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Welcome to MRESWhat's New at MRES?Recently appointed Public Utilities Commissioner Ellen Anderson speaks on current and emerging energy issues, the role of the Public Utilities Commission, and her position as a regulator. Click here for the larger video and to view our full guest speaker archive And join us on:
Board Meetings
Join us at our monthly Board Meetings regularly scheduled on the 2nd Thursday of every month.
Schedule: 5:30 pm - Networking and food 6:00 pm - Expert guest speaker 7:00 pm - Board of directors meeting Thursday, February 9, 2012
Deep Energy Improvements in Minnesota: The Jobs and Economic Development Potential of Scaled Up PACE Implementation in Minnesota Location:UAW-Ford-MnSCU Training Center Upcoming Classes & Workshops
MRES Committee MeetingsMonthly committee meetings are open to all and led by members. Want to help? Just show up: Advocacy 2nd Monday 6:30-8:30pm International 4th Wednesday 6:00-8:00pm Consider becoming a member today! Recent MRES News, Stories, and DiscussionMRES Plans Solar Project in Nigeria in MarchSubmitted by Julie M. Evans on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 11:23pm
The project is made possible by MRES International Committee funds raised specifically for the project, donated equipment and donated shipping. Five MRES International Committee members plan to give a group of local residents in the Kafanchan area hands-on experience with solar in an informal workshop setting. The on-the-ground team plans to: * Teach the group how to make a soldering station and a PV panel * Teach the group how to assemble a solar cell phone charger * Install lighting in the pediatric ward of the Kafanchan Hospital VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Volunteer’s Tinkering Led to Helping Take Solar to NigeriaSubmitted by Julie M. Evans on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 12:50pm
Here’s the story of how one guy’s passion for tinkering led him to a new purpose—to help take solar power to other countries. IKEA’s Array Will Be Largest in MNSubmitted by Julie M. Evans on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 8:10pm
The Bloomington IKEA roof has been repaired and is ready for a solar array install as soon as the weather cooperates, local IKEA spokesperson Brooke Nelson told MRES. Employees are excited about the project, she says, especially members of the store’s sustainability committee, who’d recommended the project to IKEA headquarters. The solar array that IKEA plans to install on its Bloomington store this summer will be the state's largest generator of electricity from the sun. The Bloomington store's power output will be 1.1 megawatts and most of it will be used on site, according to a Star Tribune article. Solar Novus reports that with a store size of 336,000 square feet on 15 acres, the solar program will use 142,000 ft2 at 1,136 kW with 4,834 panels generating approximately 1.3GWh/year. “This is equivalent to eliminating 989 tons of CO2 or 176 cars' emissions and is equal to powering 112 homes,” the newsletter notes. School Case Study: Rochester High SchoolsSubmitted by Laura Cina on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 3:16pmThe following is a case study being reprinted from the Renewable Energy and Schools: A Step by Step Guide. Find the full version of the Guide by clicking here. If you would like your school or renewable project featured in the Solar Flare, please contact laurac@mnrenewables.org. Case Study: Rochester School District: Description The MRES Board of Directors GrowsSubmitted by Laura Cina on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 12:59pmThe January Board Meeting not only featured a dynamic speaker, Commissioner Ellen Anderson, it also brought big changes to the Board of MRES. January is always the month where Board Members are elected to Officer Positions and the Board appoints one year term Board Members. The Board elected Eric Jensen, Energy Coordinator at the Izaak Walton League of America, as our new Board Chair, re-elected Doug Shoemaker as Vice Chair, Jan Hubbard as Secretary, and Tim Bethke as Treasurer. I am excited to work with all of the them as our new Executive Committee for 2012. MRES January Tabling EventsSubmitted by Roy Cloutier on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 9:41pm
One that we particularly enjoyed was Stillwater Area High School's 6th Annual Da Vinci Fest on January 7. The Da Vinci Fest is an educational fair highlighting art, science, and technology projects be the Stillwater Area School District's students in grades 4 through 12. Over 400 student projects were on display! The event was a great opportunity for MRES to reach out to the brightest young minds of the next generation; over 2500 students participated in the event! Click here for photos.
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MRES’ first on-the-ground international project, dubbed “Light Up Africa,” will likely now take place in March, says Harry Olupitan, the project team leader. Equipment for the project has arrived in a Nigerian port and must be cleared and transported to the rural project area in northern Nigeria before team members’ travel plans are finalized, he says.
You never know where taking an MRES class or becoming an MRES volunteer might lead. Jeff LaHay took an MRES class last June. And now he’s going to Nigeria as the technical lead on the MRES International Committee’s 
An active month for MRES, as usual, we participated in or tabled at a number of events last month.