News

This article, written by Stacie Kimball, originally appeared in the Alexandria Echo Press.

The new District 206 high school in Alexandria will be energy efficient due to a decision made at the most recent school board meeting. At the meeting held on Monday, November 21, the District 206 School Board voted unanimously to pursue LEED certification for the high school project.

This article, by Brian Ojanpa, originally appeared in the Mankato Free Press.

A Mankato-area renewable energy advocacy group is looking to harness the wind, albeit on a modest scale.

This Brainerd Dispatch article, Tapping Wastewater: Probing Hidden Depths for Energy, by staff writer Renee Richardson, was originally posted on May 17, 2011.

A Brainerd research partnership may have far-reaching implications regarding energy and the economy—and it comes from a steady source that’s largely untapped. The source could be surprising.

This article, by By Thomas Content, originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Midwest can seize an advantage when it comes to developing homegrown energy on the farm, a new report says.

Minnesota got some bright news this month when the U.S. Department of Energy announced the recipients of its Sunshot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge. The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources (DER) was awarded more than $263,000 to help make solar installation faster and less expensive for small businesses and homeowners. Working with the City of St.

If you’re wondering what to give this holiday season, consider gifts that save energy. Energy savings is a gift that keeps giving year round. Otter Tail Power Company offers these energy-saving gift ideas for the people on your list.

LED desk or piano lamps: For students, musicians, and people with home offices, consider sleek and modern LED lamps designed for desk or piano.

Minnesota Department of Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman is representing the State of Minnesota at the White House today. Rothman is meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu, top White House energy officials, and more than 60 CEOs, mayors, energy leaders, and labor representatives from states around the country.

This was originally posted as a press release from the Department of Commerce.

As cold weather settles across Minnesota and furnaces kick in to high gear, the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources (DER) issued a consumer alert reminding consumers of some basic energy-saving measures to practice in the frigid winter months ahead.

Over the last 20 years, dozens of schools have installed renewable energy systems. Most of these installations have been in the last few years.

Each school’s story has been unique, with process and type of renewable energy systems ranging from large wind turbines generating most of the school’s energy to small solar systems that are designed to be portable educational tools only.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources (DER) requests proposals and fee schedules from qualifying firms and individuals to provide energy engineering services for the Local Government Public Buildings Enhanced Energy Efficiency Program (PBEEEP).

Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a 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.

Windustry and the Region Nine Renewable Energy Task Force are managing a Small Wind Bulk Buy Program to help rural enterprises take advantage of the state’s wind resources and net-metering laws.

The bulk purchase will be for machines ranging in size from 2.4 kW to 35kW, including Bergey 10kW, WTIC Jacobs 20kW, and Endurance 35kW wind turbines.

Originally posted on Midwest Energy News as Army goes solar at Minnesota training site by Dan Haugen.

One of the Midwest’s largest—and tallest—pole-mounted solar installations is being completed this week at a Minnesota military site. More than 370 solar panels shade, but don’t obstruct, the grounds of the Arden Hills Army Training Site, just north of St. Paul.

Hibbing Daily Tribune story, Silicon Energy makes first Range delivery, by Anna Kurth, staff writer.

Silicon Energy made its first Iron Range delivery of solar panel modules Tuesday to Hibbing Community College’s Photovoltaic Program.

The Environmental Protection Agency selected the Light Bulb Finder mobile app as the “Winner, Best Overall App” in the Apps for the Environment Challenge recently.

Developed by Eco Hatchery, the free app makes it easy to switch from incandescent to energy-efficient light bulbs with the right style, fit and light quality.

Article & photo by Madeline Salmon, TC Daily Planet

It’s a familiar scene, one that plays out year after year when the leaves have fallen: you drag out the bundle of Christmas lights from their dust-enshrouded summer tomb, only to discover when you plug them into the wall that the glow is gone.

The Reuben Youngerberg Memorial Biodiesel Essay Scholarship is given in memory of Reuben Youngerberg, and in honor of his son, Mike Youngerberg, senior director of field services at Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and huge supporter of biodiesel.

The scholarship is open to all Minnesota high school seniors who submit a 1,000-word essay on biodiesel to us by March 30, 2012.

Thanks to our friend Jan Hubbard at Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) for pulling this information together.

Jan Hubbard at MRES heard some concern that Solar*Rewards 2012 program funding is already exhausted, so he gave John Wold, the program manager for Xcel Energy in Minnesota, a call to get the story.

Did you recently unpack your boxes of holiday lights and end up feeling like this poor guy? Then now is the time to get rid of old, broken, inefficient light strands and upgrade to new, efficient LED holiday lights from your local hardware store!

CERTs is partnering again with the Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM), for the 2011-2012 holiday season on Recycle Your Holidays™.

Many who ride the bus in the Twin Cities know that a Go-To Card is a durable plastic fare card that works with just one touch and can be used over and over again.

On behalf of Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon (MnSCC), also briefly called Minnesota Schools Conserving Energy and Water, we want to thank all of the students, teachers, facility managers and school administrators who helped make the program a great success.