Solar-powered vet clinic caring for animals, environment, bottom line

The project broke new ground as the first business to use Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing in Lake County. Dr. Overend chose PACE because it is easy to access, maintains cash flow for the business, and pays for itself over approximately 10 years time. The doctors wanted to share three pieces of their experience with others:

1. County support: Although it was the first, Dr. Overend said the county was supportive and helpful throughout the process. The proposal to introduce PACE financing passed easily in a county board meeting, and the zoning and permitting process also went smoothly.
2. Good vibes: Dr. Overend said the project has generated interest and positive feedback from the community and would recommend PACE financing to other businesses.
3. Financing details: While PACE was not able to cover the entire project cost due to a 20% of property value limit, PACE did cover the majority of the project cost, $32,000 out of the total $44,000.

Peter Lindstrom at CERTs works with local and county governments across Minnesota to help them learn about and implement the PACE financing program. To date, 73 of Minnesota’s 87 counties have adopted PACE. “Currently, 95 percent of the Minnesota population has access to this energy efficiency and renewable energy program,” Lindstrom said.

Cities and counties interested in participating in PACE enter into a Joint Powers Agreement with the St. Paul Port Authority, which is the authorized administrator of the program on behalf of the Department of Commerce. CERTs helps local governments and their businesses and nonprofits with this process.

“The goal is to improve their HVAC systems, lighting, and other systems that use electricity to be more efficient,” Lindstrom said. “This program is also a job creator. Local companies are hired to complete the energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.” 

Other motivations for exploring PACE include addressing building comfort issues for customers and demonstrating a commitment to sustainability. “Installing a solar array is a clear signal to customers that this business has a commitment to sustainability,” Lindstrom said. 

According to Lindstrom, the over 300 completed PACE projects across the state have amounted to significant savings. The St. Paul Port Authority gathers data from program participants, and estimates PACE’s energy savings at 500 billion BTUs per year in Minnesota. “It is roughly what 16,000 homes uses annually for electricity,” Lindstrom said.

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