Twelve Conservation Applied Research and Development (CARD) grants have been awarded by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources (DER) from last year’s request for proposals (RFP). Over $2.3 million in grants were awarded in three different funding topics identified in the RFP: Field Testing of New Technologies; Testing or Demonstration of Innovative Program Implementation Strategies; White Papers Addressing Specific Problems, Underutilized Opportunities or Potential for Pioneering Technologies or Concepts.
Grant projects were chosen from among 64 proposals submitted by the May 7, 2012 deadline. Subjects for the grants are varied and range from a project that will analyze Minnesota’s current net metering rules and standby rates in relation to CHP opportunities, to a project which will deploy and field test an advanced heat recovery system for large commercial and industrial boilers. In addition to the $2.3 million provided by DER, grantees are contributing over $600,000 in matching funds or resources, resulting in total costs for the funded projects of over $2.9 million.
The purpose of the grants is to identify new technologies or strategies to maximize energy savings, improve the effectiveness of energy conservation programs, and document carbon dioxide reductions in conservation projects.
Grantees include a range of nonprofit and for-profit groups, many of which have years of experience working with utilities to help them achieve energy conservation goals. The grant funds are ultimately intended to benefit the State of Minnesota and Minnesota ratepayers through the Conservation Improvement Programs (CIPs) that utilities operate. All programs, products and services generated by the grants will be delivered to utility customers, end-users and trade partners located in Minnesota.
The 2012 CARD grantees and their projects, divided by funding topic, include:
Field Testing of New Technologies:
- Reducing the Energy Cost of Effective Ventilation in Multi-Unit Buildings – Center for Energy & Environment, Minneapolis: $148,348
- Condensing Boiler Optimization – Center for Energy & Environment, Minneapolis: $209,232
- Saving Energy by Reducing Duct Leakage in Large Commercial & Institutional Buildings – Center for Energy & Environment, Minneapolis: $380,155
- Advanced Heat Recovery System Field Deployment – Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, Ill.: $743,603
Testing or Demonstration of Innovative Program Implementation Strategies:
- Cost-Effective Recommissioning of Restaurants – Michaels Energy, Inc., La Crosse, Wis.: $276,410
- Dairy Cooperative Partnerships for Improved Efficiency Program Adoption – The Minnesota Project, St. Paul: $210,232
- Motivating Manufacturing Energy Efficiency: E2 Assessments and GreenLean(SM) Training with Directed Implementation Assistance – University of Minnesota—MN Technical Assistance Program, Minneapolis: $177,488
White Papers Addressing Specific Problems, Underutilized Opportunities, or Potential for Pioneering Technologies or Concepts:
- Window Retrofit Technologies for Increased Energy Efficiency without Replacement – Center for Energy & Environment, Minneapolis: $47,224
- Heat Pump Water Heaters: Savings Potential in Minnesota – Center for Energy & Environment, Minneapolis: $25,941
- Increasing Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Opportunities to Aid Minnesota’s Energy Savings Goal: Analyzing Net Metering Rules and Standby Rates – University of Illinois at Chicago, Energy Resources Center, Chicago: $23,040
- Researching Energy Conservation Potential at Minnesota Data Centers – University of Minnesota – MN Technical Assistance Program, Minneapolis: $46,781
- Integrating Benchmarking and the Green Button Initiative – The Weidt Group, Inc., Minnetonka: $50,000
You can learn more about CARD on the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources website. For questions or more information on any of these grants contact Mary Sue Lobenstein, R&D Program Administrator.
