News

“Why would you have your vending machine lights and compressors on or running when nobody is around?” asked Bill Bieganek of EnergyMisers, LLC, the Minnesota company that sells the “VendingMiser”. You might not know it, but the average beverage vending machine runs more often than is needed to keep drinks cold and attract customers.

Congratulations, Minneapolis! Bicycling Magazine just awarded Minneapolis with the top ranking for their “America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities” feature. Here’s what Bicycling Magazine had to say about Minneapolis: “Despite the cold wintertime climate, Minneapolis has a thriving bike community.

Some of the best legislation yet to help consumers, manufacturers and construction workers in the nation became law today in Minnesota, when Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the Jobs bill—which will bring benefits for clean, renewable energy as well as jobs.

Green Institute seeks an Energy Efficiency Technical Specialist whose primary responsibility is to provide support to the Community Energy Program at The Green Institute. The position reports directly to the Community Energy Program Manager. To apply: Please submit application with cover letter to [email protected] or to Nancy Kelly at 2801 21st Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55407.

This presentation from Metro CERT’s Julia Eagles outlines simple ways that you can save energy and money in your own home by taking action today! Click on the link below to download a copy of the presentation for yourself, or watch the presentation using the slide viewer.

Spring is here, the ponds and prairie potholes are opening up, and all across our region good things are happening! In New London, the NL-S YES! team is building solar thermal panels to help reduce the heating costs for the Little Theatre.

More and more of you have been visiting the CERTs site on your mobile phones, and we now have content just for you! You can take CERTs with you on the go with our mobile content. Take out your phone and save m.mncerts.

According to Peter Kelly with the Halifax News Net, his city’s economy held its own in 2009, aided in part by wide adoption of VendingMisers! Read on to learn how. Story from Peter Kelly, Halifax News Net: Our city held its own in 2009. Keep in mind that dollar amounts mentioned in the article are in Canadian Dollars.

Lissa Pawlisch and Diana McKeown of the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) announce the launch of the new CERTified Campaigns at the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society’s 30th Anniversary Gala on February 19th, 2010.

The CERTified Campaigns program will provide Minnesotans with clear and actionable ways to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in their community.

What are green appliances? With all the buzz about efficient appliances lately, you might have heard of “vampire power” or “phantom loads”. This is the electricity that is used by your appliances even when they are not in use. The most common culprits of this tragedy are the plasma screen televisions, gaming systems, computers, and stereo set-ups.

From the New York Times article Made in the U.S.A.: Efficiency Materials by Kate Galbraith

While solar and wind manufacturers struggle to fend off Chinese competition, energy efficiency equipment seems to have no such problem.

February 2-3, 2011 Saint Cloud Civic Center 10 4th Avenue South, Saint Cloud, MN 56301 Join CERTs and hundreds of other Minnesotans for our fourth biennial conference! CERTs connects you and your community members with resources to identify and implement energy efficiency & renewable energy projects. The conference website will continue to grow as the event approaches at 2011.MNCERTs.org.

The Rochester Area 2010 Think Green Fair will take place from 10am-9pm on June 26th, 2010 at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds, Graham Park.

It’s true that the cash-for-appliances program that began Monday in Minnesota ran out of money Tuesday morning. But don’t loose hope! Many utilities across the state are still offering their own rebates for new ENERGY STAR appliances, as well as incentives for trading in your old appliances! Check to see if your utility has rebates for ENERGY STAR appliance purchases and/or related programs.

Consumers would collect on-the-spot rebates of $1,000 or more for buying insulation, water heaters or other equipment to make their homes burn energy more efficiently under a rebate program President Barack Obama is promoting.

Obama traveled to Savannah, Ga., on Tuesday to outline the Home Star program, which was left out of the jobs bill in December.

All rebate funds have been reserved for the Minnesota Trade-in & Save Appliance Program! This means that applications are no longer being accepted at http://www.mnappliancerebate.com.

You’ve heard about it; you’ve known it was coming…but this morning, Monday, March 1st at 8am it goes live! It’s your chance to save $200 on a new ENERGY STAR Appliance…and to recycle that old clunker! Get the full scoop here: appliancerebates.mncerts.

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.