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This year we saw more people across the political spectrum discussing clean energy issues and climate change than ever before. The business community is doubling down on clean energy investments, and citizens are speaking up and taking action. There’s a lot to celebrate about 2019 and the cultural shift it’s brought to the clean energy conversation. Here are some of the highlights from the last year. 

Deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Minnesota and across the U.S. shows no signs of slowing. In an effort to head off potential problems seen with other kinds of electronic waste (like stockpiling and improper disposal), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has begun researching and collecting input on how PV panel disposal should be handled.

The electrical grid that serves most Minnesotans’ homes was built in the early 1900’s. It was constructed when renewable energy technologies were just a wisp of a dream. But our rapidly changing energy transformation has changed a whole lot more than just how we power our homes and businesses. It’s going to take a transformation in how we plan for the systems that distribute that power. 

Since 2009, the cost of wind energy has fallen 69 percent, and solar prices have fallen 88 percent. And, according to a Bloomberg article, the price of storage has dropped 85 percent from 2010 – 2018. The low cost and high demand should be the ingredients for a perfect storm of development, fueling terrific job growth and economic development for rural communities. Instead, we are facing a shortage of transmission infrastructure that can deliver new low-cost, clean, renewable energy and are missing a great opportunity to advance the renewable energy economy in the Midwest.

Energy nerds unite! You may know what an IDP is, but does your spouse? How about your best friend? We invite others into the energy insiders’ conversation with a little briefer on 8 energy and utility-related acronyms everyone should know this fall.  

There are 8,700 designed “opportunity zones” across the United States. There are 128 zones designated throughout Minnesota, 60 percent of them located outside of the Twin Cities metro. A group of clean energy sector professionals recently gathered together at Avisen Legal for a lunch and learn hosted by CEEM on this very issue.

With climate debates making headlines nationwide, clean energy is increasingly a hot topic at the dinner table, at city hall, and all the way up to the Governor’s mansion. Recently, Clean Energy Economy MN has joined community discussions on climate, offering a perspective that fewer voters hear, how clean energy is growing jobs in their neighborhoods.

This innovative financing tool has made big waves in Minnesota’s clean energy marketplace, particularly in recent months due to a policy fix that CEEM advocated for in the last legislative session.

The argument for encouraging building owners to choose energy efficient options is a smart economic decision – and one that benefits all Minnesotans. Efficiency is cheap: the cost to save one kilowatt hour is about 2 cents; compare that to the cost to buy a kilowatt of electricity, which averages 8 cents. We asked that our Minnesota elected officials support a multi-year extension of the Section 179D provision through at least 2020, and we would strongly support extending it beyond 2020.   

With summer winding down and the return of school quickly approaching, interns Claire Lund and Petra Holtze wanted to reflect on their time here at CEEM.

Working  in the clean energy ecosystem inevitably leads to an ‘alphabet soup’ of acronyms. This is the first of a several-part blog series breaking down the many acronyms that help power Minnesota’s clean energy economy. 

With such a huge footprint, the building sector is a critical target for energy efficiency measures. However, it can be difficult for large institutions, particularly public entities like schools or government buildings, but also hospitals and universities, to find the funds for energy efficiency projects. That’s where Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) can be a helpful tool.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Clean Energy Economy MN visited with Congressional offices, spreading the important news of how clean energy costs are trending lower, while clean energy jobs continue to grow.

The Minnesota Farmers Union recently held Renewable Energy Working Sessions around the state to help engage informed conversations about energy efficiency options on Minnesota farms and surrounding regions. CEEM was invited to be a part of their workshops in Saint Peter, Aitkin, and Marshall to bring our industry knowledge and share the positive economic impacts of clean energy.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) estimates that hotels represent more than five billion square feet of space in the US alone. Spaces that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With such a large footprint, sustainability needs to be top of mind, especially as society is increasingly asking for more ways to protect our resources and be more efficient with our energy use.

My name is Petra Holtze and I am incredibly excited to join the Clean Energy Economy Minnesota team as their Communications and Marketing Intern beginning this summer!

The 2019 Minnesota legislative session is officially a wrap. With a new governor and a slate of new legislators, change was in the air at the start of session. Several bold policy proposals aimed to facilitate ambitious clean energy growth in the state. CEEM and the clean energy industry asserted a strong position in important policy debates. In the end, however, significant divisions between the DFL-led House of Representatives and the Republican-led Senate meant fairly little policy was enacted.

Brian Scott is a science teacher on a mission. His goal is to increase sustainable practices in his school’s operations and support his students on their pathway to science-based careers. Following the USGBC Green Schools and IMPACT sustainability conferences, Brian wanted to introduce his students to a professional working in clean energy.

My name is Claire Lund and I am very excited to be working with Clean Energy Economy Minnesota as their Business Development and Programs Intern! This fall I will begin my junior year at Bemidji State University.