The Minnesota Community Energy Network, facilitated by the Great Plains Institute and Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), is a peer learning network of local government staff working on clean energy in Minnesota that aims to advance action in communities across the state.
The Minnesota Community Energy Network connects local government staff working on clean energy with their peers and partner organizations to share promising practices, lessons learned, and opportunities for support. The network has quarterly virtual meetings covering a variety of topics, including state and federal funding, technical assistance opportunities, climate and clean energy-related legislation, climate action planning, and community engagement.
Our goals:
We started as the Renewable Energy Procurement Network in 2018 and evolved into the Community Energy Network (CEN) in 2020 to cover a broader range of topics. Since then, we have engaged with members from nearly 80 communities across Minnesota and continue to grow the network.
Minnesota Community Energy Network participants can attend quarterly network meetings and may choose to participate in a work group. The two 2024 work groups will cover:
(1) leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act’s direct pay/elective pay opportunities
(2) manufactured home parks
Do you work on climate and clean energy initiatives for your local government or Tribal nation? Fill out this form to join the Community Energy Network:
In November 2023, members of the Community Energy Network and the Cities Climate Coalition saw a Darcy Solutions geothermal system in action at the Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 Union Hall in Saint Paul.
In May 2023, we hosted our first in-person meeting, where we recapped the legislative session, workshopped city sustainability problems, and discussed Community Energy Network plans for the coming year.
