[chambernews] Fwd: Free assistance available to your members- energy efficiency, renewable energy
Karen
karen at moramn.com
Wed Jun 10 11:38:24 CDT 2015
Please take a look at this to see if it could benefit you or someone you
know.
Thank you.
Karen.
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Free assistance available to your members- energy efficiency,
renewable energy
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2015 11:09:47 -0500
From: Joel Haskard <haska004 at umn.edu>
To: Joel Haskard <haska004 at umn.edu>
I'm emailing because the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)
are working with farms and small businesses near you to help them
install renewable energy projects and make energy efficiency
improvements. The program is called /Renewable Energy for Greater
Minnesota <http://mncerts.org/greatrenewables>/.
With support from the USDA we're offering free assistance to help farms
and small businesses explore projects that could work for them, identify
potential funding and financing options, and get one-on-one assistance
on their project.
Below is the press release. If you can share this with your chamber
members, that would be great.
Thanks so much,
Joel
-----------------------
*Joel Haskard*
Clean Energy Resource Teams Co-Director
U of M Extension's Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
411 Borlaug Hall , 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108
haska004 at umn.edu <mailto:haska004 at umn.edu> | Office: 612-625-8759 | Fax:
612-625-1268
<http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/>
________________________________
New Program Helps Farms & Businesses in Minnesota Reduce Costs with
Renewable Energy & Efficiency
/Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota program offers free custom
project assistance/
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
*
*
*Media Contact:*
Fritz Ebinger
CERTs Rural Energy Development Manager
University of Minnesota Extension RSDP
612-626-1028 <tel:612-626-1028> or ebing007 at umn.edu
<mailto:ebing007 at umn.edu>
*Statewide MN, Tuesday, June 9, 2015* – Farmers and rural small
businesses are essential to the fabric of Minnesota—its economy,
environment and communities. Helping them reduce costs with energy
efficiency and take control of their energy expenses with renewable
energy is the focus of a new program, Renewable Energy for Greater
Minnesota, launching this week with support from USDA Rural Development.
“We’re seeing increased demand for information about renewable energy
and energy efficiency improvements, and are excited to offer free
project assistance to Minnesotans,” shared Fritz Ebinger, Rural Energy
Development Program Manager with the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)
and University of Minnesota Extension.
For more than ten years, CERTs has been connecting Minnesotans with the
resources they need to plan and implement energy efficiency and
renewable energy systems. Through this new program, Renewable Energy for
Greater Minnesota, CERTs will help Minnesota farmers and rural small
businesses explore projects that could work for them, identify potential
funding and financing options, and get one-on-one assistance on their
project.
In particular, CERTs will be helping farms and businesses apply for
USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which offers grants for
25% of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) from USDA Rural Development
is a great opportunity for Minnesota farmers and rural businesses to
save energy with efficiency work and add renewable energy systems.
Applications for renewable energy or energy efficiency grants are due
June 30, 2015. Projects requesting grants of $20,000 ($80,000 total
project cost) can fill out a shorter application and can also turn in
applications for an October 31, 2015 deadline. After that the next
deadline for all projects is April 30, 2016. So now is the time to
apply! As part of Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota CERTs has
created sample applications with helpful notes to help people apply for
REAP funding.
CERTs will also help farms and rural small businesses explore the
possibility of PACE financing. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is
a new way to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to
the buildings of commercial property owners and can be a perfect
companion to REAP funding in Minnesota. With PACE, energy-saving
measures pursued by the owners receive project financing and are repaid
as a separate item on their property tax assessment for a set period.
PACE eliminates the burden of upfront costs by providing low-cost,
long-term financing. In combination, USDA REAP can cover 25% of project
costs, and PACE can finance them without the requirement of upfront capital.
Part of the program is helping people understand what their peers have
done so that they can learn from the experiences of others. Examples of
successful projects in other parts of the state include Angvall Hardware
in Lester Prairie who installed solar PV with funding from USDA REAP and
utility rebates; Blue Line Travel Center in Worthington who installed
new LED canopy lighting with funding from USDA REAP and PACE; Colonial
Cleaners in Worthington who added efficient dryers with USDA REAP and
utility rebates; and the Popp Family Farm in Royalton who installed
solar PV and wind using USDA REAP and utility rebates.
*Interested farmers and small businesses can learn more and get project
assistance by visiting the Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota
website at http://mncerts.org/GreatRenewables or by calling Fritz
Ebinger at 612-626-1028 <tel:612-626-1028>.*
“This program helps increase American energy independence by increasing
the private sector supply of renewable energy and decreasing the demand
for energy through energy efficiency improvements,” said USDA Rural
Development State Director Colleen Landkamer. “Over time, investments
like these can also help lower annual energy costs for small businesses
and agricultural producers—freeing capital for the bottom line.”
*About CERTs: *The Clean Energy Resource Teams—or CERTs—are a statewide
partnership with a shared mission to connect individuals and their
communities to the resources they need to identify and implement
community-based clean energy projects. We empower communities and their
members to adopt energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable
energy technologies and practices for their homes, businesses, and local
institutions. CERTs partners include the University of Minnesota
Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, Great Plains
Institute, Southwest Regional Development Commission, and the Minnesota
Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.
*About Extension:* University of Minnesota Extension is creating a
stronger Minnesota through education and research. Extension provides
practical education and research you can trust, to help people,
businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a
better future. Over 65% of Extension's 800 researchers, educators and
staff live and work in greater Minnesota, located at Regional Extension
offices, Extension county offices, University research and outreach
centers, and University campuses.
*About USDA:* Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota is made possible by
USDA’s Energy Audits – Renewable Energy Development Assistance grant
program (EA-REDA). Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $36.4 million
in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in rural communities
throughout Minnesota. USDA Rural Development achieves its mission by
helping rural individuals, communities and businesses obtain the
financial and technical assistance needed to address their diverse and
unique needs. EA-REDA grants support programs to help agricultural
producers and rural small businesses evaluate energy efficiency systems
and determine the feasibility of incorporating renewable energy
technologies into their operations. USDA Rural Development also provides
guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers
and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy
systems or make energy efficiency improvements through its Rural Energy
for America Program (REAP).
###
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