007 Minnesota legislative session that contained provisions relating to community wind.

Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) tariff fact sheet >
By CERTs Staff
Learn more about the C-BED tariff, a public policy adopted by the Minnesota Legislature in 2005 to promote more locally-owned and dispersed wind energy facilities within the state.

Minnesota Model Wind Energy Conversion Ordinance and Companion Document (2005)
By The Minnesota Project, Southwest Regional Development Commission, Minnesota Association of County Planning and Zoning Administrators; partially funded by CERTs

• Model Ordinance >
• Companion Document >

This model ordinance is based on real experience and real industry needs, focused on county government institutions and organizations. It was created to revise and update ordinances developed in the mid to late 1990s, and to allow members of the Clean Energy Resource Teams to learn more about wind zoning to ensure the development of reasonable standards in their counties.

Small Wind Energy Guide: Kandiyohi County, MN >
By Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission, Financial support from CERTs, among others (2007)
Most everything you need to know about getting a small wind project on the ground in Kandiyohi County, MN is contained in this document. This document will also be helpful to those outside Kandiyohi who want to work on small wind project development.

Community vs. Corporate Wind: Does it Matter Who Develops the Wind in Big Stone County, MN? >
By Arne Kildegaard, Ph.D. and Josephine Myers-Kuykindall, UMN Morris.
Also see the accompanying presentation.