How did CERTs serve Minnesota communities in 2023?

We're pressing pause on 2024 so we can take a moment to look back and share the ways we worked with Minnesotans to move clean energy forward in 2023.

Expanded Community Reach

• Ambassadors Initiative: Launched with events and a toolkit for Minnesotans to help their communities access new clean energy programs. Over 800 Ambassadors engaged in 2023.

Supported Learning Opportunities

• Community Energy Network: Convened 80+ local government staff to explore clean energy opportunities.
• EV-Smart Cities and Native Nations: Advanced electric vehicle readiness, like the Ride-and-Drive event with Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Provided Direct Assistance

• Solar for Schools: One-on-one technical assistance to 45 public school districts.
• Food Shelves: Project assistance and funding information to 60+ food shelves.
• Local Jurisdictions: Moved projects forward, such as solar procurement in Faribault and heat pumps in La Crescent.

Conducted outreach to and assisted businesses and nonprofits with over 50 projects completed:

• Provided direct project assistance to rural small businesses and farms through Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota program.

• Connected rural grocery stores to energy audits and funding opportunities, reducing energy costs through efficiency measures.

• Developed partnerships to improve access to energy upgrades for small businesses in underserved corridors in the Metro.

• Partnered with Rural Minnesota Energy Board on an event about economic opportunities related to green hydrogen and ammonia.

• Received Energizing Rural Communities Prize for a new clean energy workforce partnership with White Earth Tribal and Community College and White Earth Nation.

• Hosted a clean energy careers event at the Heliene solar manufacturing facility in Mountain Iron.