News

The Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) are kicking off their new “CERTified Campaigns” program today with their first campaign aimed at placing 200 VendingMisers on cold-drink vending machines, resulting in energy savings of over 335,000 kilowatt hours per year—which amounts to roughly $26,800.

The Minnesota Office of Energy Security, Department of Commerce announced yesterday that their residential solar electric and solar hot water rebates are now available. Applications for Minnesota’s new Residential Solar Electric and Solar Hot Water Rebates are now available at www.energy.mn.gov.

WASHINGTON, DC – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to increasing energy efficiency and reducing costs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy announced today the creation of the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network.

5 Unique Ways to Go Green if You’re Living in a Dorm by Zach Miners in U.S. News and World Report features St.Olaf College.

Opening paragraph: College is often termed the best years of your life. Now, recent trends suggest that it is also becoming pretty green.

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is seeking up to three communities who want to learn how to capitalize on the assets of renewable energy to increase their local economies. As part of the grant, SMIF will provide up to $15,000 for community projects along with training and coaching.

Over 1,000 people are already signed up to attend the Greentech Media sponsored Webinar on U.S. PV manufacturing being held this Wednesday, January 27.

The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society is turning 30 years old, and they have big plans for their celebration on Friday, February 19, 2010 at Crowne Plaza Hotel in St. Paul.

The Office of Energy Security, Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Community Action Partnerships received an award from the U.S. Department of Energy last week recognizing them for putting stimulus dollars for Minnesota’s weatherization program to good work.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $132 million in weatherization assistance funds.

Retailers and interested members of the public should join the Minnesota Office of Energy Security for a webinar on January 15th from 11am-12pm to review the upcoming appliance rebate program that will be specific to Minnesota residents. The webinar agenda is as follows:     1. Program Overview     2. Program Eligibility & Requirements     3. Program Delivery & Online Experience     4.

As we kick off 2010, we are excited to announce the projects awarded CERTs seed grants in each of the seven Minnesota CERTs regions. These catalyzing grants of up to $11,000 will help projects garner further funding and bring communities together in identifying and implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

The federal stimulus bill gave money to state governments earmarked for energy-savings initiatives. Minnesota is using $4.1 million of its federal funding to provide grants to commercial, industrial and nonprofit property owners planning to make substantial energy-efficiency and/or renewable-energy improvements in 2010 and 2011.

As big storms and frigid temperature descend on the Twin Cities, some lucky homeowners are getting expert help battening down the hatches and lowering their utility bills. The bonus? It’s costing them peanuts.

Image by David Joles, Star Tribune

Two Twin Cities nonprofits are making homes more energy-efficient. The cost to homeowners: $30 each. Their utility-bill savings average $127 a year.

NW CERT is hiring a coordinator to help staff their region of Minnesota. The Coordinator will be instrumental in working with various organizations and individuals to move community-scale projects forward within the region by connecting people with the technical resources they need to identify and implement local energy efficiency and clean energy projects.

It has already been a cold winter, and we are just getting started! Before too much of that air you are heating sneaks out of your home, consider doing some work to tighten up your home and make it more efficient and comfortable this winter.

A recent forum, Energy Conservation in Minnesota: Meeting the Challenge, was hosted by the Minnesota Environmental Initiative (MEI).

Global Warming Solutions Coordinator, Fresh Energy: Work with Fresh Energy’s innovative and aggressive Global Warming Solutions program.

From a new CERTs-supported effort called EmPowering Kandiyohi to recently installed wind turbines, Willmar is experiencing a flurry of clean energy action.

As many folks know, October 24th was the International Day of Climate Action organized by environment activist guru Bill McKibben (www.350.org). Across the country and world, communities came together to show their support of the day by engaging in rallies and demonstrations of all sorts and Metro CERT was one of those many communities.

It’s that time of year again, bring out your holiday lights and untangle the wadded mess, but what do you do with the strings that no longer light up? Most people just throw them in the trash, but not anymore.

This two-day event, hosted by University of Minnesota Extension and the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment, will bring together national and local players from Minnesota’s bioeconomy to explore renewable energy opportunities. Day one features national presentation and day two is focused on opportunities for Minnesota.

NOVEMBER 9th, SLAYTON, MN — The Southwest and West Central Clean Energy Resource Teams seek temporary appointment of Southwest and West Central CERT Regional Coordinator(s).

The Office of Energy Security and CERTs are co-hosting this webinar to share information about three programs from the Office of Energy Security for local governments in Minnesota.

  What is Neighborhood Energy Services?   The Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC) and the Metro Clean Energy Resource Team (CERT) are teaming up with other nonprofits, businesses and government to provide this program in Saint Paul. The first step for those who want to participate in the program is to attend a FREE workshop on saving energy and money in your home.