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Zenergy
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Hot Topics
Q What effect has solar had on the
United States labor market?
A) The growing interest in
renewable energy has been a great
boon to the American economy.
Since 2010 there has been a 123%
increase in solar job creation in the
United States. Data collected in
2015 shows that solar employment
grew nearly 12 times faster than
the national employment growth
rate of 1.7 percent during the same
period.
Solar has enjoyed gains, while the
oil and gas pipeline construction
industry has been shrinking. The
solar industry is already three
times larger than the coal-mining
industry. Booming solar growth is
projected to continue.
“The U.S. Solar power industry
continues to grow and create
jobs, providing further evidence
that promoting economic growth
and fighting climate change can
go hand-in hand,” said Michael
R. Bloomberg, United Nations
Secretary General’s Special Envoy
for Cities & Climate Change and
three-term Mayor of New York City
(Solar Today, Winter 2015/2016).
The Dickinson Solar Project
Spotlight on... Utility-Scale Solar
This spring, we began construction of
a utility scale solar array in Buffalo, MN
for Great River Energy and its member
partner, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative
Electric Association. The 13-acre site,
known as the Dickinson Solar Project,
consists of 8,352 ground-mount solar
panels. It should generate about 2.6
megawatts of wholesale electricity by
this July.
The choice to invest in solar follows
a national trend, in which renewable
energy solutions are replacing fossil
fuels. “This project responds to our
members’ interest in more renewable
energy offerings,” said Steve Nisbet,
Vice President of External Relations and
Power Solutions at Wright-Hennepin
Cooperative Electric Association. The
Dickinson Solar Project partially replaces
a fossil fuel generated electricity contract
held by Great River Energy.
Reduction of carbon pollution to the
atmosphere is valuable. Utility-scale
solar plants, such as the Dickinson
Solar Project, also provide fixed-price
electricity during peak demand hours.
These are the hours when electricity
from fossil fuels is the most expensive.
Solar power has the potential to
reduce the energy expense required of
consumers.
The country’s continued investment in
solar has been exciting. Nationwide,
a milestone of 1 million total solar
installations was reached in early
2016. Dan Whitten, Vice President of
Communications for SEIA notes, “This is
a time to mark when the solar industry
started to speed up at warp speed.
Utility-scale solar is central to the larger
solar market, and that’s not going to
change.”
Zenergy is also pounding the piers for
the largest Minnesota solar project to
date. The $250 million, 100 megawatt
(MW) Aurora Solar project by Geronimo
Energy for Excel Energy will include 16
sites throughout 16 southern Minnesota
counties. This project will increase
Minnesota’s total solar production seven
times over.
Funding Updates
Check out an interesting interactive
map featuring Solar Jobs Census
data at http://SolarStates.org.
Business property owners can repay for a solar project using a property tax
assessment.
Pier Pounding
The property-assessed clean energy (PACE) model is an innovative mechanism for
financing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements on private property.
This program eliminates high up-front costs and provides low-cost, long term
financing. Additionally, you can purchase the system now and the first payment will
not be due until the May of 2017.
PACE programs allow local governments, state governments, or other interjurisdictional authorities, when authorized by state law, to fund the up-front cost of
energy improvements on commercial properties. These loans are typically paid back
over 10 to 20 years by the property owners. See the following links for additional
details.
Zenergy owns and operates two
Vermeer PD10 Pile Drivers. The
machine is used to pound in the
piers that support ground mount
solar panels.
Federal PACE Program: http://1.usa.gov/24dZi2k
Counties/Cities with Active Programs: http://bit.ly/1Xu9Bys
Local PACE Contact: St. Paul Port Authority
Peter Klein 651-204-6211, or
email [email protected]
Sunny Solutions
Check out this great, earth-friendly energy solution!
Kohler enCUBE Portable Power
Kohler offers a quiet, portable power
unit to run your appliances and mobile
devices. The enCUBE™ is a clean power
source with no emissions, as it has no
engine or need for fuel. The unit can be
charged through a 120-volt AC wall outlet or a solar panel. enCUBE™’s silent
operation allows for indoor use during
a power outage, while its durable construction makes it a perfect choice for
camping, hunting or work.
right generator for your home or business. If solar power is of interest, Zenergy may be able to integrate that option
into your specific system as well.
Zenergy is your local Kohler dealer. We
can take you step-by-step through the
generator sizing process so you get the
Visit Kohler to learn more:
http://bit.ly/1XZIdcq
Contact Zenergy today for any of your
customized electrical or solar solutions.
Our NABCEP certified solar installers and
master electricians have the expertise
and experience that you need for all of
your solar and electrical needs.
visit us online:
www.zenergyguide.com
Ph: 218-837-5155
Ph: 1-888-ZEN-RG4U (888-936-7448)
Fx: 218-837-5001
[email protected]
ZENERGY
308 Frontage Road
PO Box 304
Sebeka, MN 56477
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Spotlight on..
Funding Updates
Sunny Solutions
Hot Topics
Utility Scale Solar
PACE
Earth Friendly
ideas
Solar and
the Labor
Market
the
Summer 2016
C urrent
The future of energy, now.