David Abazs, Northeast CERT Coordinator

David Abazs begins as new Northeast CERT Coordinator

The Clean Energy Resource Teams are pleased to welcome David Abazs as our new Coordinator for the Northeast Region. David has a deep background with both renewable energy and CERTs, and we couldn’t be more excited to introduce him to you! We asked David to share a little bit about himself, his background, and what he’s looking forward to with CERTs.

“Living simply so that others may simply live” has been a life mission of my family and renewable energy and conservation have been the building blocks of my efforts. I am excited to connect with individuals and communities to help provide the resources needed to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects.

In 1988, my wife and I established Round River Farm, a solar and wind powered off-the-grid family farm along the North Shore of Lake Superior, providing fresh organic produce through a Community Supported Agriculture structure for families from Two Harbors to Grand Marais. I direct the Wolf Ridge Organic Farm designed to eventually provide all of the vegetables for the over 160,000 meals served at the cafeteria each year. I also established Victus Farm, an aquaponics and algal facility for the City of Silver Bay, and the Organic Consumer Association AgroEcology Center, a permaculture farm with a Deep Winter Greenhouse in Finland, MN. In my spare time I engage in research in local food systems, garlic, aquaponics, soils, agrophenology and create regional farming and energy curriculum.

My renewable energy efforts started out of necessity when my wife and I moved to a remote location with no utilities and limited funds. Conservation and renewable energy were the cornerstone of developing our homestead and farm where we raised two sons and a barn full of livestock. Through the years, I gained the skills needed to start Round River Renewables LLC to provide energy and conservation consultation, design and install renewable energy systems and sustainable living products. I have helped folks provide technological and lifestyle choices to “green” their lives, homes, and businesses. As Chair of the Finland Township board, my community and I were honored to accept a 2018 Minnesota Clean Energy Community Award from the Minnesota Department of Commerce for our ongoing work on conservation, green buildings, and for achieving the highest per capita PV production status in the continental USA.

I look forward to channeling my renewable and conservation efforts in Northeast MN with my personal and professional experiences. Not only will I reach out to all communities and sectors of our region, I have compiled a team of individuals to help diversify and broaden the expertise, skills, and energy that will be brought to the job ahead. In Northeast MN, keep an eye out for David Abazs and the team, including Brianna Crowley, Colby Abazs, and Julia Kloehn.

Say hi and introduce yourself to David, and let him know what kinds of projects you’re trying to get done!

David Abazs
Northeast CERT Coordinator
Round River Renewables
Finland, MN
[email protected]
218-353-7736

And a big thanks to Brian Bluhm for his time with CERTs as the previous Northeast Coordinator!

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