Renewable Energy
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| SWIF is helping advance the renewable energy industry in southwest Minnesota to keep wealth in the region and help residents capitalize on the many opportunities related to renewable energy. |
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Since 2003, the Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF) has played a significant role in the development of the region’s growing renewable energy industry.
As of 2005, southwest Minnesota boasts more than 554 MW of wind generated electricity, 228 million gallons of annual ethanol production capacity, 36 million gallons of bio-diesel production and the nation’s first turkey litter fueled biomass project, FibroMinn in Benson, Minn., which is projected to generate 55 MW of electricity.
The activities in renewable energy are helping to transform southwest Minnesota into a major regional renewable energy center and bring tremendous economic opportunity to a region with a rich agricultural economy. SWIF is working to further facilitate advancement of the renewable energy sector and keep the resulting wealth in the region by helping are residents capitalize on the many renewable energy opportunities – those that already exist, as well as those that will be developed in the years ahead.
Renewable Energy Initiative Objectives:
- Invest in and support renewable energy ventures that optimize wealth retention in the region.
- Achieve national and international recognition for the region as a renewable energy center.
- Connect the region’s current and future workforce to career opportunities in renewable energy.
- Support community-based renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
- Facilitate regional discussion and advocacy for renewable energy.
Renewable Energy Initiative Activities:
Rural Energy Development Initiative (REDI)
The Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF) has been selected to manage and implement a statewide program designed to provide organizing and technical assistance to rural entities seeking to develop wind energy electric generation projects. This program was established by the Minnesota State Legislature in 2007 and is sponsored by the State of Minnesota and the Center for Rural Policy and Development.
The goal of REDI is to maximize rural economic development and stabilize rural economies by building renewable energy capacity, expertise, and leadership throughout the state of Minnesota. This goal will be accomplished by providing organizing and technical assistance to rural entities seeking to develop wind energy projects for the purpose of selling the energy to an electric utility and by raising awareness of the local economic, community and environmental benefits of renewable energy development, energy conservation and efficiency.
SWIF is collaborating with public, private and nonprofit stakeholders to develop, implement and support REDI. These partnerships will allow for potential expansion of the original intent of this program to not only meet the legislative requirements as it related to wind energy, but also serve as a foundation upon which to expand the objectives and advance the renewable energy asset sector for all of rural Minnesota.
SWIF and collaborating partners such as the North American Water Office, C-BED Initiative, and others have designed REDI to provide detailed specifics for decision-making and the necessary steps to take a wind energy project from conception to the point where they can continue project development on their own using commercial and/or governmental financing mechanisms. We are committed to helping at least 12 wind energy projects distributed across Minnesota through the necessary steps of organizing and technical assistance needed to complete initial feasibility studies and all tasks requisite to entering the Midwest Independent System Operator queue.
The proposed model for providing hands-on technical assistance will also help Minnesota build leadership and knowledge throughout the state by building a team or organizers and technical assistance managers who are quipped to help project development into the future.
To learn more about REDI:
Download the REDI Interest Form
Download the REDI Fact Sheet
Contact us via e-mail: redi@swifoundation.org
Contact us via phone: 1-866-966-6749 (NRGY)
SWIF and the Minnesota Department of Commerce Office of Energy Security recently held meetings to provide an update on the first phase of the Statewide Study for Dispersed Generation potential and an overview of REDI. The presentations from these meetings can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.
MN DOC DG Study Phase I Presentation
REDI Presentation
Renewable Energy Awareness Program
The goal of the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s (SWIF) Renewable Energy Awareness Program (REAP) is to help the communities of southwest Minnesota “reap” the benefits of the local renewable energy industry through education and awareness of the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy. (See our Renewable Energy Awareness Program Web page for more information.)
Renewable Energy Feasibility Projects
SWIF is in the process of securing resources that will be used to provide grant funding for renewable energy project feasibility studies, including community wind, biomass, bio-fuel and other renewable energy projects. (Check back for more information about this grant program.)
Community-Based Renewable Energy Projects
SWIF promotes the development of community-based renewable energy projects that have a positive economic impact on the community, distribute energy generation across the region, and help drive public awareness and support for the renewable energy sector.
Renewable Energy Marketplace
The Renewable Energy Marketplace™ is a regional marketing strategy created by the Southwest Initiative Foundation to promote the 18 counties of southwest Minnesota as a commerce center to invest, build, sell and distribute renewable energy products. As part of that effort, SWIF created the Renewable Energy Marketplace™ Web site to help facilitate renewable energy commerce in the region. SWIF is currently working on plans to bring the Web site to the next level to be part of a data center for renewable energy in the region.
Renewable Energy Loan Program
The Renewable Energy Loan Program offers loans to businesses engaged in renewable energy activities, whether directly or indirectly, that help build the renewable energy industryin the 18 counties of southwest Minnesota.
Online Resources Now Available
Community Wind Handbook
The Southwest Initiative Foundation, along with other partners, funded a community project for Agriculture Utilization Research Institute (AURI) and Windustry to create a Community Wind Handbook and Tool Box. The Community Wind Handbook is a step-by-step manual on creating a community wind project. An Excel spreadsheet is also available to help calculate costs for a wind project. To download these tools, click on the titles below.
NOTE: Each file is large and may take a few minutes to download depending on your Internet connection.
Community Wind Tool Box
The information in the handbook also served as the underlying information that has been expanded into an on-line tool box on Windustry's Web site. The Community Wind Tool Box offers high-quality, practical information, interactive tools and links to related information for farmers and rural landowners looking to develop commercial-scale wind projects. VIsit the AURI Web site to view the Community Wind Tool Box.
These are wonderful examples of the tools and resources that SWIF is helping to provide to those interested in the renewable energy industry and to partnering organizations who are supporting this work.
Southwest Initiative Foundation Workshops
"Capturing the Energy" Renewable Energy Workshop
The Southwest Initiative Foundation held a renewable energy workshop, “Capturing the Energy,” on Thursday, Nov. 8, in conjunction with the Foundation banquet. John Farrell, research associate at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, presented his research paper, Wind and Ethanol: Economies and Diseconomies of Scale. His presentation looked closely at the economics of wind energy, addressed why scale and ownership in wind energy projects matter and explained why bigger isn’t always better. In addition, Farrell addressed the need for policy to support community-based energy.
Click here to download a PDF version of the presentation "Ownership & Scale of Renewable Energy" by John Farrell.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, representatives of the Winona County wind energy project were unable to attend. In their place, Cheryl Glaeser, program specialist at the Southwest Initiative Foundation, presented a summary of the information gathered at the Local Energy Initiatives meetings recently held in Marshall and Morris. This data provides a basis of understanding for the interests and needs of local citizens and organizations to help advance community-based energy development. Attendees were also given the opportunity to give their thoughts on what should happen next to support community-based projects in southwest Minnesota.
Click here to download a PDF version of the presentation "Local Energy Initiatives Summary" by Cheryl Glaeser.
For more information on these topics, contact Cheryl Glaeser by e-mail at cherylg@swifoundation.org or by phone at (800) 594-9480.
Local Energy Initiatives Meeting a Huge Success!
In early September, nearly 450 people in the five greater Minnesota transmission districts got together to discuss the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 and the Dispersed Generation Study, as well as what can be done to promote community-based energy development in Minnesota. Attendees included electric utility representatives, zoning and planning officials, city officials, county commissioners, economic development professionals, renewable energy developers, large end users of electricity, and other citizens interested in community based renewable energy.
Prior to the start of the Dispersed Generation study and at other key points in the process, the Minnesota Department of Commerce (DOC) is statutorily required to hold meetings in each of the five greater Minnesota transmission planning zones. The morning sessions of the Local Energy Initiatives meetings were the first of these required meetings. At these initial meetings, the DOC collected feedback related to the study and gathered input on regional interest and plans for dispersed renewable generation. The information collected from these meetings will be a key input to the study. The recommendations from regional stakeholders on potential locations for renewable energy projects will be combined with information on existing, committed, and contracted renewable projects, with renewable resource geographical information (e.g. wind maps), and with information on projects in the Midwest Independent System Operator interconnection queue to formulate the generation scenarios to be studied.
These meetings were the first of three; the next meetings will be held after the impact analysis for the first phase is completed and when a draft final report for the first phase is available. The first phase of the study is to be completed by June 2008. Watch our web site for dates and locations of the next round of meetings.
Information gathered in the afternoon session will be used by the collaborating host organizations to coordinate technical assistance resources to support both the project initiatives and needs identified at the meetings and to strengthen the network of folks working on projects within each transmission zone and across the state. To view a summary of the information, click here.
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