Latest News

Why the traditional passive marketing approach to energy efficiency programs has been inadequately effective

Posted by on February 22, 2016

Utilities like Xcel and Centerpoint frequently include lists of energy-saving steps and ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs when they mail their bills to customers, often because...

Why Community Engagement is Crucial for Multi Family Energy Efficiency

Posted by on February 16, 2016

 Xcel and Centerpoint have jointly created and launched a new joint multifamily energy efficiency program just this past October. As of Mid-February, 30 qualified buildings...

The difference between Community Engagement and Marketing

Posted by on February 16, 2016

Community engagement is a process where an organization (or coalition or organizations) acting for community benefit (such as saving energy in multiple buildings) works to...

Xcel Energy "wins" Renewable Energy money for Garbage Burner in Red Wing

Posted by on January 26, 2016

What: The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission quietly helped along Xcel Energy’s request to use ratepayer renewable energy fund dollars to retrofit a garbage processing facility...

Federal 30% Solar Tax Credit Extended

Posted by on December 26, 2015

Community Solar Garden (CSG) developers in Minnesota spent much of 2015 in a state of foreboding tension. They were being sandwiched between Xcel’s slow pace...

2015 Budget Hearing Update

Posted by on December 11, 2015

TWO HOURS BEFORE the last public hearing on the 2016 Minneapolis city budget, a few Council members released $1,055,000 in budget amendments - leaving little...

Problem landlords are within the scope of the Clean Energy Partnership

Posted by on November 23, 2015

At the Tuesday November 10th Energy Vision Advisory Committee (EVAC) meeting, an official from Centerpoint said that "Bad landlords are a real problem, but it is...

Community Solar is Economic Justice

Posted by on October 31, 2015

Once there are numerous successful examples of community solar gardens for people to see, it will tell a new story of renewable energy as a pathway out...

Minneapolis, Xcel launch ambitious LED streetlight proposals

Posted by on October 18, 2015

Optimism and excitement abounds for LED Streetlights as item #3  on Community Power's online list of goals for the Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership to accomplish. In her Budget...

Minneapolis Launches Commercial Building Energy Challenge

Posted by on October 16, 2015

Goal #7 on Community Power's online checklist for the Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership has now come to fruition! The City of Minneapolis formally launched its Commercial Building Energy Challenge...

Tragic Housefire Exposes Key Issues for Clean Energy Partnership to Address

Posted by on October 04, 2015

Saving energy in homes and buildings is too often merely the cute little endeavor that everyone agrees with and smiles at for a second. Not...

At long last, Xcel sets Retirement Dates for Sherco Units 1 & 2

Posted by on October 04, 2015

Xcel's E-Docket filing on Friday October 2nd, 2015 had a particularly big news item regarding the highest profile issue in their 2016-2030 Integrated Resource Plan. Xcel has...