News

Neighborhood Energy Service worked to save energy in the homes of St. Paul residents

In 2009, the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE) received a grant from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund to run a comprehensive neighborhood-based energy efficiency program in eight cities across Minnesota.

Neighborhood Energy Service worked to save energy in people's homes

Boilers, controls, and lighting renew Chisholm city buildings

The City of Chisholm’s 100-year-old City Hall Complex was in need of efficiency upgrades. Heat was not being dispersed evenly or efficiently throughout the building and lights were out-of-date and inefficient.

New LED Lighting Saves Thousands for Kandiyohi County Recycling Center

Kandiyohi County Recycling Center in Willmar, Minn. has reduced its energy load by 10,000 Watts due to replacing its high-pressure sodium lights with energy-saving LED lights. The cost of replacing the bulbs totaled $22,000—which will be paid back with decreased energy usage in about five and a half years.

Grand Marais and Ely Look to the Future of Biomass Fueled Heating Systems

Two northern Minnesota cities—Grand Marais and Ely—are looking to change the way they heat their homes and buildings. “We’ve got biomass coming out of our ears,” said Dave Olsen, a member of the Ely Alternative Energy Task Force; and it is with this biomass that the two communities would switch from fuel oil or propane to wood-burning district heating systems.

A warm welcome to Kelly Changalov, our new Metro CERT Intern

Metro CERT is happy to welcome Kelly Changalov on board as our new Intern. Kelly was a huge help at the CERTs 2013 Conference, chaperoning the charter bus on February 21st, and in the future will be helping with the Metro Affiliate Program, Splash Campaign, and events.

Fritz Ebinger joins CERTs to work on farm energy efficiency and rural solar

CERTs is very excited to announce its newest team member, Fritz Ebinger. Fritz will be working as The Minnesota Project’s Clean Energy Program Manager on farm energy efficiency and rural solar development initiatives.

Fritz has nearly 10 years of experience working with a variety of stakeholders on sustainable rural development matters.

Touring Energy and Resource Efficient Buildings on the North Shore

02/12/2013

Over 25 attendees joined Northeast Clean Energy Resource Teams (NE CERT) on a cold and blustery October 25th to learn about renewable energy, energy efficiency, and local food projects on the North Shore. The tour included visits at the Finland Community Center, the Finland Fire Hall, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, and Victus Farm of Silver Bay’s Eco-Industrial Park.

Local Governments gather in Saint Paul to learn about how they can reduce barriers to solar energy

Last week, over 40 city planners, permitting, and zoning staff from cities all over the metro area attended a workshop to learn more about solar development best practices as part of the Minnesota Solar Challenge that is funded as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Rooftop Solar Challenge.

CERTs Releases Complete 2013 Conference Agenda with Session Descriptions & Speaker Names

At the CERTs 2013 Conference, a half day of in-depth workshops and an evening reception on February 20th, 2013 will be followed by a full day of sessions, networking time, and exhibits on the 21st. With the conference less than three weeks away, we’re excited to share with you the full agenda for both days of the conference, complete with workshop and session descriptions and speaker names.

Get a sneak peek at Workshops happening at the CERTs 2013 Conference

There are already 300 people registered for the CERTs 2013 Conference, with many more joining each day. We hope you’ll choose to come, too—but we know you want to find out what you’ll get out of the program! The CERTs Conference is two days—February 20-21, 2013. It’s taking place at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud, MN.

North St. Paul Draws Engaged Crowd for Energy Efficiency Event

The City of North St. Paul, which may be best known by metro area locals as the home of a giant snowman accompanied by a wind turbine (both visible from State Highway 36 between highways 35E and 694), proved last week that smaller cities can have a huge impact when it comes to energy efficiency. Back in the summer of 2012, City of North St.

50 Minnesota cities actively working toward sustainability with GreenStep Cities Program

The GreenStep Cities program begins 2013 by announcing the 50th city to join the program.

At the end of December, the Maple Grove City Council approved a resolution for the city to take part in this voluntary program of the League of Minnesota Cities and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), among others.

Minnkota's PowerSavers Program helps students become energy savers

Minnkota Power Cooperative’s PowerSavers program has distributed nearly 2,300 energy-savings kits to area schools. Each kit contains energy-efficient devices that, if installed properly, can help save about 1,700 kilowatthours or $200 each year. Rarely can fifth- and sixth-graders at Goodridge Elementary School say they saved their family money by finishing a homework assignment.

City of Woodbury At-A-Glance

Metro CERT Affiliate at a Glance: Woodbury celebrates successes and looks to the future

Located just southeast of St. Paul, between the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers, the City of Woodbury, a Metro CERT Affiliate since January of 2010, has a track record of positioning itself as a leader in sustainability. Woodbury’s history with sustainability goes all the way back to 1986, when the City Council formed the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) to oversee recycling initiatives.

A packed City Hall in Woodbury for a 2012 SolarWorks workshop

Collaborating on Local Projects: Digging into the Regional Sessions at the CERTs 2013 Conference

The 5th Statewide CERTs Conference – Community-Driven Clean Energy – is coming up on February 20-21, 2013 in Saint Cloud, and more than ever before it will be focused on conversations and action. You should return home with connections, project ideas, and even collaborators who live and work in your part of the state.

The Good Life Cafe in Park Rapids weathers cold winter months with energy-saving upgrades

As a small business owner, Molly Luther of the The Good Life Cafe in Park Rapids knows first hand how important it is to save money. Luther is one of many businesses and other groups taking part in the Minnesota Water-Saving Bulk Buy from the Clean Energy Resource Teams. She was recently interviewed by Lakeland Public Television for a feature story.

Developer flips the switch on 7,040-panel solar PV project near Slayton (Minnesota's largest)

A new system built near Slayton with more than 7,000 solar panels is part of the boom in solar installations in Minnesota and across the United States—the latest sign of a banner year for solar installations.

Renewable power developer Ecos Energy said 7,040 solar panels outside of Slayton, MN began producing power Friday after being connected to Xcel Energy’s distribution system.

Net Zero-Energy Buildings: What are they, and are they sexy enough to woo builders?

So, what do former Metro CERT staff do when they leave? They put together videos about net zero buildings, of course! You can take the clean energy advocate out of the CERT, but you can’t take the CERT out of the clean energy advocate! Former Metro CERT staff Julia Eagles and Matt Santori collaborated with classmates at the Hubert H.

Burning for energy savings: Burnsville scores big with Ice Arena renovations

Thanks to a massive energy efficiency renovation, the Burnsville Ice Arena has become an impressive model of sustainability. Prior to the renovation, which began in 2010, the facility was in serious need of improvement. The ice center was producing 46% of CO2 emissions from city-owned buildings, making it one of the largest CO2 producers in Burnsville.

Efficient pre-rinse spray valves and aerators: The perfect stocking stuffer for water and energy savings?

Ihlen couple harnesses the wind, enjoys benefits of net metering

Gary Cernohous of Ihlen grinned about last month’s electric bill: $22. Cernohous and his wife, Cindy, began using wind-generated electricity two years ago as a way to lower their monthly $180 bill. He said his goal is to receive a check from Xcel for the electricity he generates.

Grant enables Elk River energy efficiency project at "Energy City" ice arena

12/19/2012

Elk River, Minnesota, is proactive about energy savings. The city earned Energy City status in 1997 from the Minnesota Environmental Initiative, and it has been a model for efficient and renewable energy ever since.

Golden Valley Gives the Green Light for Energy Savings

Golden Valley, a western suburb of Minneapolis that is home to a number of corporate headquarters, is crisscrossed with city, state and county roads. As a consequence, the city is responsible for maintaining and paying electricity bills for numerous traffic signals.

Students demonstrate community-wide water and energy savings: Westbrook-Walnut Grove YES! team

In case you don’t already receive the YES! Quarterly e-Newsletter, here’s a story you don’t want to miss! Thanks to Aleta for sharing this story of YES! in Action.

The Westbrook-Walnut Grove YES! team has partnered with Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership to install and demonstrate ways to increase water and energy savings in communities throughout the region.

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