News

For a limited time only, Minnesota businesses and organizations have the opportunity to dramatically cut their water and energy use with simple, inexpensive upgrades. This statewide Water Saving Bulk Buy Program is an effort of the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) and Niagara Conservation.

April 29, 2011, Rochester, MN – Did you know that Rochester is home to Minnesota’s first electric car charging station? Over 60 people joined the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) and Cascade Meadow Wetlands & Environmental Science Center April 26 to learn more about electric cars and their needed infrastructure from utility representatives, and a University Extension educator.

Several years ago, CERTs teamed up with the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI ) to created the Minnesota Biomass Exchange.

We recently updated our statewide map of solar and small wind installers and dealers (based on the updated list compiled by the Office of Energy Security)… Wow, take a look at all the little suns on the map across the state! This got us thinking of the entrepreneurial energy that continues to build in the solar energy sector (both photovoltaic and thermal) here in Minnesota.

The CERTs & EnergyMisers, LLC VendingMiser Bulk Buy Opportunity is only available through midnight on Monday, May 2nd! Join the dozens of groups across the state saving energy and making their vending operations more profitable! Fill out our order form to secure your savings, or click here to learn more. The average beverage vending machine costs around $300 to power every year.

The City of Maplewood started an environmental committee in 2004. In September of 2005 the Maplewood City Council adopted an Environmental and Natural Resources Commission ordinance and the committee became a full commission. The city has made some drastic improvements in their older buildings including new energy efficiency boilers, a new HVAC system, and indoor and outdoor lighting upgrades.

Friday, April 8, 2011, Duluth, MN – Duluth spends $200 million a year on energy costs, with $80 million of that in the residential sector, primarily to heat homes.

Central Lakes College, working with Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment, Inc., is currently offering free training in renewable energy and energy efficiency. For dislocated workers and current business employees, the two-part series starts April 18 in the Business and Industry Center on the Brainerd campus. Space is limited, and there are eligibility requirements.

To meet the growing demand among Minnesota residents and businesses for solar energy systems, the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) has just updated an easy-to-use, interactive map of the known solar installers across Minnesota, with information compiled by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security.

Wednesday, March 21, 2011, Minneapolis, MN – Food service businesses—mostly restaurants and grocery stores—use 2.5 times more energy than the average commercial business. Think about it: all the stoves, ovens, heat lamps, dish washers, refrigerators, and fryers turning out meal after meal. It makes sense that they are energy intensive.

MEEA, in partnership with US EPA, is pleased to announce Midwest Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) calls—a series aimed at creating a dialogue to discuss issues relevant to whole-home programs in the Midwest. The target audience for these periodic calls will be staff from organizations that are currently running or considering HPwES or whole-home programs.

The Office of Energy Security is filling an Information Officer 2 position. If you are interested in applying for this position, click here to see the full posting and apply for the job. Overview: Provide professional communication services to the Department of Commerce (DOC), particularly in the Energy Division.

Minnesota farmers are leading the clean energy revolution in the agriculture world, according to a recent report from the USDA. The On-Farm Renewable Energy Production Survey issued just last month puts Minnesota farms ahead of the pack when it comes to methane production as well as the number and capacity of small wind turbines.

On March 15th, 2011, District Energy St. Paul Inc. (St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.) completed the largest solar thermal project in the upper Midwest region of the United States, located on the roof of the Saint Paul RiverCentre convention center in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Now, try not to be overwhelmed…

CERTs has just made available to the public all of the presentations and audio from the CERTs 2011 Clean Energy Convergence that took place on February 2-3 in St.

Join Metro Clean Energy Resource Team (CERT), Affiliates, Partners and Friends to celebrate our fourth year of connecting communities to resources, hear about our first round of seed grants to Twin Cities Metro communities, and learn about our new energy efficiency campaigns and other resources. The program will be followed by refreshments and lots of time for networking.

Three USDA programs are now accepting applications for a slate of new funding for biofuel production and use. Announced on March 14, as much as $573 million in funding will be available through loan guarantees, financial assistance and producer payments.

This post is from the Energy $ense blog by Energy Smart.

The Center for Energy & Environment, a Minneapolis energy efficiency organization, is now offering no-interest loans to 501©3 nonprofit organizations across Minnesota looking to make energy improvements.

The funding for this program was made available through federal stimulus funding received by the Minnesota Office of Energy Security.