News

Reposted from Cleantechnica and Greentech Media with permission. Article by Shayle Kann.
Last month GTM Research published a report on the U.S. residential solar financing landscape. We undertook that research partly because we perceived a general lack of understanding of both who the residential third-party ownership (TPO) companies are and how they are differentiated.

There is a new kid on the block when it comes to biomass energy: torrefaction—the process of making biocoal out of biomass. Working to discover all of its advantages is Douglas G. Tiffany of the University of Minnesota and a team of partners. Currently, torrefied biomass boasts a reduction in greenhouse gasses by 85% per unit of energy substituted for coal.

“We believe in the power of the sun” was the slogan for the small, Durham, North Carolina 4th grade class that together succeed in making their classroom 100% solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered. When the class, taught by Aaron Sebens, started a Kickstarter campaign, Our Solar Powered Classroom, they could not have imagined how far the project would exceed their expectations.

Eagan, Minnesota residents, Don and Pat Vasatka, struggled with a problem many Minnesotans face: ice dam build ups and leaks. However, unlike most residents, the Vasatka’s decided to take an innovative and energy efficient approach that would do more than put a Band-Aid on the problem, it would heal it completely.

One of the newest developments in the electric fence industry is the increased use of solar-powered electric fences, which are slowly taking hold in Minnesota, in part through a new statewide program. What are solar electric fence chargers, and how do they work? Like a normal electric fence, a solar-powered electric fence can be used to protect livestock, pets, or land from wildlife and pests.

The U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities University Workforce Development Program (CCWUDP) has 29 workforce development program positions open across the nation. The Development Program is a wonderful opportunity for undergraduate (juniors or seniors) or graduate students to gain experience in energy and transportation areas.

The signs of March Madness are everywhere: brackets litter office desks, smart phones buzz in a melody of score updates, the squeaking chirps of fast moving feet on wood floors echo from every sports bar and restaurant.

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Are you a part of a local government unit that wants to adopt solar energy? Good news! The U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative has created a new website, the SunShot Solar Outreach Partnership (SolarOPs) that helps local governments adopt solar energy by providing timely and actionable information.

If you didn’t know, the Midwest Independent System Operator or MISO is responsible for delivering cost-effective electric power to Minnesota and 14 other states in the U.S., as well as parts of Canada. MISO and its members attempt to strengthen the transmission network while bringing benefits to their consumers.

One way they do this is through adding forms of renewable energy to the power grid.

Hi. I’m Jeff Vetsch and my family (the Mill Pond Minimizers) is going head to head with another Minnesota family (the Prairie Penny Pinchers) to see who can save more energy in the CERTs Family Energy FACE-OFF — and we need your help! I recently sat down and added up our household energy bills for 2012.

CERTs is happy to welcome Kristi Loobeek on board as our new Communications Assistant. Kristi helped out at the CERTs 2013 Conference on Feb. 21 at the registration table and in the future will be working on maintaining the CERTs blog, writing press releases, and being a helping hand with all things related to communications.

Kristi is currently a senior at Concordia University, St. Paul.

In these cold Minnesota winters, it’s important to know all your options when it comes to energy and heating savings. The Energy Response Corps has taken the initiative to create an online tool to evaluate how much energy your home is losing due to Heat Bleed.

As Minnesota cities face tighter budgets, the need for money-saving innovations without cutting services, grows rapidly. One place to find savings is through sustainability, which is where a state program aimed at a number of factors—from improving energy-efficient public buildings to innovative waste-collection systems—is helping. Introducing: Minnesota GreenStep Cities.