Dear Neighbors and Friends,
The Department of Commerce recently sent out a newsletter with a lot of great information about renewable energy projects. It helps explain some of the grant programs and training sessions that are available to help you get your projects started. Take a look at the information below and let me know if you have any questions.
Andrew Falk
Solar News
Made in Minnesota Solar Incentive Program set to launch
The 10-year, $15-million-a-year Made in Minnesota Solar Incentive Program is set to launch in 2014. The program will provide Solar Electric Production Incentives and Solar Thermal Rebates to customers of investor-owned utilities (Xcel Energy, Alliant Energy, Minnesota Power, and Otter Tail Power) who install solar electric systems or solar thermal systems certified as manufactured in Minnesota. About 50 percent of the incentives and rebates will go to residential systems and about 50 percent to commercial, nonprofit, and government systems. Read more.
Trainings & Events
Solar Powering Minnesota conference is March 7 in Saint Paul
A range of topics to expand the deployment of solar energy in Minnesota will be featured on March 7 at the Solar Powering Minnesota conference at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul. The conference, which includes a keynote address by Minh Le, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Program manager, will include sessions covering value of solar, financing, incentives, utility programs, permitting, interconnection, storage, community solar gardens, and more. Solar legislation updates and Minnesota energy studies will be addressed. The conference is presented by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association and Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams. Read more about the agenda and how to register.
Seminar to address residential solar structural opportunities, limitations
A seminar called “Residential Solar Panel Roof Top Installations—Structural Limitations and Opportunities” will be presented on Jan. 15 at the 58th Annual Institute for Building Officials at the University of Minnesota. The course will explain how to apply a recent report (.pdf), Standardized Load Tables Characterizing Residential Solar Thermal and Solar Electric Installations for Residential Structures in Minnesota, that offers guidance to building officials and solar installers regarding the need for structural review of planned residential solar installations. Read more.
Funding Resources
CERTs awards 34 Seed Grants for renewable energy, EE projects
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The Clean Energy Resources Teams (CERTs) of Minnesota has awarded 34 Seed Grants across seven CERTs regions to catalyze energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the state. The grants, totaling about $20,000 per region, will contribute to energy-producing projects such as an 80kW wind energy system in Royalton and solar thermal systems for homes on the White Earth Reservation. The funding will help the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society provide renewable energy/sustainable living tours in the Central and Southeast CERTs regions, and it will help middle and high school teachers enhance their clean energy knowledge and pass it on to students in the Northwest, Southeast and West Central regions. Funding for the grants is provided by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources. Read more.
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100 Minnesotans get 2013 REAP funding; 2014 applications ready
One hundred rural small businesses and farmers in Minnesota received $2.3 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) in 2013. REAP provided financial assistance for a range of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements, including grants to help fund new grain dryers, energy efficient building and equipment improvements, solar and wind energy systems, ground source heat pumps, and more. Read more.