Do you know how to match solar panels to a battery? 🌞 Learn how to pick out off-grid equipment from experts who built this off-grid farm stand and put a fridge in it! Read: www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/story/cooler...
Clean Energy Resource Teams
@mncerts.bsky.social
We help Minnesotans solve community challenges with energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. Let's steward our community resources wisely, let us know your idea!
Are you pairing solar panels with battery storage in Minnesota? You could qualify for up to $7,000 in upfront state and utility incentives. 🔋☀️ 🔗 Learn more & apply through the MN Dept. of Commerce: mn.gov/commerce/ene...
La Crescent celebrates new solar panels on the Wieser Memorial Park Pavillion!🌞 www.hometownsource.com/caledonia/la... Read more about Ludwigson's work in La Crescent and how the majority of the city's energy comes from clean energy! 🫧 www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/story/la-cre...
Ready to add solar energy to your school? MN Solar for Schools round 2 readiness assessment opens 8/3! buff.ly/HeWzzzJ
Warm Weather Tips for Keeping Cool! Schedule a Home Energy Audit to see how you can make your home more energy efficient in all types of weather! Find more tips: buff.ly/45vqefX
Warm Weather Tips for Keeping Cool! Keep your curtains, blinds, and shades closed during the day. Find more tips for saving energy: buff.ly/45vqefX
Warm Weather Tips for Keeping Cool! If the air quality index is at a safe level and humidity isn't too high, take advantage of free, cooler, evening air by opening your windows at night. Find more tips for saving energy: buff.ly/45vqefX
Warm Weather Tips for Keeping Cool! If you have air conditioning, set your thermostat at 78°F and use a fan when you're in the room to feel cooler and reduce energy costs. Find more tips for saving energy: buff.ly/45vqefX
Has your community signed up for GreenStep's new Fast Track Cohort? The 6-month program is designed to help small & mid-sized communities complete practical GreenStep actions, learn from peers, and access guidance from GreenStep Best Practice Advisors. Register by 7/18:
Fast Track Cohort | GreenStep Cities
greenstep.pca.state.mn.us
On April 30, over 270 people gathered in Bloomington for the 19th Metro CERT Annual Event! Get the scoop on what took place and see all the great photos in our recap:
Metro CERT Annual Event Recap
On April 30, 2026, over 270 people gathered at the Hyland Hills Chalet in Bloomington for the 19th Metro CERT Annual Event.
cleanenergyresourceteams.org
Worried about energy escaping your home, especially on these hot days? Several metro cities have Home Energy Squad energy assessment incentives for their residents this summer. Find out which what's available:
Home Energy Squad summer discounts for the metro region
Several metro cities have Home Energy Squad energy assessment incentives for their residents this summer.
buff.ly
The combined output of the four projects would be 1,119 megawatts. minnesotareformer.com/2026/07/10/r...
Report: Trump administration stopping 4 Minnesota wind power developments • Minnesota Reformer
Minnesota utilities’ long-range resource plans lean heavily on wind, which is often the cheapest source of power in the breezy Upper Midwest.
minnesotareformer.com
Congrats to Hourcar on their $500K grant to grow their program! The money will help the program expand in north Minneapolis and on St. Paul’s East Side this summer.
Hourcar gets $500K grant to grow electric-vehicle car-sharing program
The money will help the program expand in north Minneapolis and on St. Paul’s East Side this summer.
startribune.com
The Lake Charlotte Solar project will generate 150 MW of solar electricity and it store 600 MW hours of power in a batter energy storage system in Martin County. Supporters of the project say it will help meet the MN’s clean energy mandate by 2040. www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
PUC approves permits for big solar power and energy storage project in southern Minnesota
The Lake Charlotte Solar project would generate 150 megawatts of electricity and would provide 600 megawatt hours of energy storage in a battery system in Rutland Township in Martin County. It would…
mprnews.org
How could MnCIFA loans power clean energy projects in your city? www.lmc.org/news-publica...
How MnCIFA Loans Are Powering Clean Energy Projects - League of Minnesota Cities
Minnesota cities now have access to a new source of capital for financing clean energy projects: the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority (MnCIFA).
lmc.org
Congratulations to the Outreach Program of Brainerd Lakes! We're inspired by your CERTs Seed Grant project and can't wait to see what you do next! www.pineandlakes.com/news/local/o...
Outreach Program of Brainerd Lakes receives clean energy grant
The Clean Energy Resource Teams awarded seed grants to 52 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across Minnesota.
pineandlakes.com
The MN Marine Art Museum is such a cultural gem! “This solar installation will allow us to demonstrate climate leadership through action, and show that we value sustainability outside of our exhibitions as well." - Kamala Nair, MMAM’s Associate Curator of Climate & Clean Water.
Rooftop solar coming to MMAM thanks to Frankenthaler grant
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM) was awarded a $75,000 grant from the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative (FCI) in 2025 to install a rooftop solar array, further advancing the museum’s commitment
winonapost.com
Congratulations to the City of Rochester on it's GreenStep Cities progress!
Rochester hits Steps 4 and 5 in Minnesota GreenStep Cities program
The statewide program supports communities in advancing sustainability best practices, tracking performance and promoting innovation.
kimt.com
Join our coffee chat 7/24 to learn how the MN Technical Assistance Collaborative connects 100+ organizations to support climate and clean energy projects across the state. Stacey Grant will join us to give a rundown of how it can help your community bring projects to life. buff.ly/IFLYCIe
“The projects we funded reflect our priority to invest in the people & community infrastructure that will ensure the benefits of the clean energy transition reach all Minnesotans,” says Metro CERT Coordinator Aaron Backs. “We’re proud to support such innovative projects across the region.”
“This round of CERTs Seed Grants shows how communities across southeast MN are approaching clean energy in practical, locally grounded ways,” says SE CERT Coordinator Jennifer Lindahl.
Over 50 Minnesota clean energy projects received grants: www.hometownfocus.us/articles/ove...
Over 50 Minnesota clean energy projects received grants - Hometown Focus | Northland news & stories
This map shows the regions and locations of the projects from across the state that were awarded seed grants by CERTs. Photo courtesy of Clean Energy Resource Teams. The Clean Energy Resource Teams (C...
hometownfocus.us
The Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes updated their hydroponic farm facility’s lighting to reduce energy costs and increase sustainability. Check out those LED-lit veggies! Get to know the 2026 CERTs Seed Grant recipients: buff.ly/o174dKB
“It’s inspiring to see the creative ideas behind these clean energy projects. Communities know what they need to address the issues they face. While the results include saving energy and money, they often also provide comfort and safety for our neighbors and their families.” - Maggie Kozak, CERTs
“We’re excited to watch these projects launch across the southwest region of the state,” says Southwest CERT Coordinator Nadya Bucklin. “Local residents & communities will benefit from the energy savings, and the stories we share about the project outcomes will help launch more clean energy ideas.”
“We’re witnessing such exciting energy-saving projects across northwestern MN, and this round of CERTs Seed Grants is no exception,” says Northwest CERT Coordinator Anna Peterson. “The upgrades will save energy and money, as well as provide cleaner air and more comfortable spaces for residents.”
Flying Cloud Landfill is 236 acres and if the buildable area were fully utilized for solar, it could generate 43.1 megawatts of power. Closed Minnesota landfills could generate as much as 950 megawatts of power “or enough to power over 100,000 homes.”
Solar hopes rise again at Flying Cloud Landfill
A pilot project is renewing interest in solar at Flying Cloud Landfill, but legal, financial and engineering hurdles still stand in the way.
eplocalnews.org
“CERTs Seed Grants have always provided a way to move ideas forward. We’re excited to keep the clean energy momentum going across Minnesota, especially for residents who need it the most,” said CERTs Co-Director Melissa Birch. kroxam.com/care-and-sha...
Care and Share Organization of Crookston receives CERTs Seed Grant to help fund building renovations – KROX
kroxam.com
“We decided that we wanted to bring something more for our Latino community, and that’s how we started doing the energy navigators,” Trapero said. It's inspiring to see how people use our Community Energy Ambassadors materials & make the information relevant for their communities:
St. James initiative energizes homes, hearts alike
ST. JAMES — What started as conversations about high utility bills and aging home systems has grown into a nationally recognized clean energy initiative reaching hundreds of households in St.
mankatofreepress.com
