Rise Up

Minnesota stands out as a leader in the energy transition, uniquely positioned at the forefront of renewable adoption in the Midwest. Through bipartisan legislation and innovative incentive programs, the state has become a trailblazer in advancing renewable energy technologies and setting a regional example for clean energy initiatives.

In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nick talks to Logan O'Grady, executive director of MnSEIA, about the past and future of solar in Minnesota as well as the upcoming Gateway to Solar conference on October 8-9, 2024.

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

0:42 Logan O'Grady introduction

1:27 MnSEIA overview

4:29 Minnesota solar market

9:24 Minnesota solar policy and bipartisanship

12:30 Lessons learned and the current solar market

16:28 Changes to utility introductory rates

20:58 The future of energy storage in Minnesota

26:23 Inspiration for storage incentive program

28:09 Energy balance in Minnesota

31:38 Gateway to Solar conference

ABOUT OUR GUEST: LOGAN O'GRADY

Logan O'Grady is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association. He is authorized to practice law in Minnesota and is a registered lobbyist for MnSEIA.

Entering his fourth year at the helm of MnSEIA, Logan has led the organization through a period of substantial growth. Now representing over 170 member organizations, MnSEIA is the largest member-driven clean energy advocacy group in Minnesota. The biggest and most diverse member force since its founding in 2009 has helped MnSEIA pass historic legislative commitments to the solar + storage industry, including over $150 million in public investments into solar + storage programming. Logan navigated the industry through a revamp of the state’s nation-leading Community Solar Garden program, the launch of Minnesota's Solar for Schools and Solar on Public Buildings programs, passed the state's new Distributed Solar Energy Standard, and has been an outspoken voice on the importance of Distributed Energy Resources in Minnesota's energy portfolio.

Previously, Logan worked at Larkin Hoffman where he served as an attorney on the firm’s government relations team, representing solar companies at the state Capitol and in front of the Public Utilities Commission. He also served as the Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Clean Energy Economy Minnesota (CEEM) and as the Committee Administrator for the Minnesota Senate’s powerful capital investment committee.

Logan holds a Law Degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and a Master’s Degree from the Hult International Business School in London.

With so many solar products out on the market today, it can be difficult to choose which one works best for your home or business. Boasting over 20 years of solar experience in the US, Fronius has become a leader in the solar industry, providing quality products and reliable customer service.

In this continuation of season 5, Nick Hylla sits down with Chris Connell, head of solutions management at Fronius USA, to talk about the newest Fronius inverter and current roadshow across the United States.

Definitions:

Inverter/Hybrid Inverter – A piece of equipment that converts the current produced by a photovoltaic solar panel into a usable current that feeds into an electrical grid or off-grid electrical network. A hybrid inverter goes one step further and stores solar energy in a battery for later use.

UL 1741-SB certified – A product that meets the safety and performance requirements for grid support functions, and is compatible with the electric utility grid.

Global Maximum Power Point – A feature of inverters that helps solar arrays produce the most power by finding the optimal operating point.

Renewable Meter Adaptor – A device that simplifies the process of connecting a solar system to a home's electrical panel.

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

00:54 Chris Connell Introduction

1:37 Fronius Mission and History

2:39 The Fronius Gen 24 Inverter

6:37 Fronius Roadshow

8:19 Repair Center

ABOUT OUR GUEST: CHRIS CONNELL

Chris Connell joined Fronius USA In 2012 as an Application Engineer for the Solar Energy Business unit. Since then, Chris has held multiple positions, including Team Leader of the Technical Support Department, Technical Sales Advisor, National Technical Sales Advisor, and currently is the Head of Solutions Management.

As a former Aviation Technician in the US Navy and with his background in the technical support team, he brings an extensive technical knowledge.

Did you know you don't have to be a pro cyclist to keep up with the racers competing in the Tour de France? E-bikes are one of the best environmentally conscious transportation options that keep you fit while having fun. These electric bikes significantly reduce carbon emissions, decrease air and noise pollution, and use less energy and resources for production and maintenance compared to traditional vehicles. Plus, they offer an efficient, cost-effective alternative to driving, making them a smart choice for both your health and the planet.

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

0:00 Matt Penniman Introduction

1:19 League of Michigan Bicyclists

3:44 Why are bicycles important?

4:47 The League's priorities

6:35 Tensions between road users

8:31 Technology advancements in mobility

9:58 Consumer considerations

13:50 Changes in electric bikes

15:09 Battery range estimations

18:02 Cost range

18:47 Form factors

21:37 Adapting the transportation system

23:15 Communities leading the way on micro mobility

24:00 Future vision for micro mobility and bicycles

25:46 Additional resources and closing thoughts

ABOUT OUR GUEST: MATTHEW PENNIMAN

A passionate cyclist and communication strategist, Matthew Penniman assumed the role of Communications and Advocacy Director at the League of Michigan Bicyclists in 2018. With a diverse skill set encompassing project planning, organizational psychology, strategic engagement, and more, Matthew is dedicated to advancing ethical messaging within the nonprofit sector and community development initiatives.

Penniman's advocacy extends to promoting riding safety and illustrating the broader community benefits of increased bicycle usage. As a pivotal member of the League of Michigan Bicyclists, he champions the importance of bicycling in creating healthier, more connected communities and advocating for bicycle-friendly policies at the State Capitol in Lansing.

Founded in 1981, the League of Michigan Bicyclists is a nonprofit organization committed to advocating for bicycle-friendly policies, offering financial aid to like-minded individuals and groups, and developing educational materials for cyclists and various stakeholders. Through annual cycling tours, statewide event calendars, and a clear mission to improve lives through bicycling, the League of Michigan Bicyclists envisions a future where bicycling enhances the well-being of all community members, promotes sustainable transportation options, and fosters inclusive and accessible streets and trails for everyone.

Minnesota's solar accessibility has skyrocketed since the passing of the Minnesota Solar Energy Jobs Act in 2013, creating clean energy opportunities for communities across the state. One such opportunity, community solar gardens, have exploded in the past ten years, adding up to 900 megawatts of solar arrays for community benefit.

Learn more about community solar gardens in this episode of the Rise Up Podcast featuring Peter Lindstrom, CERTs manager of public sector & community engagement at the University of Minnesota’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships and Extension.

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

0:00 Peter Lindstrom Introduction

1:47 MREA Training endorsement

3:07 Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)

6:06 Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

10:13 Changes in Minnesota energy markets

13:55 Community solar subscribers

18:33 Solar garden enabling legislation

23:04 Energy storage and solar gardens

24:03 Solar on Schools program

30:03 What's still needed/magic wand solutions

34:26 Challenges and opportunities in new funding

ABOUT OUR GUEST: PETER LINDSTROM

Peter Lindstrom is the Manager of Public Sector & Community Engagement at the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) within the University of Minnesota’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships and Extension. With a focus on outreach and education, he leads efforts to engage local units of government, including cities, counties, townships, and school districts, in exploring approaches for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements.

Peter brings a wealth of experience to his role, having previously served as the mayor of Falcon Heights, MN for 10 years and represented District 10 on the Metropolitan Council. Additionally, his career includes significant leadership positions such as Assistant Director of the Center for Science, Technology & Public Policy at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School, Executive Director of SciMathMN, and Vice President of Public Affairs at the Minnesota High Tech Association.

Renewable energy technology has come a long way over the years. One such advancement — cold climate heat pumps — are no different and can offer homeowners an efficient and economical way to heat and cool their home while reducing carbon emissions.

Learn everything you need to know about heat pumps including how they work, different configurations, available incentives, and barriers to adoption in this week's episode of the Rise Up Podcast featuring Justin Margolies, Senior Product Developer at Slipstream.

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

0:00 Justin Margolies Introduction

1:36 Slipstream and Justin's work

2:56 How does a heat pump work?

3:58 Cold climate heat pump advancements

4:37 Measuring efficiency

7:34 Defrost cycle process

8:57 Heat pump configurations

11:06 Benefits of heat pumps

14:08 Barriers to adoption

17:43 Heat pump incentives

20:15 Customer considerations

22:52 Other heat pump styles

26:06 Beneficial electrification

28:11 Closing thoughts

ABOUT OUR GUEST: JUSTIN MARGOLIES

As the Senior Product Developer at Slipstream, Justin specializes in conducting research on emerging technologies and developing programs and solutions for residential heat pumps. His primary focus is on advancing the organization's mission by collaborating with utilities, local and state governments, regulatory bodies, and communities to facilitate sustainable market transformation. Justin is deeply committed to bridging the gap between research outcomes and widespread impact in the realm of clean energy transition. His goal is to drive responsible market growth and enhance the adoption of heat pump technology for both space and water heating applications.

Justin leverages his extensive experience in the clean energy sector to drive innovation in beneficial electrification research and solution development. He holds a Master of Arts in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, complemented by a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Macalester College.

Ever wondered how solar panels work? Or how the solar industry has grown over the years? Or how to ensure a quality solar installation? Get answers to all these questions and more in this episode of the Rise Up Podcast as Nick Hylla interviews Kris Schmid, founder and owner of Legacy Solar, LLC and MREA instructor.

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

0:00 Kris Schmid Introduction

1:38 The Energy Fair and starting in solar

3:07 How does solar work?

4:54 Changes in the solar market

8:46 Critical design considerations

10:46 Indicators of a quality installation

13:30 Customer solar considerations

15:39 Incentive paperwork, site assessments, and service upgrades

19:40 Batteries and solar technology advancements

25:42 Solar workforce

29:21 NABCEP certification

32:56 Closing thoughts

Kris Schmid is the founder and owner of Legacy Solar, LLC, a solar energy company that has been designing and installing solar electric and solar thermal systems in northwestern Wisconsin since 2002. With a background in electrical engineering and software design he now shares his expertise by instructing PV classes for the MREA, including the Solar Training Academy, and is a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional and a Licensed Master Electrician.

Illinois stands out as a leader in solar development across the United States. Essential to this progress are various solar training programs, notably those run by the Chicago Urban League, which play a crucial role in meeting the workforce demands necessary for the sector's advancement.

In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Andrew Wells, Vice President of Workforce Development for the Chicago Urban League, discusses the opportunities and challenges of solar workforce development in Chicago.

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

00:00 Andrew Wells Introduction

1:47 The LUV Institute

2:21 Changes in the City of Chicago

4:14 Chicago Urban League's work

7:21 Workforce Development

8:37 Solar job placement challenges

16:12 Illinois Green Bank and Solar for All

19:55 Solar Project Management

25:55 Instructor capacity

29:04 What more is needed

32:19 Closing thoughts

ABOUT OUR GUEST: ANDREW WELLS

A Chicago native, Andrew is a community advocate and a champion of building more equitable social systems. He is on the Board of Directors for the Love, Unity & Values (LUV) Institute, a member of the Guiding Team for the City of Chicago Digital Equity Plan, and, since 2013, has been the Vice President of Workforce Development for the Chicago Urban League, a nonprofit organization that provides a range of services, including job training, education, and housing assistance.

Part of his work with the Chicago Urban League has been starting a solar job training program to expose the new field of renewable energy to the Chicago public. He also led a project for the Urban League to install solar panels onto their building, along with a solar carport in the Urban League's parking lot, making it the largest solar installation project in the city.

So you want to finance a home electrification project but don't know where to start? Well, you're in luck! In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nick Hylla talks to Nicole Burford, VP of Market Development and Sustainability at Clean Energy Credit Union, about what consumers should know before taking out a clean energy loan, how to determine the best financing, and the impact of where you do your banking.

Did you know MREA Members are eligible to join the Clean Energy Credit Union and secure a loan for a clean energy product or service? Now you do!

Learn more at: www.midwestrenew.org/cecu/

Join as an MREA Member at: www.midwestrenew.org/membership/

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

00:00 Nicole Burford Introduction

01:18 About Clean Energy Credit Union

04:11 What makes CECU unique

06:06 Changes in lending

9:18 Working with Inclusive

10:39 Considerations before taking on a loan

15:10 What else should a consumer know?

17:33 How to determine the best financing

20:11 Clean Energy for All loan program

24:39 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

28:35 Impact of where you do your banking

ABOUT OUR GUEST: NICOLE BURFORD

Nicole is the Senior Director of Marketing and Sustainability at Clean Energy Credit Union. Nicole has over 10 years of marketing experience spread across a variety of industries. At Clean Energy Credit Union, Nicole oversees and leads the development of company-wide sustainability and marketing practices. Nicole implements programs to increase the awareness of the credit union’s mission, while also fostering relations with the communities it serves.

After studying Advertising and Communications at Iowa State University, Nicole was one of 30 students nationwide accepted to Gannet’s Talent Development Program where she began her career as a Digital Strategist at Register Media. When she relocated to Colorado, she worked at a digital agency where she had the opportunity to help clients with their digital marketing efforts.

In her current position, Nicole collaborates with external partners of the Clean Energy Credit Union to enhance member experience. Nicole is passionate about the environment and fighting climate change. This passion drew her to Clean Energy Credit Union’s mission. She is involved in a variety of environmental organizations and is happy to be working for a not-for-profit business that is helping to combat climate change and create a more sustainable future.

In today's world, electrifying your home and becoming more energy efficient has never been easier. With various funding opportunities and programs available, the incentives to upgrade your energy systems are too big to be ignored.

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

00:00 Kevin Kane Introduction

02:02 Green Homeowners United Background

05:23 Services offered by GHU

06:41 Successes and challenges in energy efficiency

08:58 Inflation Reduction Act and additional funding

13:03 Barriers to electrification

17:48 Comparing opportunities now and in the past

21:06 Largest needs to meet goals

24:53 Assessment and weatherization process

28:09 Planning for the future and final thoughts

ABOUT OUR GUEST: KEVIN KANE

Substantial federal funding to spur America’s transition to a clean energy economy is a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) from the Biden Administration. Local and state governments now have the opportunity to incentivize homeowners to make environmentally-conscious decisions when working on their homes.

Kane is a BPI-certified energy assessor and has a Masters in Applied Economics from Marquette University, which he combines with over a decade of experience as a community organizer and policy advocate, to show homeowners the carbon impact, building costs, and financial returns for energy efficiency improvements as well as the economic calculations of green lending.

Ensuring that every home is weatherized and equipped with energy-efficient systems should not only be a possibility, but a reality for all. Community Assistance Programs (CAPs), such as West CAP, play a vital role in enabling low-income communities to access these essential upgrades, fostering fair and equitable advancements in energy conservation that benefit both finances and the environment.

Join Peter Kilde, executive director of West CAP, as he guides us through the array of weatherization and energy assistance initiatives available, shedding light on the successes and hurdles encountered by CAPs in this episode of the Rise Up Podcast.

Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) information and application: https://energyandhousing.wi.gov/Pages/AgencyResources/energy-assistance.aspx

Get Connected:

Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org

The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org

The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org

Email: [email protected]

0:00 Peter Kilde Introduction and Bio

5:53 What are CAP agencies?

7:53 Services provided by CAP agencies

11:08 Exciting innovations and programs

14:08 Weatherization Assistance Program

18:33 Weatherization process

20:54 Energy assistance

22:49 West CAP successes and challenges

32:01 Energy efficiency and incentives

35:22 Growing opportunity in energy efficiency

39:24 Magic wand solutions

41:59 Inspiring the next generation

ABOUT OUR GUEST: PETER KILDE

Since 1995, Peter Kilde has been executive director of the West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency Inc. (West CAP), a community action agency that works to alleviate poverty through affordable housing development, homelessness intervention, food security and other sustainable community asset-building initiatives.

In the past ten years, West CAP has ramped up efforts to offer more affordable housing. Driven by the urgency to address climate change impacts on vulnerable populations worldwide, Kilde has championed the integration of energy-efficient practices into the agency's housing projects.

Recognized for his outstanding leadership in affordable housing innovation and energy conservation, Peter Kilde was honored with the 2013 Charles M. Hill Sr. Award for Housing Excellence.

His passion for community advocacy has led to serving on the National Community Action Partnership Board and co-chairs its Strategic Visions Committee, which focuses on the depletion of other natural resources, environmental degradation, and how economic turmoil impacts low income communities.

He also serves on the Wisconsin CAP Assn. (WISCAP) Board, the regional Workforce Development Board, and as Board Chair of Slipstream, a Wisconsin-based national nonprofit linking energy conservation, and social equity. He is also former chair of the St. Croix Valley Foundation Board.

Additionally, Kilde served on the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas USA (ASPO – USA) Board, his regional Workforce Development Board, the local Habitat for Humanity Board, and the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation Board.

Before West CAP, Peter worked for the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation of St. Paul, Minnesota where, for ten years, he was operations director of Wilder Forest, a 1,200-acre conference and education center highlighting the interconnectedness of social and environmental issues.