Southeast CERT 2014 Seed Grant Recipients

Southeast CERT awarded 9 seed grants in 2014, catalyzing energy efficiency and renewableenergy projects across the region. $12,500 was awarded to 5 project in January, and theremaining $7,500 was awarded to 4 additional projects in March.

Funding is provided by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of EnergyResources. Thanks to everyone who submitted a proposal. Learn more and see past projectsat http://projects.mncerts.org.

SOUTHEAST REGION

Center for Renewable Energy Education & Demonstration (CREED) –Discovering Science on the Range in the Field of EnergySoutheast Region, MN – This project is a cooperative effort involving theCREED Project, Hamline University Graduate School’s Department ofContinuing Education and the Laurentian Environmental Center (LEC). Theprogram is designed specifically for high/middle school teachers wishing toupdate their Minnesota Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy (EERE) industry knowledge andthereby encourage their students to choose a future career in this field. Teachers completing allassignments for the two years earn twelve graduate credits and an Energy Education Certificate.(Energy Efficiency (all); Renewable Energy (all); Additional Technologies (all); $1,000). January.

Greater Northfield Sustainability Collaborative (GNSC) – Online Project RepositoryRice County, MN – GNSC will utilize seed grant funds to hire a web developer to develop a search-able project database for the Greater Northfield Sustainability Collaborative website (www.north-fieldsustainability.org). The project repository will be a shared resource that aims to coordinateefforts to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other sustainability projects amongCarleton College, St. Olaf College, non-profit organizations, the Northfield City Council, and othergovernment bodies. Organizations seeking volunteers will use the site to publicize their projects; col-lege faculty, students, and community members will use the site to discover opportunities for civicengagement projects. The site will also serve as an archive for completed research. (EnergyEfficiency: Renewable Energy: Additional Technologies: Food systems, EV Charging,Composting/Recycling; $3,000). January.

Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) – Renewable Energy/Sustainable Living TourSoutheast Region, MN – A Renewable Energy/Sustainable Living Tour will help to eliminate themystery and confusion that often still surrounds renewable energy installations and green living ingeneral. Living in a sustainable way is not just for a certain group of people, it is for everyday peo-ple. The goal of the MRES tour is to give a “hands on” experience with working products and afriendly face-to-face conversation with someone who is an owner and user, not a salesperson, toincrease confidence for people to make similar improvements at their own home or business. Everysite will have at least one renewable energy technology to display. (Energy Efficiency (all);Renewable Energy (all); Additional Technologies; $1,500). January.

The Clean Energy

Resource Teams

(CERTs) connect

individuals and

their communities

to the resources

they need to

identify and

implement

community-based

clean energy

projects

Minnesotans buildinga clean energy future

WWW.CLEANENERGYRESOURCETEAMS.ORG

Region Nine Economic Development Commission (RNDC) – Community Renewable Energy Planning ProjectAmboy & Kiester, MN – This project will educate and advise Region 9 community organizations to develop installation strategies forenergy efficiency and renewable energy at community owned facilities. RNDC has been approached by two community organizationsthat plan to build/renovate a community center. Their strategic plan will attract growth and reverse the economic trend of decline inrural towns. For these two communities, a major outcome of this project is to work through a process to develop the implementation ofa community solar installation. What will be key in the two communities is to create a structure that enables pursuit of tax credits,renewable energy credits, and community ownership. (Energy Efficiency (all): Renewable Energy (all): Additional Technologies:Geothermal, Energy Storage; $4,000). January.

Rochester Olmsted Planning Department – Rochester Energy Awareness & Involvement CampaignRochester, MN –The Rochester City Council established the Energy Commission, charging them with the task of developing an EnergyAction Plan (EAP) for the Council to pass. For such a Plan to be created and passed, the community must know of the effort, see its ben-efits, engage in the process, and support the final product. This proposal helps make this possible by funding the production of aninformative 3-fold brochure, the writing of a series of pieces of various lengths for various audiences, and the strategic placement ofthese pieces in established print and electronic media outlets throughout the community. (Energy Efficiency: Behavior Change,Education; Additional Technologies: Social Engagement, Help Develop Energy Action Plan; $3,000). January.

Austin Utilities - Photovoltaic Electric Vehicle Public Charging StationAustin, MN – Austin Utilities plans to install the first public electric vehicle charging station in the city. Combining the station with solarphotovoltaic panels will not only help Austin Utilities with their conservation efforts, but also Riverland Community College’s solarinstaller program. The goals of the project are to supply a charging station for the public, provide a study for Austin Utilities on how theelectric charging station impacts the system, and provide additional training for those in the solar installer program at Riverland.(Renewable Energy: Solar Electric; Additional Technologies: Electric Vehicle Charging; $2,000). March.

Sustain Winona Partnership – Winona “Community” Community Solar InitiativeWinona, MN – A subset of Sustain Winona, the Community Solar Technical Committee, is researching and developing best practices forimplementing a community-led, community solar project. The committee will engage legal and financial consulting services to developmodels that maximize the involvement of local citizens and institutions, such as municipalities and non-profits. They also plan to edu-cate potential subscribers about energy efficiency and would have assessments done so subscribers would decrease their energy usage.The end goal is to have a 1 MW community solar project in Xcel’s service territory. (Energy Efficiency: lost-cost/no-cost upgrades,behavior change; Renewable Energy: Solar Electric; $3,500). March.

Ridgeway Community School – Cost-effective Lighting Upgrades and Energy Conservation Practices ProjectPleasant Hill Township, Winona Co., MN – Ridgeway Community School aims to upgrade lighting fixtures in the school and educatelocal students, homeowners, farmers, businesses, schools, and non-profit organizations about different cost-effective technologies andenergy conservation practices to lower energy usage. Specifically, they want to focus on lighting and other low-cost/no-cost upgradesthat they will develop into curriculum materials. They also plan to host several informative school open houses. (Energy Efficiency: low-cost/no-cost upgrades, behavior change, lighting upgrades; $1,500). March.

RE-fest/Austin Utilities - RE-Fest: A Celebration of Green Living & Clean EnergyAustin, MN – RE-fest, an annual event hosted in Austin, this year – on September 20th – focuses on education the community about thepositive impact individuals can have on the environment. The event provides educational and entertainment opportunities about greenliving and clean energy, as well as opportunities for local vendors to sell their goods. The RE-fest team, a collaboration of individualsfrom Austin Utilities, J.C. Hormel Nature Center, and Riverland Community College, with support from Owatonna Public Utilities andSouthern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, hope to expand their outreach this year and reach more folks in Southeastern Minnesotaand Northern Iowa to help educate them on efficiency opportunities. (Energy Efficiency: low-cost/no-cost upgrades, behavior change,building envelope, lighting upgrades; Renewable Energy: solar electric, wind; Additional Technologies: geothermal; $500). March.

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