Develop your Community’s Solar Energy Resources: Attend a Planning, Zoning & Permitting Workshop

We wanted to remind you about two free events to learn about solar energy best practices in planning, zoning, and permitting, as well as the free assistance available through the Minnesota Solar Challenge for implementing them.

There is an event in Duluth Jan. 15th, as well as another upcoming event in Saint Paul.   See dates & RSVP >>

Many communities agree that renewable energy is important for the future. But has your community really assessed its local renewable energy resources? Is solar energy addressed in your comprehensive plan, your development regulation, and your economic development priorities? What standards does your community use to balance between productive renewable energy resources and protecting community character? What is “distributed generation” and why should planners and building officials care?

Every community has a solar energy resource. Solar installation costs are rapidly coming down, and solar energy systems are coming soon to your community. But most local governments have little experience with renewable energy from a land use or economic development perspective. This workshop will review the rapidly evolving world of community-scale solar energy markets, technologies, and regulation, with a special emphasis on addressing renewable energy resources in plans, development regulation, and building code permitting.

These workshops will address:

• Market trends in solar energy and solar energy technologies
• The hows and whys of addressing solar resources in local plans and policies
• The different technologies for harvesting local renewable energy and how different technologies can create different considerations in development regulation and permitting requirements
• Steps for local governments to encourage the development of a local solar energy market by removing barriers and limiting uncertainty
• What potential conflicts might arise from solar energy installations, and distinguishing between real and perceived nuisances
• Opportunities for local renewable energy incentives to meet your sustainability, economic development, or energy independence goals

Who should attend? Elected and appointed officials, planners and zoning administrators, building and inspections administrators, sustainability staff

RSVP now >>

To learn more, visit http://mncerts.org/solarchallenge

Who’s behind this effort? The local government team working on the Minnesota Solar Challenge is comprised of the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, CR Planning, Clean Energy Resource Teams, Minnesota Department of Commerce, League of Minnesota Cities, and Metropolitan Council, among others. The Minnesota Solar Challenge is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.

The Clean Energy Resource Teams are helping Minnesota communities determine their clean energy future: www.CleanEnergyResourceTeams.org