Minneapolis Reaches First Goal on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Minneapolis has reached its first goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from citywide energy consumption, transportation, solid waste, and wastewater. Greenhouse gases caused by activities within the city limits of Minneapolis decreased 17.8 percent in 2015 compared to the 2006 baseline; the goal was a 15 percent reduction. The 2015 analysis included a substantial update to prior years’ calculations using a method that aligns Minneapolis with other cities around the world participating in the Compact of Mayors agreement. 2016 data is being analyzed and will be available soon.

Greenhouse gas emissions decreased 10.7 percent from 2014 to 2015, driven primarily by milder winter months, which resulted in a decrease in natural gas consumption. An increase in emissions from wastewater was offset by decreases in emissions from electricity consumption, natural gas consumption, on-road transportation and solid waste. Find more detail in the PowerPoint presentation.

Subsequent goals will require acceleration of energy conservation and cleaner heating options

Minneapolis’ next goals include a 30 percent reduction in citywide emissions by 2025 and an 80 percent or more reduction by 2050 (all from the 2006 baseline). A rise in renewable wind and solar electricity drove most of the emissions decrease since 2006, a trend forecasted to continue. With natural gas set, then, to become the City’s largest contributor to emissions in the coming years, meeting future goals will require accelerating progress in reducing natural gas consumption with energy conservation and shifting to cleaner heating options such as renewable natural gas and heat pump technology.

Minneapolis will make progress toward its goals by continuing to implement its Climate Action Plan and working with CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy on implementing the Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership 2017-2018 work plan.

Find the City’s other climate action goals here.

City Wins SolSmart & Clean Energy Community Awards

(CM Reich with Sustainability staff:
Brady Steigauf, Luke Hollenkamp, Gayle Prest & Kelly Muellman)

The City of Minneapolis has earned a couple of important awards relating to its leadership in the area of clean energy:

SolSmart Gold Designation - Solar
SolSmart, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy of Energy, has awarded the City of Minneapolis a Gold designation in recognition of its national leadership in advancing solar energy. A SolSmart designation is a signal that the community is "open for solar business," helping to attract solar industry investment and generate economic development and local jobs.

MN Clean Energy Community Award - Clean Energy Partnership

Minneapolis was one of six communities to receive an Achievement Award as an acknowledgement of work done to further the state's clean energy goals. Minneapolis received its award for the formation of the Clean Energy Partnership. This is a new approach that partners the City with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy to help the City reach its Climate Action Plan and Energy Vision for 2040, goals of 30% greenhouse gas reduction by 2025 and 80% by 2050.

FREE Home Energy Squad Visits & Zero Interest Loans

For a limited time, the City of Minneapolis is offering free Home Energy Squad visits for income-qualified residents, including renters. All Minneapolis residents are eligible for a $70 home visit -- and to qualify for a FREE visit, your home must have an income of less than $48,100 for one person, $54,950 for two people, $61,850 for three people, or up to $90,650 for eight people. During a Home Energy Squad visit, a team of energy experts evaluates energy saving opportunities in your home and installs free materials to help you start saving on the spot, including door weather stripping, a water heater blanket, high-efficiency light bulbs and water fixtures, and a programmable thermostat.

Your visit may also include a test to measure your home for air leaks; an insulation inspection using an infrared camera; a safety check of your home’s heating system and water heater; and an “energy fitness plan” with a list of energy-saving priorities and financing information. For any recommended upgrades, participants will receive a personalized quote and an opportunity to schedule the work with a qualified contractor. And if the Home Energy Squad recommends insulation or air sealing, ALL Minneapolis residents also get special access to 0% financing to complete the work, thanks to an exclusive partnership with the City of Minneapolis. This is a limited-time offer, so don’t wait to schedule your visit! Call Beth today at 612-335-5874 or visit mncee.org/hes-mpls

Free Home Energy Squad Visits

For a limited time, the City of Minneapolis is offering free Home Energy Squad visits for income-qualified residents, including renters.All Minneapolis residents are eligible for a $70 home visit, but to qualify for a FREE visit and 0% financing for recommended upgrades, your home must have an income of less than $48,100 for one person, $54,950 for two people, $61,850 for three people, or up to $90,650 for eight people.

During a Home Energy Squad visit, a team of energy experts evaluates energy saving opportunities in your home and installs free materials to help you start saving on the spot -- including door weather stripping, a water heater blanket, high-efficiency light bulbs and water fixtures, and a programmable thermostat. Your visit may also include: a test to measure your home for air leaks; an insulation inspection using an infrared camera; a safety check of your home’s heating system and water heater; and an “energy fitness plan” with a list of energy-saving priorities and financing information.

If the Home Energy Squad recommends insulation or air sealing, income-qualified residents will also get special access to 0% financing to complete that work, and all participants will receive a personalized quote and opportunity to schedule the work with a qualified contractor. This is a limited-time offer, so don’t wait to schedule your visit! Call Beth today at 612-335-5874 or visit mncee.org/hes-mpls

Monitor Your Appliances & Save Energy

You can check out a Power Check meter from your local library and connect it to an appliance in your home to learn the appliance's energy use – its current, minimum and maximum energy use.

Knowing which appliances are major energy drains can help you make smarter decisions about the energy you use in your home, and that can help you save on your bills.

Power Check is an energy efficiency and education initiative provided in partnership between Xcel Energy and your public library.

Minneapolis' Clean Energy Partnership Wins Climate Leadership Award

EPA's Dennis J. McLerran with CEP board members Laura
McCarten (Xcel), Brad Tutunjian (Centerpointe) & CM Reich

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named the Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership a 2016 Climate Leadership Award winner in the Innovative Partnerships category for addressing climate change. Council Member Reich accepted the award on behalf of the City of Minneapolis at the conference in March. The EPA, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, and The Climate Registry are honoring 13 organizations, three partnerships and one individual in the fifth annual Climate Leadership Awards. Recipients have demonstrated leadership and dedication in reducing the pollution that contributes to climate change. The Innovative Partnerships certificate recognizes organizations working collaboratively on leading-edge climate initiatives.

This first-of-its-kind City-utility partnership, the Clean Energy Partnership began in 2015 and has the City of Minneapolis, Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy collaborating in new ways to help Minneapolis achieve clean energy goals in the City's 2013 Climate Action Plan and Energy Vision for 2040. The utilities are using the partnership to help customers achieve their energy conservation goals.

Key actions of the Clean Energy Partnership are outlined in the first two-year work plan within the planned 10 year partnership:

- Helping 75 percent of Minneapolis homeowners, renters and rental properties participate in efficiency retrofit programs by 2025, ensuring the distribution of participants reflects the distribution of income levels in the city.

- Implementing the Building Energy Disclosure policy for medium and large commercial buildings.

- Promoting the adoption of renewable energy solutions for Minneapolis customers, such as onsite solar, wind, community solar gardens and green tariffs.

- Investigating the feasibility of large-scale renewable energy purchasing for municipal government and/or residents.

- Continuing to shift to LED streetlights.

Partnerships recognized by the award have established objectives to measurably address greenhouse gas reduction goals and/or adaptation and resilience activities. Measurable results will be documented and reported annually following the development of metrics. Find more information about the 2016 Climate Leadership Award here.

Light Up Your Home For Less

This week Xcel Energy launched a two month long promotion of energy efficient light bulbs featuring discounted CFLs and LEDs at local retailers. It’s time to switch out your old bulbs for new, energy-efficient CFLs and LEDs. And take advantage of the savings, while they last. Right now, Xcel Energy is partnering with participating retailers to offer special discounts. Save up to $5 on select models of LEDs or buy CFLs for as little as $1 per bulb.

How much do they save?

LEDs and CFLs are the most energy efficient bulbs available. They use 75 to 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 22 years. They come in all shapes and sizes and can save you energy and money.

Start saving today!

Visit xcelenergy.com/LightingDeals to find bulbs at stores near you.

Council Member's Message

2015 was an eventful year for the City of Minneapolis on a number of fronts and I am pleased that some of the initiatives and improvements launched over the course of the past year will have positive impacts on our community and our environment far into the the future:

• Organics recycling was launched in August of 2015 and will be expanded citywide in 2016. This initiative, combined with the one sort recycling that was rolled out 2012/13, represents a significant step in moving closer to the City's Zero Waste goals.
  
• The Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership Board, of which I am a member, completed its first year of work toward helping Minneapolis achieve its clean energy goals.
• In September the Council approved the Percent-for-Art Ordinance that I authored with CM Glidden to dedicate 1.5% of City-issued net debt bonds annually to public art funding. This ordinance will ensure stable and predictable funding for public art and reinforces our commitment to the creative vitality artists generate in the First Ward and our City as a whole. Click HERE to read more about the ordinance.
• The City's Regulatory Services department rolled out a tiered rental license system that is designed to align costs and inspections to bring more resources to bear on problem rental properties.

2015 was an especially productive year for the First Ward. Many items that have been top priorities for me and for our community came to fruition in a big way, including the sale of the Hollywood Theater and the return of a ladder truck to Station 15. Read about some of the highlights below; we have much to celebrate!

Recycling in Minneapolis Parks

Minneapolis residents will recognize new garbage and one-sort recycling carts in Minneapolis parks as the same ones they use at home. Minneapolis neighborhood parks are now part of the City of Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling program.

Recycling in the parks is now an easier choice, because each garbage cart will be paired with a recycling cart. The one-sort carts collect glass, plastic, paper, aluminum and cardboard into one container. Remember – no plastic bags, trash, clothes, items that have food or wax on them, Styrofoam or other kinds of plastic foam.

For more information on what you can recycle in Minneapolis, click here.

Energy Assistance Information

Following the termination by the State of Minnesota of its contracts with Community Action of Minneapolis, the City of Minneapolis is committed to ensuring that those who need the services that Community Action provided will still receive them. Effective immediately, Community Action of Suburban Hennepin (CAPSH) will deliver the Energy Assistance Program in Minneapolis.

Energy Assistance applications that were previously submitted to Community Action of Minneapolis will be delivered to CAPSH and processed in the order in which they were received. Clients do not need to submit new applications unless notified by CAPSH. Minneapolis residents who have received Energy Assistance applications should mail them to CAPSH at the address below rather than to the address printed on their application:

Mail new applications to:

Energy Assistance Program, 8800 Highway 7, #403, St. Louis Park, MN 55426

The Energy Assistance application can be downloaded online at www.capsh.org or by calling 952-930-3541. Residents who are interested in weatherization services for their home should contact Sustainable Resources Center at 612-870-4255.

Energy Utility Franchise Agreements

The City of Minneapolis has utility franchise agreements with Xcel Energy for electricity and CenterPoint Energy for natural gas. These agreements allow the utilities to use public property, such as boulevards and alleys to provide service. They were signed in the early 1990s, and both expire at the end of 2014. The City is in the early stages of preparing to negotiate new franchise agreements. One of the steps in this process is the Energy Pathways Report that the Council has authorized and that will be completed in February 2014. This alternatives analysis will outline the various avenues the City could take to achieve the energy goals outlined in the City’s Climate Action Plan.

A group of residents has advocated for placing a referendum on the November general elections ballot authorizing the City to establish municipal utilities. A public hearing was held on this issue on August 1 to hear testimony from the utilities, as well as citizens both for and against the referendum. Since that time, both CenterPoint and Xcel have had discussions with the City regarding ways of working together to meet the City’s energy goals. Given these discussions, the resolution for a ballot referendum on municipalization will not be introduced at the Committee of the Whole on August 15.

340 27th Ave. NE Update

Hennepin County has suspended final design planning for the Minneapolis-Hennepin Environmental Facility while they explore their options and undertake further due diligence.

Eastside Non-Profit Spotlight: Sustainable Revolution Project

The Sustainable Revolution Project is a Northeast Minneapolis-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting simple, energy-efficient solutions by creating innovative, sustainable opportunities in the public and private sector. They build sustainable homes, offer Green Work Force training, and provide consulting services to homeowners and contractors on sustainable building techniques.

One of the major focuses of their mission is environmental service learning programs to educate youth and communities. Their SEED (Sustainable Environmental Education) Program is teaming up with inner city schools to educate kindergarten through 12th grade students on sustainable technologies. They use on-site and classroom instruction to empower youth to make sustainable choices that positively impact their communities. SEED will be working with Edison High School this year on a pesticide reduction program for the school’s athletic fields.

Sustainable Revolution Project is located at 1330 Quincy Street NE. For further information about their mission and services, call 612-481-2346 or go to sustainablerevolutionproject.org.

Reduce Energy Use & Save Money

Community Energy Services, a full service residential energy program, has been implemented in several Eastside neighborhoods, including Audubon, Logan Park, SE Como, Waite Park and Windom. This program offers educational workshops, home energy visits, and more to identify simple ways to reduce energy use and save money. Participants have the opportunity to receive up to $400 of materials, including low flow showerheads, compact fluorescent light bulbs, gasket seals and other items for at a cost of $30.

CEE will be issuing an RFP to all neighborhood associations in September to be included in the next phase of the program. If you’re interested in seeing this program come to your neighborhood, encourage your neighborhood association to apply.