News

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.

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.

Article by Frank Jossi, Midwest Energy News.

Five Minnesota-made electric vehicles with rooftop solar panels will soon find homes at Naval bases in Texas and Mississippi.

Manufactured by e-Ride Industries in Princeton, the low-speed vehicles can travel between 40 and 45 miles on a single charge and have the same power as a gasoline-powered small pickup.

This summer on Saturday, August 20th Badgersett Farm in Southeast Minnesota had a huge public event, that, among other exciting activities, provided an opportunity for CERTs folks to tour their awesome solar greenhouse. I asked owner Phil Rutter to tell us a little more.

Article by Rachel Raveling at Minnesota Daily

University researcher Fotis Sotiropoulos made one last phone call Tuesday afternoon, and the person on the other end flipped the switch on a wind turbine at the Eolos Wind Research Station. The 426-foot tall, 2.5-megawatt wind turbine is part of the University of Minnesota Outreach, Research and Education Park in Rosemount, Minn.

As the weather gets colder, we’ve decided to re-post our most popular blog post of all time from one of our favorite people of all time!

Phil Smith, a now-retired Energy Specialist at the Minnesota Division of Energy Resources, MN Department of Commerce, answers a question from a Southeastern Minnesota resident preparing to re-shingle her roof.

Story by Tom Robertson, Minnesota Public Radio.

Near the shore of the Mississippi River, a small brick facility called a screen house is an example of this city’s efforts to save money, and cope with dwindling amounts of Minnesota’s local government aid.

The Minnesota Division of Energy Resources website recently went through a major overhaul, and it looks great!

Even more importantly, they’ve made it easier for you to find the information that you’ve come to depend on for various technologies and funding and financing opportunities.

There was a lot of media coverage of the solar panels being installed on the south side of the RiverCentre’s parking garage.

CERTs thinks this is a great example of how to combine energy efficiency with renewable energy.

As electric cars start to hit showrooms in Minnesota in the coming weeks, we wanted to help folks understand more about this exciting technology.

The Nelson Farm in Litchfield, MN is home to what we think must be the nation’s best corn maze this year. The maze features a wind turbine and the phrase “Go Green” in celebration of local wind energy production.

“We’ve seen two wind farms go up since the past spring,” says Don Nelson, owner of Nelson Farm.