Solar MN Meeting Notes
Meeting date:
Solar Minnesota
26 July 2010
10 AM to 12 Noon
Hosted by:
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society
http://www.mnrenewables.org/
For information about the Solar MN meeting and to
suggest agenda items for Solar MN, please contact:
Rebecca Lundberg
Rebecca.Lundberg@PowerfullyGreen.com
James Dontje
jdontje@gustavus.edu
Next meeting: (note that we will be continuing at the new location)
Monday, 27 September 2010
10 AM to 12 Noon
St. Paul College
Customized Training and Consulting Center
60 East Plato Boulevard
Suite 150
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55107
Due to the move of the Customized Training and Consulting Center to a new location,
were not able to video record or webcast this meeting. We hope to restore this capacity
in the future.
Announcements of upcoming classes and meetings
St. Paul College (Darryl Thayer) will be doing a solar review class for people
preparing for the September NABCEP exams. Date to be determined. Contact
St. Paul College for more information.
Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MNSEIA) will host an Aug. 4
meeting at the union training facility at the Ford Plant to discuss how the Xcel
Solar Rewards program will work with the Minnesota Made incentive program.
Target audience will be potential installers. Contact MNSEIA (www.mnseia.org)
for more information.
The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) and its International
Committee will be hosting a course on DIY 60 Watt solar PV systems for
developing country applications. John Burke of Maine Solar will be presenting.
Tentative date Oct. 9 and 10. See http://mnrenewables.org/node/617 for more
information.
Fall continuing ed courses at Century college Oct. 9 ( search on solar energy at
http://century.augusoft.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=1070)
SW High School Community ED class introducing PV and solar thermal. $15
cost. Details and online registration available at
http://www.mplscommunityed.com/ on August 30.
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society Updates (Laura Cina, Managing Director)
Nineteen boats at Solar Boat regatta in May—a very good event
Solar Area at the State Fair EcoExperience State Fair is being managed by MRES.
There will be an enhanced outdoor area and a Green Street exhibit in place of the
single house display. MRES looking for more sponsorship partners and volunteer
partners. Interested volunteers (free fair admission!) can sign up at
http://mnrenewables.org/eco-experience
Solar Tour will be October 2. Potential site hosts should go to
http://mnrenewables.org/solar-tour Notes from discussion: Volunteers can help
out if homeowner is gone. Sign up deadline is flexible. Success of this event is
related to local publicity effort. Will be sponsoring T-shirts for volunteers.
Solar Hot Water bulk buy program underway
(http://mnrenewables.org/MakeMineSolar )
Writing grants for support
Modeled after Solarize Portland
Century College students will do first review of site
Then contracted independent site assessor will complete assessment on
feasible sites
Standardizing packages to reduce confusion and time
Planning installers meeting
St. Paul and Minneapolis residents eligible
Update on State Programs and Solar Cities (Stacy Miller from the Office of Energy
Security)
600 KW system on the Minneapolis Convention Center finally got approval from
PUC. Project moving forward this year.
Permitting update: St. Paul and Mpls working on streamlined PV permitting
(eliminate structural engineering in some cases). MPLS has adopted, St. Paul
considering, Application and guidelines will be available at city office and
online. Question about MN structural engineer requirement versus pre-stamped
design from out of state. Solar Cities pushing acceptance of standard designs.
Darryl Thayer says that by law general contractor should be able to do structural
engineering for residential work (but not for commercial). May be based on size.
See Chapter 1800.59.00 in Architecture Rules. Note from Gerardo Ruiz of
Solarflow that some new commercial buildings being built to 35 lbs/sq. ft roof
loading standard which causes problems for solar.
Central light rail corridor activity. Solar on public buildings along the corridor-$3 million dollars--going out to bid over the next two years. 5-7 projects in PV
and solar thermal. Must comply with Buy America provisions of stimulus money,
as well Davis Bacon prevailing wage, historic preservation, and waste
management provisions. Solar on light rail stop has not yet been a priority for
Metro Transit.
Solar Works is new marketing campaign by Solar Cities. Logo Solar Works! in
<location> Yard signs 18" x 24" 150 for each city. Can buy signs for other
locations. Other forms (plaques or window cling) may be possible. Installers can
use for job signs and on websites. Logo will be clickable with link to OES info
page. Contact Stacy for access. Possibilities of ordering in bulk discussed.
Update on state rebate program. Funds available for solar thermal (air and water).
Can hold through September or a bit later, but some may be released to PV. Have
400 KW waiting in queue on PV. Possible incremental. Discussion of why space
heating not included: Solar thermal for DHW effective, but psychologically,
tackling only a part of the NG load discouraging. State is moving slowly as
expertise in this area is not widespread in state. . About $400K left in solar
thermal fund. 25 applications so far versus 329 for PV. Funded 237 as of June
30. Represents near doubling of PV in state from 2 MW to 4 MW
Reminder of project proposals for school projects due next Friday August 4th.
Extended discussion of deadline interacting with school funding and summer
scheduling challenges. MNSEIA will spearhead an effort to discuss extension to
deadline (up to 6 months). Otherwise money will probably be shifted to
efficiency programs. Darryl Thayer discussed small demo projects on schools and
how they can be effective with parallel outreach.
Mention of Real Estate event on building efficiency/renewable energy 11-11:45
panel on Friday, July 30.
Minnesota Solar Energy Industries update on policy work (Lynn Hinkle)
www.mnseia.org
Federal legislative issues:
Energy bill: unclear if will have any carbon component; carbon cap would help
federal renewable energy effort.
Bernie Sanders has 100 million solar roofs initiative; adds rebate to tax credit and
accelerated depreciation
(http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=867f0eb5-e6d0-42ef-aa2513bc3b7ce754)
PACE issues: problem caused by federal mortgage entities (Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac) not willing to take secondary position relative to PACE lien;
legislation in pipeline to eliminate conflict; Standard practice (this mechanism
already finances sidewalks, streets and sewer improvements) will probably push
back attempt to resist PACE.
State level
A state-level PACE steering committee (Office of Energy Security, Economic
Development officials, county reps and others) working on framework for
enhanced legislation to speed deployment of PACE;
Plan by MNSEIA to convene (Nov-Dec) stakeholders to discuss what state policy
should look like. Possibly trying to develop a solar “carve-out” modeled after
work in other states to increase renewable portfolio standards with “carve-out”
provisions (ex. 3% for solar in PA, distributed energy in CO)
Feed-In-Tariff on table
Manufacturing incentives; MN close to being marginalized due to lack of targeted
policies and incentives. Discussion of local content and buy local issues; need
more information from the state
There will be a policy information session at September MRES board meeting
(5:30 PM, September 9—see mnrenewables.org later in August for details) in
September with a state legislator.
Suggestion of petition or letter writing campaign at events like Ecoexperience or
Solar Tour
Policy discussion on how to lobby effectively, including participating in media
discussion (editorials). Problem of time and coordination.