SE CERTs 11/19 Meeting

The next CERTs Southeast Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th from 2:00-5:00pm at the Heintz Center in Room 112. After discussing SE CERTs business we will be discussing the grant proposals received in response to the 2009 CERTS Seed Grant RFP.

Schedule:
2 pm - SE CERTs business, including workshop partnership with SMIF
3 pm - Review of grant RFPs

Steering committee members: Please send any questions and submit your evaluations both to Lissa Pawlisch and Michele Vigen by Monday, November 16th, at 12:00 noon.

Juhl Wind, Inc. Completes New 20-Year Utility Contract for $46 Million Adams

WOODSTOCK, Minn., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Juhl Wind Inc. today announced the recent execution of a 20-year, 19.8 MW Power Purchase Agreement between Adams Wind Generations, LLC ("Adams") and Xcel Energy, the electric utility based in Minneapolis, MN.

The Adams Wind Generations, LLC project will be a community-owned and operated, wind-driven electrical energy generation facility with plans to utilize twelve large wind turbines at an estimated cost of approximately $46 million. The project is a similar project to Juhl's recently announced Danielson wind farm.

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Conserve & Save Workshops

Austin & Owatonna homeowners: Learn how to reduce your energy use and save money!

Conserve and Save is a great new full-service residential energy program that provides Austin and Owatonna homeowners with energy workshops, home visits- including a blower door and low-cost materials (up to a $300 value for a co-pay of only $25). In addition, information about specialized financing, incentives, stimulus funding and rebates will be available to make improvements to your home. Funding Provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Attend one of the FREE Workshops*

Tuesday, November 17th, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
JC Hormel Nature Center
1304 21st Street Northeast, Austin

Saturday, November 21st, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Owatonna Junior High School
500 15th Street Northeast, Owatonna

Reserve your spot today!
Beth Bennett (612) 335-5874 or bbennett@mncee.org

RFP for Weatherization Training Program Development

Weatherization Training Program Development

This solicitation seeks proposals from Weatherization Assistance Program service providers in partnership with training organizations to prepare low-income persons for residential energy- related jobs in Minnesota, with particular emphasis on preparation for jobs in the low-income Weatherization Assistance Program. Up to $1 million is available to ensure access to and affordability of training to prepare low-income persons for residential weatherization jobs in Minnesota.

Included with the solicitation is the contact information for all State recognized weatherization service providers (Weatherization Coordinators) and a list of potential partners.

Release Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2009
Deadline Date: Friday, November 20, 2009

For more information and to download a copy of the Informal Solicitation,click here.

If you have questions about this Informal Solicitation, please contact us at energy.contracts@state.mn.us

Emerging Renewable Energy Industry Project Funding

The Office of Energy Security is requesting proposals for the following:

Emerging Renewable Energy Industries’ Projects
Eligible organizations are those that are engaged or will engage in the manufacture of renewable energy systems or fuels, energy storage systems, geothermal energy systems for heating and cooling, or the manufacture of components for such systems in the State of Minnesota.

Release Date: Monday, October 19, 2009
Deadline Date: Friday, December 18, 2009

For more information and to download a copy of the RFP, click here.

If you have questions about this RFP, please contact: energy.contracts@state.mn.us.

$5000 CERTS Seed Grants: There's Still Time to Apply!

The Clean Energy Resource Teams of SE MN are offering eight $5,000 seed grants for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects this fall! Funds must be used for technical assistance or labor. The application deadline is November 2, 2009.

Complete RFP details and application materials can be found at: http://cleanenergyresourceteams.org/community-projects/request-for-proposals

In the past three years, CERTS Southeast has funded a broad range of clean energy projects in the region, including photovoltaic panels for schools, biomass research, a hydropower study, and a clean energy festival.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me!

Susan Waughtal
SE CERTS Coordinator
507-252-9639

University of MN takes 5th Place at Solar Decathlon

Members of Southeast CERTS trekked to St. Paul in October to look at the nearly completed ICON, the University of Minnesota's entry in the Solar Decathlon before it was transported to the international competition in Washington D. C. IKON is an actual house, designed to be totally energy self-sufficient using solar electric, solar thermal and passive solar technologies while evoking the aesthetic of a traditional house with a gabled roof.
It was one of 20 houses designed by teams of university students from around the world. At the competition, the U of M entry took 5th place overall, and was awarded first place for lighting design and engineering.

SE CERTs member Joe Deden and his wife Mary Bell attended the 2009 Solar Decathlon in Washington D.C. and sent this note:

At the 4th semi-annual Solar Decathlon on the National Mall in Washington, D. C. we toured 20 solar homes that were designed and built by University students from the United States, Canada, Spain, Germany and Puerto Rico. An example of one creative idea was the University of Arizona home that had a canvas-like window fabric that had irregular shaped holes that automatically expanded and contracted like a camera lens that was designed to control the inside temperature. Two homes displayed unique exterior walls that were made of water, which has three times the temperature retention of cement. Home viewers were privy to brilliantly creative ways to incorporate space flexibility and adaptability with energy efficiency. To win the competition, each home was judged on attractiveness, effectiveness and energy-efficiency. Team Germany won first place, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign won second and Team California came in third. The University of Minnesota took 5th place. For great information, connect to www.solardecathlon.org/