News

If you are interested in electric vehicles (both plug-in or all electric), these are exciting times. Sales of electric vehicles have more than doubled in the U.S. during the first six months of 2013 compared to the same time period in 2012.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources posts state and federal funding opportunities on a regular basis. The list below includes solicitations of proposals for energy or environmental grant funding or other incentives from a wide variety of organizations. You may also get funding resources on their website, in a PDF or via email updates from Commerce.

The Energy Center of Wisconsin was awarded a 2011 Conservation and Applied Research Grant from the Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources for field testing drainwater heat recovery (DHR) systems in Commercial Buildings. DHR systems include replacing a portion of vertical drain pipe with a heat exchanger module.

Many businesses, including large commercial and industrial (C&I) facilities, have the potential to realize significant energy savings from untapped improvements in operations and maintenance (O&M) practices. However, financial obligations, time and staffing constraints, and existing institutional practices create significant barriers to implementation.

To reduce energy use and save on utility bills in its municipal facilities, Itasca County entered into a performance contract with Energy Services Group in 2010. Part of that contract called for upgrading the energy management controls in the 115,000 square-foot Itasca County Courthouse. You can learn about their many energy-saving projects in a case study from CERTs.

The City of Golden Valley used the Minnesota B3 Benchmarking tool and energy assessments to identify opportunities for energy savings in two of its buildings. Lighting improvements were identified as cost-effective energy saving measures to pursue. The lighting retrofits are now saving the city $2,500 per year in the two buildings.

It was a beautiful day to tour the state’s largest solar photovoltaic (PV) installation on July 19th, 2013 in Slayton, Minnesota. With the sun high and bright in the sky and only puffy white clouds to speak of, 35 members of SW/WC CERT toured the 7.5 football fields worth of solar panels working at maximum capacity. Keep reading to learn more and see lots of photos.

On those summer days that are particularly hot and sticky, the use of a ceiling fan in conjunction with air conditioning or natural ventilation may be your best choice to cool things down. The wind chill effect that increased air movement creates on skin means that turning on a ceiling fan will allow you to raise your home thermostat setting about 4 degrees with no reduction in comfort.

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz recently highlighted the continued growth of electric vehicle sales—doubling in the first 6 months of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012—as the Energy Department released its most recent pricing data showing the low cost of fueling on electricity. The eGallon, a quick and simple way for consumers to compare the costs of fueling electric vehicles vs.

A new report has been published that offers guidance to building officials and solar installers regarding the need for structural review of planned residential solar installations.

Renewable energy will be prominently featured at this year’s Home Energy exhibit at the 2013 Minnesota State Fair, with several displays dedicated to solar and wind energy.

The RFP for the CERTs 2014 Seed Grants will open in late August. To prepare, we’re providing some information so that you can become familiar with the application process and start thinking about your projects! The Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams will be seeking proposals for seed grant funds.

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Many refrigerators and freezers will continue to operate for 15-20 years or even longer. But whether or not these appliances are really working efficiently is another question. It is probably time to replace your old energy-hog refrigerator when it becomes too expensive to operate.

A lot of energy goes into powering parking garages, street lamps, traffic signals, and vehicles. Minnesotans have begun to take notice, and in 2009 several communities were given a great opportunity to try out transportation efficiency ideas with Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funding. The hubs of transportation in Minnesota, St.

The Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) has commissioned Minneapolis sculptor James Brenner to create an energy efficiency-themed public art piece within the Holland neighborhood to encourage and educate the community about energy conservation.

Minnesota utilities and statewide public benefits organizations were well represented in the recently released American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) Third National Review of Exemplary Energy Efficiency Programs. The Review recognizes and profiles best program practices and outstanding energy efficiency programs that serve electric and natural gas utility customers.

Last week the City of Minneapolis launched an aggressive new Climate Action Plan aimed at reducing greenhouse gas pollution. The plan provides a roadmap to reduce citywide greenhouse gases 15 percent by 2015 and 30 percent by 2025 from a 2006 baseline, which are goals adopted by the City Council in 2012.

According to the EPA in 2012, “drinking water and wastewater systems account for approximately 3-4 percent of energy use in the United States, resulting in the emissions of more than 45 million tons of Greenhouse Gases annually” (Energy Efficiency in Water and Wastewater Facilities 2013).

Tuesday, May 21, 2013, the Southeast Clean Energy Team (SE CERT) held an event highlighting four past seed grant recipients and their projects. The goal of the event was to get to know a little more about their experiences, what kind of lessons they learned, and what connections they made.