Greetings!
Welcome to the first edition of the Energy Innovation Corridor e-Newsletter. Thank you for your continued interest in how we are partnering to develop a cleaner energy and transportation future for Minnesota. Questions or comments? E-mail info@energyinovationcorridor.com. |
| Home Energy Squad Debuts January 2010 |
Beginning January 2010, making your home energy efficient will be a whole lot easier.
The Home Energy Squad will perform a quick survey of the major energy features of a home, make recommendations to the homeowner and install a range of energy efficiency measures - all in about two hours. The goal of the program is to install a number of appropriate, moderate-impact and low-cost measures to jump start energy-efficiency. The homeowner will only pay for the materials used, while Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy will pick up costs related to the installation services.
The roll out of the Home Energy Squads has begun in neighborhoods within the Energy Innovation Corridor and will extend to other areas as the year progresses. Home Energy Squad partners include CenterPoint Energy, Xcel Energy, Center for Energy and the Environment, and Neighborhood Energy Connection.
Check out the Home Energy Squad on WCCO's Project Energy. |
| Energy Efficiency Neighborhood Workshops |
Over the past couple of months, the Energy Innovation Corridor team has participated in several energy-efficiency neighborhood workshops in Saint Paul. Over 300 residents in the Saint Anthony Park, Summit-University and Thomas-Dale neighborhoods have learned how they can make their homes more energy-efficient and about the benefits of the Energy Innovation Corridor.
Residents are very open to energy-conservation and money-saving ideas, and are curious about the Energy Innovation Corridor and how it'll benefit their community's future.
Partners involved in these meetings were the City of Saint Paul, Green Institute, Neighborhood Energy Connection, Metro Clean Energy Resource Team, the Center for Energy and Environment, Minnesota Conservation Corps, and Xcel Energy.
For more information on upcoming events, check out the News section on our Web site. |
| Becoming Green Stewards: Non-profits and Building Owners Get Involved |
 Nearly 100 representatives from neighborhood nonprofits and building owners attended the ''Becoming Green Stewards'' meeting - hosted by the Energy Innovation Corridor in November.
Attendees learned how to reduce their organization's environmental impact, and soften the impact of energy costs on their bottom line. They learned how to take the next steps on their own and with energy-saving programs from utilities, nonprofits, and other service providers. They also learned more about the Energy Innovation Corridor and had the opportunity to discuss energy efficiency with energy experts and network with other nonprofit and building management professionals. One lucky attendee received a certificate for $300 toward an energy audit.
Presenters included the City of Saint Paul, City of Minneapolis, CenterPoint Energy, Center for Energy and Environment, Minnesota Project, Wells Fargo and Xcel Energy. |
| Car Sharing Made Easy from HOURCAR |
HOURCAR, an Energy Innovation Corridor partner, provides all the convenience of owning a car with none of the trouble. Car sharing with HOURCAR is an economic, easy and eco-friendly way to drive. All it takes is to join, reserve a car, drive it, and let someone else worry about depreciation, insurance, fuel, and maintenance. HOURCAR has 23 cars available at a variety of convenient locations and are available for individuals, households and businesses.
HOURCAR is a program of the non-profit Neighborhood Energy Connection. The NEC pioneered car sharing in Minnesota in 2005. HOURCAR fits the NEC's mission of providing tools for energy-efficient living and is part of the Energy Innovation Corridor's clean energy and transportation showcase. | |
Thanks for your continued interest and support of the Energy Innovation Corridor - Minnesota's showcase area - making energy-efficiency, renewable energy, smart technologies and transportation a reality.
Sincerely,
The Energy Innovation Corridor Communications Team | |
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| About
Energy Innovation Corridor |
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Located within one of the most unique urban communities in the country, the Energy Innovation Corridor was formed to create a sustainable energy and transportation showcase. The first-of-its-kind, this clean energy and transportation model extends along the 11-mile Central Corridor light rail transit project route, from downtown Saint Paul to Target Field in downtown Minneapolis, along Washington and University avenues, via the Minnesota State Capitol and entire University of Minnesota-Minneapolis campus.
Visit our Web site: energyinnovationcorridor.com.
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| In the Spoltlight |
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Dan Thiede is the Energy Program Coordinator at the Minnesota Project. Thiede was a key planner of the recent Energy Innovation Corridor workshop for nonprofits, Becoming Green Stewards: How Nonprofits and Building Owners Can Protect the Environment and Cut Costs through Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
Thiede coordinates communications efforts for the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), a collaboration dedicated to connecting community members across Minnesota with the resources they need to plan and implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. He has a solid knowledge base in a range of environmental issues and holds undergraduate degrees from the University of Saint Thomas. |
| Spruce Tree Centre Reports Solar Energy Output |
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In July 2009, Spruce Tree Centre, a distinctive, green building at University and Snelling avenues in Saint Paul's Midway neighborhood, completed installation of the largest solar panel system in Saint Paul and one of the largest in Minnesota. The building is a well known fixture along the Energy Innovation Corridor.
Spruce Tree Centre hired the Energy Harvest Group to install a 37-kilowatt solar panel system to generate electricity for the building. View the energy output of the solar panels. |
| Interested in LRT progress? |
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Sign up with the Metropolitan Council for updates about the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit project construction. | |
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