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Metro Clean Energy Resource Team Seed Grant Receipients and Project Summaries
Chisago Lakes Middle School: Project Independence Solar PV
Lindstrom , MN – Project Independence is the installation of a 10kW solar photovoltaic system on the south wall of Chisago Lakes Middle school. The project is in its second year, having already secured an installer, done significant fundraising, and developed partnerships. The system will serve as an educational tool for students as well as a training site for electricians through a partnership with IBEW Local 110. The seed grant will help to cover labor costs for installation, and the panels will be ready for dedication on Earth Day 2010.
Clean Energy: Solar PV & School-based Education & Research - $5,000
Mahtomedi Area Green Initiative: Zephyr Wind Project
Mahtomedi , MN – The Zephyr Wind Project seeks to bring renewable energy, future-focused educational experiences and a vision for a more sustainable community to the Mahtomedi area through the installation of a 10kW wind turbine. The project is a grassroots effort led by the Mahtomedi Area Green Initiative, a volunteer citizen group that has been working together since 2006 to encourage enduring community commitment to sustainability. This will be MAGI’s first renewable energy project and will pave the way for other renewable energy and energy efficiency projects aimed at bringing our community together around the common theme of reducing our carbon footprint and building a more sustainable community. The seed grant funding will be used for system installation and electrical labor, paired with fundraising efforts.
Clean Energy: Wind & Community Education, School-based Education & Research - $5,000
Neighborhood Energy Connection: Home Energy Squad Outreach & Training Project
St. Paul, MN – The Home Energy Squad Outreach & Training Project is designed to achieve greater participation in residential energy conservation careers, increased understanding of home energy and environment topics, and home energy efficiency-based savings among new Americans for whom English is a second language; specifically in Saint Paul’s Hmong community. The project will involve recruiting a home energy trainee, providing training, conducting outreach, and completing home energy squad visits in the Hmong community, and will eventually create a long-term staff position for the trainee at the NEC. The seed grant funding will cover labor and training for the new recruit.
Energy Efficiency: Low-cost/No-cost & Community Education - $5,000
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society: Grid Neutral Schools MN 2020 Planning Grant
Twin Cities Metro Region, MN – The proposal for the MRES Grid Neutral Schools project is to develop a comprehensive plan to implement renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, and energy-focused curriculum in schools throughout Minnesota. The goal is that all K-12 schools in Minnesota be grid-neutral by 2020. This project will build on the successful legacy of CERTs’ Schools Cutting Carbon program, and will result in a plan to present to the MN Office of Energy Security to obtain funding and support for MRES to lead the Solar on Schools mandate. The seed grant funding will be used for researching and writing the plan.
Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency & Education - $4,000
City of Lakes Community Land Trust: Energy Efficient Homes Initiative
Minneapolis , MN – The City of Lakes Community Land Trust (CLCLT) Energy Efficient Homes Initiative is a pilot project to enhance their existing rehab program by integrating energy efficiency measures through a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) analysis. CLCLT is a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing through the community land trust model to low to moderate income homebuyers across the City of Minneapolis, with close to 100 homes in the land trust to date. The CERTs seed grant will provide the funds to hire a home energy consultant do a HERS analysis of a pilot group of 10-20 CLCLT homes with the goal of increasing the energy efficiency of the homes by 15-30%.
Energy Efficiency: Building Efficiency & Community Education - $5,000
Women’s Environmental Institute: Green Energy for Food Justice
Minneapolis , MN – The purpose of the Green Energy for Food Justice Project is to develop and evaluate renewable energy heat sources for the greenhouses that are part of the Little Earth of United Tribes Urban Farm Center as a demonstration project for eventual expansion to other parts of Phillips Neighborhood and beyond. Instead of relying on traditional electricity to heat the greenhouses, the project will evaluate the possibility of obtaining all or some of the energy from passive solar and heat generated by compost piles inside the greenhouses. The seed grant funding will be used to pay for compost/vermiculture training, neighborhood outreach and organizing, labor to build the greenhouse, construct and maintain the compost piles, and stipends for youth apprentices.
Clean Energy- Passive Solar, Compost & Community Education, Research - $5,500
East Side Neighborhood Development Company: East Side Building BLOCKS
St. Paul , MN – East Side Building BLOCKS (Business, Livability, Opportunity, Community, Knowledge, Sustainability) is a sustainable redevelopment strategy for a low income neighborhood devastated by the foreclosure and vacancy crises. This strategy will incorporate new development, existing building rehab, resource conservation, and the addition of renewable energy. Redevelopment will include the residential, commercial, and public spaces within select blocks of the neighborhood in an effort to sustainably revive a struggling community. This comprehensive, long-term plan will have a lasting impact on a focused area and will eventually be replicable in other urban neighborhoods. The seed grant funding will go towards energy conservation consultants and planners.
Community Education & Research - $5,000
St. Paul District 10 Community Council: Como Park Home Energy Efficiency Project (CHEEP)
St. Paul , MN – CHEEP is a community-based project driven by residents and volunteers who wish to impact change in the Como Park neighborhood and the broader community; inspire long-term, widespread shifts in energy use; and promote education about how energy-efficiency impacts the global environment. The primary goal of CHEEP is to increase knowledge among District 10 Como Park residents about how to lower energy usage and encourage residents to implement the lessons learned from the project. The project includes three primary phases: (1) complete the “energy use reduction” pilot test group that began in February 2009 including documentation of physical changes to dwellings and changes in habits; (2) results analysis and development of best practices and education campaign materials; and (3) implementation of education campaign strategies. The seed grant funding will cover database costs to track the project progress, consultant fees, outreach and marketing.
Energy Efficiency: Low-cost/No-cost & Community Education - $3,000
Bakken Museum : Renewable Energy Exhibits Feasibility Study
Minneapolis , MN – This project will consist of a feasibility study for outdoor and indoor renewable energy exhibits or “Green Stations” at the Bakken Museum in Minneapolis. This series of stations throughout the Bakken building and grounds will showcase practical and aesthetic applications of sustainable electric power. Green Stations will inspire visitors to imagine a green energy future by providing concrete examples of the technology’s potential. The Green Stations will eventually be viewed by many of the public visitors to the Bakken Museum, whose audience currently numbers about 45,000 per year. CERTs seed grant funding will be used to provide an analysis of options for these Green Stations, including costs, technical considerations, educational opportunities, and exhibit interpretation plans.
Community Education & Research - $2,500
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