Monday, May 27, 2019 - 09:30 to Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 09:30
from RSS feeds https://cleanenergysolutions.org/news/events/tenth-clean-energy-ministerial
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Tenth Clean Energy Ministerial
from RSS feeds https://cleanenergysolutions.org/news/events/tenth-clean-energy-ministerial
Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2019
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 - 08:45 to Wednesday, April 10, 2019 - 08:45
from RSS feeds https://cleanenergysolutions.org/news/events/berlin-energy-transition-dialogue-2019-0
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Southeast MN getting charged up about electric vehicles!
Electric vehicle growth is happening across Southeast Minnesota! The number of electric vehicles (EVs) in the US is relatively small today but expected to expand 7 times over in the next 6 years, to over 7 million. Xcel Energy, Minnesota’s largest electric utility, believes that in Minnesota the number of EV’s will be quadrupling in the next 10 years to 300,000, and as a result is poised to invest $25 million, the majority of that in Minnesota, to improve the charging infrastructure and expand EV fleets. With that in mind we have seen a high level of participation, collaboration, and expansion of EV activities in Southeastern Minnesota. Cities, private businesses, and electric utilities have all been learning, sharing, and taking action across the region with facilitation from CERTs.
Out of the Box Thinking Enables a Red Wing DC Fast Charger
In November, Red Wing opened the first EV Fast Charger on the Highway 61 corridor. This 2-year study project involved a lot of “out of the box” thinking. A CERTs seed grant and funding from the Red Wing Sustainability Commission couldn’t cover the hefty base price of the standard 50 kW fast-charger, so technical expertise from local resident and engineer, Bill Gehn, helped design a workable 25kW fast charger at just a fraction of the cost.
Red Wing’s part-time Sustainability Coordinator, Paul Drotos with local resident and engineer, Bill Gehn. They made the front page!
Connecting to the for-profit network that sells credit card services to collect EV charging fees can be several thousand dollars more a year than the value of electricity sold. To keep these costs down, local businesses in Red Wing who see this as a tourism and PR opportunity are paying for the electricity, and the project team designed a clever system using the EV owner’s smart phone to start the charger.
Photo of the new EV fast charger with electricity supplied by local businesses.
Red Wing’s part-time Sustainability Coordinator, Paul Drotos, indicated that “though the seed grants are small, this one helped us to gain momentum in the community” that he felt contributed to the acceptance of the project. Read a news story about the new EV charger and watch video of the ribbon cutting below.
Bluff Country Coop Would Not Yet Have an EV Charging Station if not for Bill Gehn
Melissa Gordon, Sustainability Coordinator for Bluff Country Food Coop in Winona credits Red Wing’s Bill Gehn for helping her to “choose, purchase, install and advertise” their new EV Charger. Bluff Country encountered the same issues as Red Wing related to the cost of the charger and the cost to connect to services which allow credit card purchase of electricity. CERTs was able to connect the food coop with Bill because of his participation in the Cities Charging Ahead program so that according to Melissa he “Appeared like and angel from the sky” to offer her help.\
Happy local EV owners charging up at Bluff Country Coop.
Collaboration Comes Through Cities Charging Ahead
Early 2018 saw the start of the Cities Charging Ahead initiative for Minnesota GreenStep Cities. Facilitated by The Great Plains Institute and CERTs, a Southeastern Minnesota cohort including Red Wing, Rochester, Faribault, Winona, and Albert Lea has been meeting in person to share experience and knowledge. They also meet via webinars to learn from other municipalities around the state. Each of the cities is working to advance EV goals under the GSC voluntary recognition program. Diana McKeown, the groups facilitator feels that the Southeast group is “the MOST engaged cohort in the state.” She suggests that the open information sharing is helping them “work together to overcome barriers.” Red Wing’s Paul Drotos echoed that thought, feeling that “collaboration and camaraderie” in problem solving were the greatest benefit to participation. Rochester’s Destination Medical Center (DMC), Energy and Sustainability Director, Kevin Bright also shared this sentiment pointing to the “public-private partnership in Red Wing between the City and downtown business community “ as a “great model for” Rochester to potentially replicate in expanding its own EV infrastucture.
Rochester Public Utilities, which owns the largest number of EV chargers amongst the participating cities, has shared cost, usage, and maintenance tips with the smaller participants to help them in decision making. This includes grappling with the decisions about whether and how much to charge for electricity. DMC’s Kevin Bright, also presented on the incorporation of sustainability in planning to the benefit of several other participants who are currently revising their comprehensive plans.
Some tangible benefits to Winona and Faribault were the awards from Xcel Energy of Fleet Carma studies worth some $13,000 each. This allowed the recipients to study usage of their city fleets with an eye towards cost-effective EV adoption. John Howard, Winona’s Sustainability Coordinator said the study “will help us cut down our fuel usage, thereby saving the city money and reducing total air emissions.”
Red Wing’s Bill Gehn shared his technical expertise with all the participating cities, and is given credit by the Winona Bluff Country Coop for their installation this summer of a Level II EV Charger.
Region:
from MN Energy Stories Blog from CERTs https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/blog/southeast-mn-getting-charged-about-electric-vehicles
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Rochester's new Castle Community a model for energy efficient redevelopment
A unique collaboration brought energy modeling and efficiency measures into the renovation of the former National Guard Armory in Rochester—now dubbed the Castle Community. The measures are expected to reduce energy use by 20% when the building reopens as a multi-use space consisting of a restaurant, artist studios, gallery, and community gathering and events center.
Building a Team
General contractor Benike Construction wanted to promote efficiency in the Castle Community redevelopment. They approached the project owner, Scott Hoss, and then enlisted the help of Dru Larson from Rochester Public Utilities (RPU), and Kevin Bright, Energy and Sustainability Director at Destination Medical Center (DMC). Together the team applied for a CERTs Seed Grant. The grant was to fund a whole-building modeling approach that looked at the envelope and mechanical systems with a goal to implement any efficiency measures that could provide a simple payback of 3 years or less. RPU supported the project as exploration of a potential future energy efficiency retrofit incentive program, and DMC to educate and spur change in private redevelopments.
Exploring Efficiency Opportunities
The awarded CERTs Seed Grant funding was only $1,000—not nearly enough for the proposed energy modeling—but the team had the expertise to work with what they had. Ultimately, Minnesota Energy Resources, the natural gas supplier, was able to provide baseline energy use estimates and recommendations through their Design Assistance and Modeling Program. The Armory wasn’t a perfect fit for the available tools since not all of the mechanicals were being replaced and the building had some complexities—the existing system had been modified over the last four decades. The modeling revealed that lighting, a direct digital control system, and upgrades to variable frequency drives for pumps and motors had the greatest potential savings.
Making Improvements
As a result, LED lighting with an advanced control system was used and various components of the HVAC systems were upgraded or rebuilt when cost effective, including zone controls installed in the hydronic heating system. Prior to these zone valve controls, the hot water heating system “ran wild” all throughout the heating season. The kitchen for the Cameo restaurant was fitted with an on-demand variable-speed exhaust hood and a ventless dishwasher was installed that condenses water vapor for the final rinse, saving both energy and water.
Kevin Bright and Mike Benike examining rebuilt boilers for the hydronic heating system
Mike Benike and Dru Larson check out the electrical panel in the Cameo Restaurant kitchen
Reflecting on the Project
Over refreshments in the Cameo Restaurant in Castle Community after a tour of the building, Mike Benike shared that for small developers, “having numbers to back up the potential savings from energy efficiency choices is critical.” For Mike, the Castle Community project was “definitely worth the effort.” DMC’s Kevin Bright said the project was successful because lessons learned would “provide future guidance on community projects and programs.” Dru Larson indicated that RPU had already used the information to support use of more robust tools in subsequent pilot projects they are working on.
Public Tour in February
The Castle Community Project Team is planning a public presentation to share additional details and provide a tour of the building. The event is planned for Wednesday February 20th, 4 pm, at the Castle Community Building, 115 North Broadway, Rochester, MN. Join us!
CERTs awards seed grants to community groups for energy efficiency and clean energy projects across Minnesota. We’ve awarded over $1 million in Seed Grants since 2006. Click here to see more Seed Grant blog posts or click here to see more past funded projects. |
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Story Series:
from MN Energy Stories Blog from CERTs https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/blog/rochesters-new-castle-community-model-energy-efficient-redevelopment
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Solar Panels Installed On City Works Depot
| The City of Hamilton continues it efforts to going greener in 2019 with its latest project – the installation of solar panels on the roof of the City Works Depot on Laffan Street. An area totaling approximately 3,785 sq. feet will be covered by 210 solar panels, which the City said will be the largest […]
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from Bernews » #SolarEnergy http://bernews.com/2019/01/city-hamilton-solar-panel-project/
Monday, December 17, 2018
SOCAP19
Tuesday, October 22, 2019 - 19:45 to Friday, October 25, 2019 - 19:45
from RSS feeds https://cleanenergysolutions.org/news/events/socap19
Mapping the Critical Path: SEforALL Charets
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 - 19:30 to Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 19:30
from RSS feeds https://cleanenergysolutions.org/news/events/mapping-critical-path-seforall-charets
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