Install a public sector/municipally-owned renewable energy technology, such as solar electric (called solar photovoltaic or solar PV), wind, biomass, solar hot water/air, or micro-hydro.

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Install a public sector/municipally-owned renewable energy technology, such as solar electric (PV), wind, biomass, solar hot water/air, or micro-hydro.

Best Practice of this action
Keywords
schools
Rating Guideline
1 star Describe any public sector project and report installed capacity in kW. Report city purchase of green tags and community solar garden subscriptions under BPA 15.2; report purchases that support local, Minority, Disability, and Women-Owned businesses under BPA 15.3; report wastewater biogas projects under BPA 20.6; solid waste anaerobic digestion under BPA 22.5; geothermal under BPA 1.7; brightfield projects under BPA 25.5.
2 star Install at least two different RE technologies and report installed capacity in kW; report municipal utility ownership; report city council direction to its muni (via board appointments, annual goals/reports/funding) to accelerate work on city clean energy goals; show that a RE installation has shaved on peak energy demand and allowed the monthly utility demand charge to be decreased; report installed battery storage.
3 star Install RE capacity in excess of 100 kW; report combined heat and power generation, parking lot PV canopies, pollinator habitat under a PV array.
Resources

Procurement: 

  • CERTs provides a local government solar procurement guide (2019), and direct technical assistance for solar procurement. 
  • The Office of Enterprise Sustainability has a master contract for solar energy procurement. 
  • The MN Division of Energy Resources, through the Local Government Technical Assistance Program helps jurisdictions assess how to approach and advance a clean energy project including insights on methods of contracting, issuing requests for proposals, and providing independent third-party proposal review. 
  • The Clean Energy Resource Teams provides assistance to K-12 schools interested in solar procurement as well as guidance, case studies and resources. 
  • Solar for Schools and Solar on Public Buildings grants are available to help stimulate the installation of solar energy systems. 
  • Public entities can utilize Elective/Direct Pay to benefit from federal tax credits available for renewable energy projects.  

Models: 

  • The Morris Model is a partnership of the City, County, University of Minnesota - Morris, and the Schools District with the goal for producing 80% of county-wide energy from renewable sources by 2030. A Conservative Farm Town Went Green Without Really Trying (Wall Street Journal, 2024)
  • Elk River is notable, being known as Energy City since 1997, showcasing efficient and renewable energy technologies such as solar PV, landfill gas-energy, a wind turbine, geothermal, etc. 
Order Number
5
Action Type
Finite