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New Opportunities for Solar Energy in MN

Lissa Pawlisch, CERTs 2015 Midwest Farm Energy Conference

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Mission: We connect individuals and their communities to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects

CERTs: Minnesotans Building a Clean Energy Future

Partnership

Solar comes in three flavors

1. Electric (PV)

2. Thermal: Air Heat

3. Thermal: Hot Water

Solar in MN Economy

Source: MN DEED. October 2014. MN Clean Energy Economy Profile. http://mn.gov/deed/images/Solar%20Energy.pdf

Solar Prices are Falling

Sources: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/04/solar-panel-cost-trends-10-charts/

and http://mn.gov/deed/images/Solar%20Energy.pdf

Installations are Climbing

Source: Stacy Miller, MN Dept of Commerce. Presentation at Gateway to Solar Conference, Nov. 2014.

Business: Dairy & Crop Farm

Location: Royalton, MN

Approach: Renewable Energy

Technology: 10kW Solar PV, 20kW Small Wind Turbine

Annual Energy Savings: 26,500 kWh

Total Project Cost: $102,000

Cost to Owner: $26,810 after grants and rebates

Funding: REAP, Utility

Popp Family Farm

Business: Dairy Farm

Location: Altura, MN

Approach: Renewable Energy

Technology: 166 PV panels, 39,840 watt system

Annual Energy Generation: 30% of farm’s electricity

Total Project Cost: $184,000

Cost to Owner: <$40,000 after Xcel rebate, federal tax credits

Good candidate for REAP

Gibbs Dairy Farm

Business: Dairy Farm

Location: Goodhue County

Approach: Renewable Energy

Technology: Four 4x8’ Solar Skies solar hot water collectors

Annual Energy Savings: 4,700 kWh

Total Project Cost: $14,000

Cost to Owner: $9,000 after a CERTs Seed Grant

Good candidate for REAP

Reese Family Dairy Farm

Minnesota is sunny enough

Drivers of MN Solar

Federal Investment tax credits – • 30% through 2016 • Accelerated Depreciation • Falls to 10% in 2017

2013 Policy • 1.5 % Solar Energy Standard • Xcel’s Community Solar Garden

requirement (>600 MW in queue) • Made in MN Solar Incentives • Net Metering updates

1.5% Solar by

2020: 400 MW

Total as of 2014: 19 MW

But siting still matters

Finding the sunniest places

The Minnesota Solar Suitability App displays solar insolation and solar photovoltaic (PV) potential with 1 square meter resolution for the entire state of Minnesota. It was created using Lidar data and GIS technology.

http://maps.umn.edu/solar

Solar doesn’t work for everyone

Photo from: http://www.greenbeltsolar.com/solar_shading_article.html Photo from: http://www.forrent.com/apartment-community-profile/1019896.php, Rosedale Estates II

Centrally-located solar PV systems that provide electricity to participating subscribers

Community Solar Gardens

Utility by Utility

Current projects

Current projects – map view

Runestone Electric Association

http://www.runestoneelectric.com/informationsafety_comm_solar.cfm

Kandiyohi Power Cooperative

http://www.kpcoop.com

/communitysolar/

Projects under consideration

Complete the

interest form:

http://agralite.coop

/sites/agralite/files/

PDF/Solar%20form

.pdf

Statewide Rebates Available!

Single family residential dwellings up to $2,500

Multiple family residential dwellings up to $5,000

Commercial installations up to $25,000

Made in MN Solar Thermal

Solar-Powered Furnaces

Solar Wall

Finding solar companies

theCleanEnergyBuilder.com

Resources for assistance

www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/greatrenewables

Lissa Pawlisch

CERTs Director

University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships & Extension

pawl0048@umn.edu

612-624-2293

Questions?

CleanEnergyResourceTeams.org