This Thursday, Senator Klobuchar will host an energy efficiency summit at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management (in cooperation with the Humphrey Institute). Read on for more details, an agenda of the summit, and how you can RSVP for the event.
Here at Fresh Energy, we're often writing about the new clean energy economy. But how often do you actually see the thousands of Minnesota union workers in clean energy jobs? Now's your chance. The Blue Green Alliance is organizing the Green Jobs Photo Project, with a gallery opening on Thursday, January 14, 6-8PM at Common Roots Café in Minneapolis, and you're invited!
Last Friday morning, I stepped off the plane in Copenhagen for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15). My role at the Copenhagen climate conference is as a policy mentor and coach to 12 youth delegates from 7 Midwest states. They make up Expedition Copenhagen, traveling with polar explorer and global warming eyewitness Will Steger. I had reviewed all the negotiating positions of individual countries like my own, China, Japan, Canada--and important blocks of countries, the European Union, the Alliance of Small States, the G-77 developing nations. I felt prepared to track the formal negotiations of the conference. What I was unprepared for was the remarkable intensity and focus of the youth delegates I would meet that night.
Posted by: Lynne Bly in event on
Nov 23, 2009
At Fresh Energy's first-ever benefit concert on Friday evening, Krista Detor, David Weber, Arbutus Cunningham, and Alice Hurley enchanted Fresh Energy supporters with a program of song and story that made the rafters ring in Macalester College's Weyerhaeuser Chapel. Detor is an international performer whose original songs have been featured at the Cannes film festival, and on NPR,and PBS. Thanks to her remarkable generosity, 60 percent of ticket sales will go directly to support Fresh Energy's work. Alternately tender, thought provoking, and funny, Detor's program was drawn from material commissioned by the Shrewsbury Folk Festival. As one attendee said, "fantastic is huge understatement."
It seems pretty simple: we should use energy as efficiently as possible. It saves money and avoids negative environmental consequences and costs next to nothing. Why waste electricity to get the same results?
Want to learn how energy efficiency can save money, create jobs, and fight global warming in Minnesota? On November 3, why not see for yourself how a local company has reaped the benefits.
Yesterday I drove 1.5 hours north to attend the groundbreaking for the Upper Midwest's largest PV solar facility. The facility, on four acres of Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville, MN, will produce 575 megawatt hours annually and will offset about 20 percent of Saint John's peak energy needs during the summer months and approximately 4 percent of the campus's overall energy needs on an annual basis. The farm will consist of approximately 1,800 solar modules and is 4 times larger than the largest current PV solar farm in Minnesota. The project is a partnership of Mortenson Construction, Westwood Renewables, Saint John's University, the Abbey, and Xcel Energy. Abbot John and the owner of Westwood Renewables, Mario Monesterio, both spoke at the ceremonial groundbreaking and blessing of the solar farm site. Construction is expected to be complete and the farm operational by Thanksgiving.
This fall I'll be out and about in greater Minnesota, giving public presentations on growing a clean energy economy in Minnesota and the United States. My upcoming presentations are in Austin on September 19 at REfest, Detroit Lakes on September 28, and two presentations at Bemidji State University on September 29. We'll have details posted soon on my November 1 presentation in St. Peter. All of these presentations are free and open to the public. More details and event flyers are posted on our events calendar. Please spread the word to friends and family in these local areas. I hope to see you in person at an event near you!
Posted by: Kate Ellis in event, coal, clean energy, action on
Jun 25, 2009
The Elk River Municipal Utility is considering buying into the Big Stone II coal-fired power plant proposed to be built near Milbank, South Dakota (learn more about Big Stone II). Even though utilities and states across the nation are abandoning plans for coal plants--power plants that will pollute and create unstable rates for consumers for 40-50 years-backers of Big Stone II continue down this uneconomic and environmentally irresponsible path.
Elk River took an early lead in seeking better energy options by earning an Energy City designation in 1997. This progress should not be undermined by buying into this backward-looking, obsolete form of energy.
In late April and early May, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) will be holding open house meetings at seven locations across the state to share information about two planning efforts--an update to the Greater Minnesota Transit Plan and development of a Comprehensive Statewide Passenger and Freight Rail Plan.
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