How are you?
I think I finally hit my WFH (working from home) stride around week six. There are lots of distractions at home and in the world generally. Be kind to yourself and others as we navigate this period, no matter how long it goes on.
We are heartbroken by the recent killing of George Floyd by police officers. We support justice and equity for all and condemn any form of racism or violence. The subsequent riots and property destruction hit very close to home for GPI. Our office building is at the epicenter of where these events occurred, and while our building remained largely unscathed, our hearts have been with our communities the past two weeks. We are working to support our neighbors, our community and we are acknowledging and fighting racism in the way we do our work in our community and in our organization. You can read GPI’s full statement on George Floyd, equity, and justice.
Some GREAT news came just as we were beginning the process of staying at home that we couldn’t share...until NOW! The Cities Charging Ahead project was named honorable mention in the Climate and Energy category for The Environmental Initiative Awards!
Last time we mentioned our growing group of volunteers that guide our work, now we have a blog about new Steering Committee members so you can get to know them a bit better.
There continue to be plenty of resources for your community clean energy goals whenever you are ready to use them, including some new ones (Met Council GHG inventory, virtual Home Energy Squad visits, EVs). We also continue to launch new projects including our newest PAVE (Powering Ahead with Vehicle Electrification) and will have two more this summer with cities around electric vehicle action and engaging businesses on clean energy.
GreenCorps member applications are also now officially open.
And most fun for me, I got to reminisce with my colleague Lola Schoenrich about 10 years of the GreenSteps Cities program we both were part of developing.
Lastly, we will be moving the Metro CERT Annual Event to the fall, so mark your calendar for the 2020 Metro CERT Annual Event on Thursday, October 1st at the Shoreview Community Center from 4-8pm!
Thank you!
Diana, Kris & Jack
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Municipal utility peer cohort to accelerate electric vehicle adoption
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Introducing: Powering Ahead with Vehicle Electrification (PAVE), which launched in mid-March. When the Clean Energy Resource Teams and Great Plains Institute were wrapping up the Cities Charging Ahead! peer cohort in the summer of 2019—which produced several resources and tools to guide communities on their EV readiness journey—the big question was, “what next?” So when the opportunity came to pivot and support municipal utilities to become EV ready in order to further accelerate deployment of EVs across Minnesota, it seemed like the natural next step.
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Welcoming new Metro CERT Steering Committee members
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We're so excited to have Ralph Dickenson, Carmen Carruthers, Anders Thulin, and Mateo Felipe Trujillo join the Metro CERT Steering Committee! Read on to learn about their diverse backgrounds, what drew them to clean energy and CERTs specifically, and a little-known fact about each of them.
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Reflecting on 10 years of Minnesota GreenStep Cities
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Has it already been 10 years? Diana McKeown and Lola Schoenrich at the Great Plains Institute have worked with GreenStep Cities program since its inception 10 years ago, and this milestone has been an opportunity for them to reflect on the amazing accomplishments of the program—and the cities involved—and what it can teach us as we look ahead.
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Mounds View School District installs solar on 13 buildings
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Mounds View School District recently finished installing solar PV systems on the roofs of 13 school buildings. The projects are estimated to save the district nearly $1 million in electricity costs over the next 25 years, while also enhancing student education and helping the district meet its sustainability goals. We interviewed physics teacher Mike Cartwright to learn more.
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JUNE 10: Join the Midwestern AESP Chapter for this hour-long event. The first half will be a presentation from Cadmus on Market Barriers and Opportunities for Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps. This is a recently completed CARD grant funded research project. The second half hour will be networking with your fellow attendees. We'll use technology to make some fun lighting round networking sessions so you get a chance to (briefly) say hi to friends or make new connections.
JUNE 15-17: The rescheduled Midwest Solar Expo will be the first ever solar conference in a fully-immersive 3D virtual venue. Speakers, exhibitors, networking lounges -- everything has been replicated to create the same conference experience that you know and love, while protecting your health & safety.
JUNE 15-19: The Roadmap Conference is the leading electric and smart mobility conference in the United States. Join us for five panel session webinars, one held each day the week of June 15th.
June 17: Learn how going solar can benefit your farm or rural small business. We'll discuss solar technology, economics, and financing, including grant funding opportunities through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
June 24-26th: ASES SOLAR 20/20 is the American Solar Energy Society’s 49th annual National Solar Conference and will be the first-ever fully-virtual conference. The virtual conference will be held online on June 24-25 with workshops and NABCEP courses on GoToWebinar June 26. The conference will feature technical sessions, provocative plenary panels, an action-focused Town Hall, plus online networking, and more.
July 9, 16, 23, 30: This series of free webinars from Fresh Energy explores how super-efficient buildings can become the new normal in equitable, affordable housing.
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HOSTED BY CERTS
October 1, 2020
4:00-8:00pm | Shoreview
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Summer 2020 Volkswagen Settlement Grants Announced! MPCA plans to release two grant funding opportunities in summer 2020:
- $1.1M for heavy-duty off-road equipment: MPCA will issue a grant request for proposals (RFP) to fund the replacement or improvement of heavy-duty off-road equipment that is eligible under the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA). Eligible equipment may include marine engines, locomotives, trailer refrigeration units, terminal tractors, drayage trucks, and off-road engines, and equipment or vehicles used in construction, handling of cargo, agriculture, mining, or energy production
- $2.8M for fast-charging EV infrastructure: MPCA also will issue a grant RFP for direct current fast-charging stations along highway corridors in Greater Minnesota to increase the availability of electric vehicle charging stations throughout Minnesota.
Resilient Communities Project Partnership - Accepting proposals from local government agencies for the 2020–2021 academic year (September 2020 to August 2021). Partners benefit from applied research and technical assistance on one or more locally identified projects that advance community resilience provided by students and faculty at the University of Minnesota from a variety of departments and disciplines. Deadline Jun. 15.
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Metro CERT is a program of the Great Plains Institute
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