News

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) contains over $18 billion in energy efficiency funding that qualifying entities (primarily states, cities, and counties) can pursue. The primary objectives of this funding are to build jobs, save energy, and build energy efficiency infrastructure for the longer-term.

Overview: The Executive Committee of the ‘Renewable Energy Marketplace – An Alliance for Talent Development’ (MNREM) is requesting Proposals from businesses and organizations in the 36-county MNREM region.

  So you’re convinced that NOW is the time to make energy efficiency and renewbale energy improvements and you’ve visited ENERGY STAR to learn about it.

John Myers – 06/10/2009 Duluth News Tribune The McQuade Road safe harbor just outside Duluth became the first solar-powered boat landing in Minnesota on Tuesday. Crews were bolting 2 kilowatts of solar panels on an I-beam to feed electricity into the Minnesota Power grid—hopefully enough to offset the power used by the restrooms and parking lot lights at the new landing on Lake Superior.

CERTs partner The Minnesota Project welcomes you to join us for a 90-Minute Introduction to the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. The webinar is free and will be held on June 25th, 2009 from 1:30-3:00pm CDT. Continue reading to learn more and register to participate on the web or in person.

Via Mankato Free Press (Prairie grass slated for biofuel use) For years, there has been talk and plans for converting grass to energy. Beginning this fall, several groups plan to actually do it. “We wanted to do something on the ground. We already have the fuel and we have an end user in place,” said Neal Feeken, renewable energy coordinator for The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota.

Via KARE 11 (Solar power gets boost from stimulus and new laws) and Star Tribune (Incentives giving solar projects a bright boost) State lawmakers, mayors, and industry executives gathered yesterday to announce legislation and federal recovery money coming out of this session targeted to renewable energy, especially solar power.

Financial Monitor – Closes 06/10/2009
The purpose of this position is ensure that the DOE Weatherization Program is in compliance with all applicable Federal and State requirements related to the fiscal and/or administrative functions of the program.

Do you have strong community organizing and facilitation skills, top-notch written and oral communications skills, and experience implementing effective communications strategies? Do you have a working knowledge of and experience with renewable energy and energy efficiency issues and projects? If you answered yes to these questions, we’d like to hear from you.

Why Bike Walk Week Gives Me Warm Fuzzies
Crossposted from the Transit for Livable Communities blog, by Katie Eukel, Communications Manager

It’s a rare day when I’m excited to get up at 4:00am. Bike/Walk to Work Day might be an exception. I was stationed at the Green Institute, helping to manage media outreach efforts for the morning.

Owatonna Public Utilities, in partnership with Austin Utilities, is the fourth utility in the country to use Positive Energy’s Conserve and $ave Home Energy Report program to allow their customers to compare their usage to neighbors whose homes are of comparable size, and make energy efficiency choices accordingly.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) contains over $18 billion in energy efficiency funding that qualifying entities (primarily states, cities, and counties) can pursue. The primary objectives of this funding are to build jobs, save energy, and build energy efficiency infrastructure for the longer-term.

WASHINGTON (CNN)—The House on Thursday passed a $6.4 billion school modernization bill that would commit funds for the construction and update of more energy-efficient school buildings. The measure will now move to the Senate for further review. The legislation, according to the House Education and Labor Committee, also makes schools part of the effort to revive the U.S.

The Green Institute, coordinator of Metro CERTs, and our friends at the Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center hosted our second annual Brake for Breakfast event today for Bike/Walk to Work Week. 273 people ate breakfast (probably more who forgot to sign in), many of them on the windy green roof, from 7-9am today—including Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak! See what one participant had to say.

SunChips and National Geographic have joined forces to create the Green Effect, an initiative to inspire individuals to spark a green movement in their communities. YOU could be the one to make a difference in your community—for the planet! Submit a description of your Green Effect idea by June 8, 2009. Ten finalists will be announced July 7, 2009.

New IRS Incentives, From Cold to Hot
STILL looking for ways to lower your taxes? Greening your home means you can get more greenbacks in return. The stimulus plan approved by Congress in February offers tax credits for making your home more energy efficient.

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According to ENERGY STAR, Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) use significantly less energy than traditional light bulbs (75% less), and produce less mercury than traditional bulbs.

St. Paul, MN — On May 7, 2009 Governor Pawlenty signed the Environment Budget bill, which includes $1.25 million over the biennium for the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) program.

We’d like to congratulate Preston Public Utilities and the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency for their Catch Savings In Preston program. This was a grand attempt to change out all the incandescent lamps in residences of Preston with high-quality, energy-saving CFLs.

On April 15, 2009 Metro CERTs successfully hosted an event at the St. Paul Science Museum to celebrate their one-year anniversary, share community clean energy projects and approaches, and allow for those in attendance to connect over some fantastic food and drink.

Hot off the presses! The Office of Energy Security (OES) released a report last week summarizing both Phase I and Phase II of the Minnesota Solar Electric Rebate Program. Overview: Minnesota achieved a milestone of more than one megawatt of total solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2008.

Beginning May 1, 2009 the Minnesota Legislature increased biodiesel mix to 5% for all diesel fuel. Previously, diesel contained only 2% biodiesel. This increase represents the second of four state mandates with the last one coming in 2015 at a 20% biodiesel mix statewide. The mandated increase could not come at a better time for the biodiesel industry, which has been idling.

  Stadium & Downtown Minneapolis. Officials commissioned a steam line yesterday that runs from the Minneapolis Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) to the new Twins stadium and downtown Minneapolis district heating system run by NRG Energy. HERC is a waste-to-energy facility located in downtown Minneapolis.