Newsroom blog

RE-AMP RoundUp: Week of Oct. 6, 2008

elena — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:13:23 -0500

Live, interactive web briefing, "The business and ethical case for energy efficiency" with Glenn Cannon, 9/23/08

ErinStojanRuccolo — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:51:42 -0500

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.

SLIDES posted; AUDIO coming soon!

In this presentation, Glenn Cannon draws on his experience in both a very large public power system and a relatively small municipal utility to describe how energy efficiency is a proven good business practice and customer relations tool. The cost of energy efficiency programs as well as the demand and energy savings are discussed, and evaluation tools are shown using actual utility reports. In addition, an ethical case is presented demonstrating why the incumbant electric utility has an obligation to provide aggressive energy efficiency programs.

Glenn Cannon, a clean energy ambassador for Iowa nonprofit Plains Justice, spent the last 17 years of his 30 year career in public power as General Manager of Waverly Light & Power. He served 10 years on the American Public Power Association (APPA) Board of Directors, with 4 years as an officer, including Board Chair & several years on the Board of Directors for Public Power, Inc., APPA’s subsidiary.

Cannon is a nationally-recognized champion for innovation, energy efficiency & renewable energy in public power. An 8-time winner of APPA’s DEED Energy Innovator Award, Cannon also received the US Dept. of Energy Wind Power Pioneer Award & the James D. Donovan Individual Achievement Award from APPA in 2001, among others.

Having co-chaired APPA’s Task Force on Public Power in the 21st Century, Cannon serves on the Leadership Group of the Joint US EPA & Dept. of Energy’s Energy Efficiency Action Plan. In 2006, Cannon earned APPA’s Alex Radin Distinguished Service Award, APPA’s highest honor.

New figures show many more commuters choosing cleaner way to work

elena — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:11:37 -0500

The latest count of Minneapolis residents shows a huge spike in cleaner, more efficient transportation, according to energy and environmental experts. New figures just released by the City of Minneapolis indicate a nearly 50 percent increase in bicycle commuters in the city.

For Immediate Release: Sept. 29, 2008

Contact:
Elena Velkov, Media Relations Coordinator
651-726-7276 velkov@fresh-energy.org

Ethan Fawley, Transportation Connections Coordinator
651-294-7141 (o) 612-964-8902 (c) fawley@fresh-energy.org

New figures show many more commuters choosing cleaner way to work

St. Paul – The latest count of Minneapolis residents shows a huge spike in cleaner, more efficient transportation, according to energy and environmental experts. New figures just released by the City of Minneapolis indicate a nearly 50 percent increase in bicycle commuters in the city.

“Many residents are looking for a way to save energy and cut their carbon emissions and they have realized that Minneapolis has a significant bicycle network,” said Lynne Bly, Transportation policy director at Fresh Energy.

Bly notes that the latest figures come from 2006 to 2007 surveys, which is before gas topped $4.00/gallon. During that time, Bly said, gas averaged about $2.75/gallon, which makes the numbers even more significant.

“The 2007 data show that there is a growing bicycling movement in Minneapolis that began well before the era of $4 gas. This movement isn’t driven purely by finances—it is driven by people realizing the value, joy, and ease of bicycle commuting in Minneapolis,” Bly said.

“It suggests that if people have another way to get around, they’ll take it,” said Jim Erkel, Land Use and Transportation Director with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Erkel agreed that the numbers are significant.

“If people are driving less that should be taken into account when officials are doing their transportation planning for the next 20 years. It means it’s more important to fix what we’ve got and not build new roads into green fields,” Erkel said.

Bly and Erkel credited Minneapolis’ Mayor, R.T. Rybak, for being a bicycling advocate as well as the city’s expansion of the 5.5 mile Midtown Greenway, which drew attention as well as users to a new bicycling artery.

The study also noted that 10.2% of Minneapolis residents walked or biked to work in 2007. That’s the 6th highest rate among the 50 largest cities in the US. The percentage of Minneapolis residents who drove alone to work decreased to 61.1% in 2007, 40th out of the 50 largest cities in the US.

“Bicycling is a wonderful way to enjoy the great outdoors, as well as to protect the great outdoors,” said Joan Pasiuk, Program Director of the Bike Walk Twin Cities initiative at Transit for Livable Communities. “The Census data reflect the growing number of bike commuters, but even more people are using bicycles to reach other destinations like restaurants and grocery stores. As we look to the future, we must ensure that our state’s transportation planning guarantees that bicyclists can travel safely and conveniently throughout Minnesota.”

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Rep. Keith Ellison, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Craig Edwards, Will Steger Join Youth to Find Global Warming Solutions

elena — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:06:04 -0500

Politicians including Rep. Keith Ellison, advocates, musicians and students will gather at Washburn High School Oct. 3 - 5 in an effort to find practical solutions to global warming at the Minnesota Powershift Conference.

For Immediate Release: Sept. 29, 2008

Contact:
Ethan Buckner
Lead Organizer, Minnesota Powershift
612-718-3847, ethanbuckner@gmail.com

Elena Velkov
Media Relations Coordinator, Fresh Energy
651-726-7576, velkov@fresh-energy.org

Rep. Keith Ellison, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Craig Edwards, Will Steger Join Youth to Find Global Warming Solutions
“It is much more than a conference; it is a tipping point.”

Minneapolis – Politicians including Rep. Keith Ellison, advocates, musicians and students will gather at Washburn High School Oct. 3 - 5 in an effort to find practical solutions to global warming at the Minnesota Powershift Conference.

Between the state of the economy, rising costs of energy, increasing global conflict, and the physical effects of global warming, Powershift organizers (youth organizations Grand Aspirations and Global Exchange) believe society is at a turning point. They pride themselves on reaching beyond “drop-in-the-bucket” solutions. The conference aims to build models for change on a global scale, not solely through local communities.

“Minnesota Powershift is different than most other climate conferences because of how it is driven by its participants,” said lead organizer Ethan Buckner.

Attendees- organizers expect up to 500- will go to instructional workshops, participate in discussion sessions, and enjoy cultural performances such as music or poetry. They will network and collaborate on ideas, with the hope of emerging from the conference with a plan for solutions.

“We will enable the kind of creative collaboration that can extend so much further than the weekend itself,” Buckner said. “Minnesota Powershift is not meant to be a climactic event—it is a beginning. By engaging so many people from so many places in the climate movement, the momentum that builds from this conference will spread to all of the pockets of our state.”

Rep. Keith Ellison and writer-activist Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer will give the keynote address Oct. 3. In addition, polar explorer Will Steger, global warming expert J. Drake Hamilton, retired chief meteorologist of the National Weather Service Craig Edwards, and musical guest State Radio will be present.

“As the generation who will undoubtedly inherit the challenges being presented to us by global climate change and the fossil fuel economy,” Buckner said, “we understand the imperative nature of this issue for our futures. We know the stakes. It’s our future, and we are coming together in massive numbers to work toward global warming solutions.”

Ethan Buckner is a recent graduate from Hopkins High School. Though accepted at Vassar College, he has chosen to defer for a year to organize and travel. He founded the youth-led sustainability organization for middle and high school students, Youth Environmental Activists of Minnesota (YEA MN). He is active in the Sierra Student Coalition and is also an intern at the Will Steger Foundation.

Ethan Buckner is available prior to and during the conference for interviews. Please contact him directly at 612-718-3847 or ethanbuckner@gmail.com.

WHAT	Minnesota Powershift 2008, a 3-day conference, bringing people together to learn, network and collaborate on global warming solutions
WHO	Rep. Keith Ellison, writer-activist Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, retired chief meteorologist of the National Weather Service Craig Edwards, polar explorer Will Steger, global warming expert J. Drake Hamilton, musical guest State Radio, and up to 500 other attendees
WHERE	Washburn High School, 201 W. 49th St., Minneapolis, MN 55419
WHEN	Friday, Oct. 3 – Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, click here for agenda or visit http://www.mnpowershift.org/agenda.html
WEB SITE	http://www.mnpowershift.org/
CONTACT	Ethan Buckner, Lead Organizer, 612-718-3847, ethanbuckner@gmail.com

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RE-AMP RoundUp: Week of Sept. 29, 2008

elena — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:22:31 -0500

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UNIVERSITY OF MN STUDENTS RALLY FOR "GREEN JOBS NOW"

elena — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:10:37 -0500

Calling for a transition to a clean energy economy that will create millions of new jobs and pathways out of poverty, University of Minnesota students will participate in the "Green Jobs Now" National Day of action on Saturday, September 27th.

Media Advisory: Green Jobs Day of Action

Sept. 24, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact
Jessy Moger
MPIRG Sustainability Task Force Chair
507-272-5742
moger001@umn.edu

UNIVERSITY OF MN STUDENTS RALLY FOR "GREEN JOBS NOW"

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Calling for a transition to a clean energy economy that will create millions of new jobs and pathways out of poverty, University of Minnesota students will participate in the "Green Jobs Now" National Day of action on Saturday, September 27th. University of MN students will hold a rally for green jobs at the University of Minnesota’s West Bank Plaza.

The event is being organized by MPIRG, Sierra Student Coalition, EcoWatch, and 1Sky MN. Those attending will rally support for green jobs, sign the Green Jobs Now petition, and provide a visual representation of youth’s vital role in the new green economy.

After the rally students will ride their bicycles to the Minneapolis Urban League to join in the Environmental Justice Advocates of MN’s Green Jobs Day of Action. By participating in this day of action students and youth are urging elected officials to invest in millions of green jobs and a Clean Energy Corps to repower America.

“This rally will show our elected officials that students and youth are ready for the new green economy and we are going to hold them accountable for creating jobs and economic opportunity through environmental preservation,” says Jessy Moger, MPIRG leader at the University of Minnesota.

WHO	MPIRG, Sierra Student Coalition, EcoWatch, 1Sky, and University of MN Students
WHAT	Rally for "Green Jobs Now" National Day of Action
WHEN	Saturday, September 27, 2008, 10:30am CST
WHERE	University of MN’s West Bank Plaza, 309 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN
VISUALS	Students in green hard hats, banners and large signs

Green Jobs Now is a non-profit, non-partisan project of Green for All, 1Sky, and the We Campaign to promote an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty and solve the climate crisis. For more information, see http://www.greenjobsnow.com.

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RE-AMP RoundUp: Week of Sept. 22, 2008

elena — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:58:38 -0500

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Wind on the Wires Applauds Governors’ Plan for Transmission Lines and Clean Energy

elena — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:57:55 -0500

For Immediate Release: Sept. 18, 2008

Contact:
Mike Bull, Regional Policy Manager, Wind on the Wires
(651) 788-5100

Wind on the Wires Applauds Governors’ Plan for Transmission Lines and Clean Energy

Wind on the Wires, a collaboration of the Midwest’s leading wind energy developers, clean energy advocates, tribal representatives and others, cheered the announcement today of the formation of Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative. The five state governors of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin today agreed to work together to develop a regional transmission system to harvest the Midwest’s rich renewable energy resources.

“Transmission capacity is the glass ceiling for renewable energy development in the Midwest,” said Wind on the Wires Director Beth Soholt. “To have these governors and the state electricity regulators proactively and cooperatively engaged with stakeholders in addressing the major barrier to unlocking the renewable energy resources of this region could be groundbreaking.”

The five states joining the Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative are Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The five states will collaborate with the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operation, state regulatory agencies, utilities and others. The initiative will identify the region’s wind energy resources and the transmission infrastructure needed to develop those resources in the most cost-effective manner. Additionally, the Governors will seek resolution to a number of current barriers to additional transmission investment, such as how costs of new infrastructure should be allocated.

Joe DeVito, Vice President of Development for RES Americas noted similarities to the successful Competitive Renewable Energy Zone process on-going in the state of Texas. “Our company, RES Americas, operates heavily in Texas, the national leader in production of wind energy. The state recently made a commitment to the future, approving 2,400 miles of new transmission lines at the projected cost of $4.9 billion. This move ensures aggressive renewable energy development in the state and dependable electricity for generations to come.”

Clean-energy advocates laud the governors, saying the initiative could make a huge difference in addressing global climate change and allow the Midwest to be a national leader.

“Bold actions to promote energy efficiency and wind energy development are absolutely critical to any cost-effective strategy to address global warming and energy security,” said Fresh Energy Executive Director and Wind on the Wires Board member Michael Noble. “We simply cannot add enough wind energy to the system to have an impact on these global problem without an aggressive build-out of transmission in the region. This initiative by the Governors gives hope that the Midwest will continue to do its part.”

National wind energy experts point out that the benefits of developing the region’s rich wind energy resources go well beyond environmental gains.

Hans Detweiler, Manager of State Legislation and Policy for the American Wind Energy Association said “The Upper Midwest stands to gain enormous economic development benefits from wind energy based on the resource that is available here—but it simply will not happen if transmission barriers are not attacked head-on. This action by the governors in this region is a vital step forward.”

In a similar vein, Dan Yarano, Chair of Fredrikson & Byron's Renewable Energy Group, noted that “A collaborative approach is crucial to reducing the time to construct needed transmission and bring the Midwest's strong wind resource to consumers. Having a coordinated plan will create a more cost-effective infrastructure that will ultimately provide better value to consumers."

The members of Wind on the Wires are gathering in Minneapolis today and tomorrow for the group’s annual strategic planning meeting. For comments, quotes or to set up an interview, please contact Mike Bull, Regional Policy Manager for Wind on the Wires, at 651-788-5100.

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RE-AMP RoundUp: Week of Sept. 15, 2008

ErinStojanRuccolo — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:17:29 -0500

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RE-AMP RoundUp: Week of Sept. 8, 2008

elena — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:15:00 -0500