Our Mission

MRES is a catalyst, equitably advancing a sustainable low-carbon society
and a renewable energy economy through education, leadership and example.

January Speaker Series

The Co-Benefit Approach to Solar Development

There are over 9 GW of proposed large-scale solar projects requesting interconnection to the grid in Minnesota. The host communities for these projects frequently perceive that they are being asked to host significant new infrastructure that is being developed for the benefit of other communities. The Great Plains Institute is leading work that examines both whether this perception is real or not, and how communities can ensure that community- and large-scale solar development integrates their priorities and provides local benefits. The co-benefit approach is a emerging development model that recognizes that even when clean energy is not a local priority, clean energy development offers opportunities to address local priorities in agricultural protection, economic development, ecosystem restoration, and even health and safety improvements.

About the Speaker

Brian Ross, AICP
Vice President
Great Plains Institute

Brian Ross, AICP, is a Vice President at the Great Plains Institute. He leads GPI’s renewable energy market transformation efforts in the Midwest and nationally. For over 30 years he has worked extensively with local, regional, and state governments on climate and energy planning, renewable energy policy and land use and natural resource regulation. Brian currently leads efforts at the state and national level to integrate renewable energy and community co-benefits to enhance natural systems, meet host community land use priorities, and support agriculture business models. He has participated in SolSmart from its inception, helped create the ground-breaking PV-SMaRT and PV-SuCCESS initiatives on solar and ecosystem services, and leads the community-focused source water (DWSMA) Solar initiative in MN with the Minnesota Department of Health.

January Live online presentation

Thursday, January 16th @ 6:00pm

Meeting ID: 848 3976 3793
Passcode: 736782

Trouble joining? Contact eleanor@mnrenewables.org

Green Rock Apartments Transform Multifamily Housing from Old to Sustainable: A Guide for Property Owners

Dale Howey, in six years, has transformed his Green Rock Apartments into a model of carbon-neutral housing. Howey, a Minneapolis owner/renovator, has completed eight multi-unit building retrofits. The physical improvements, coupled with enhanced livability amenities, have dramatically reduced each building’s utility usage/cost of energy, increased owner profits, and improved livability for residents. Most importantly, the retrofits have significantly reduced the use of fossil fuels, and thus contribute toward lowering the world’s extreme carbon emissions.

Howey’s intention is to open-source his unique retrofit approach so that others may gain ideas, inspiration, and guidance. To that end, the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, in collaboration with Green Rock Apartments, has produced a detailed guide documenting Howey’s projects, noting the carbon-reducing products used, retrofit project financing, key contacts and sources for further research. The following guide highlights four Green Rock Apartment buildings in Minneapolis, MN that have been retrofitted to near zero carbon by Howey. These retrofits have greatly lowered utility usage, increased owner profits and have improved livability for Residents. Most importantly, these retrofits significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels to further lower the world’s extreme carbon emissions.

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