Browsing by Subject "solar power"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Chanhassen License Center Solar Water Heater Proposal
    (Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2015) Sampson, Adam; Czopinski, Chris; Provo, Erik; Fruehwirth, John; Rajmohamed, Kazim
    This project was completed as part of a year-long partnership between Carver County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). Carver County has been exploring opportunities for renewable energy and energy efficiency in county government buildings. The County Licensing Center in Chanhassen was a potential candidate for a renewable energy installation, specifically solar water heating. The goal of the project was to determine the feasibility and potential payback time for installing a solar water heater at the Chanhassen facility rather than natural gas water heating. In collaboration with the county project lead, Nick Koktavy, a team of students in BBE 5733: Renewable Energy Technologies, calculated the energy output needed to support building functions and developed payback timelines. The students concluded a solar water heater was not feasible for this location. A final report and PowerPoint slides from the project are available.
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    Community-Scale Energy Storage Guide: How Community Groups and Small Businesses Can Employ Energy Storage to Save Money and Contribute to Minnesota’s Clean Energy Transition
    Venning, Alex; Everett, Akisha; Kenney, Melissa A.; Institute on the Environment
    This guide is for people who have or are interested in investing in renewable energy batteries to power their homes, businesses, or community spaces. In it, we’ll walk you through how the US electricity grid operates, how renewable energy generated by homes and buildings works alongside it, and how investing in battery storage for renewable energy can optimize resources and help protect communities against power outages. We’ll also overview the different technologies available for storing renewable energy for future use and the partners, costs, and steps involved with installing an energy storage battery. Recent case studies from three sites in Minnesota, a state without fossil fuel reserves yet rich in renewable resources, illustrate how energy storage batteries help aid in the resilience of communities and the health of the planet by reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
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    Solar Array Installation in Chaska, Minnesota
    (Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2015) Colbert, Ben; Liu, Juer; Nommensen, Mitchell; Phadke, Sohan; Ngai, Zi Yao
    This project was completed as part of a year-long partnership between Carver County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). The City of Chaska has its own municipal electric utility and wanted to build its renewable and green energy portfolio through a solar installation. To help educate the public about solar energy, the City wanted to site the solar installation at a local school, where it could serve as a demonstration project. The goal of this project was to evaluate the suitability for solar power generation of three land parcels in Chaska that were identified as potential sites. In collaboration with project lead Andrew Romine from the City of Chaska, a team of students in BBE 5733: Renewable Energy Technologies, evaluated the suitability of the potential sites for solar power generation and economic feasibility. A final report and PowerPoint presentation slides from this project are available.
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    Solar Energy Development and Regulation in Carver County
    (Resilient communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2015) Gurke, Kate; Kirgis, Alison; Sun, Bixuan
    This project was completed as part of a year-long partnership between Carver County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). Increasingly, public and private agencies are proposing renewable energy projects in Carver County, most of the proposals being solar projects. The County had no regulatory guidelines for solar development projects and wanted guidance in establishing effective policies at both municipal and county levels. The goal of the project was to identify best practices and policy tools that can be used by Carver County and local government to accommodate and attract high-quality solar and other alternative energy projects while protecting community interests. In collaboration with project lead Brenda Lano at the Carver County CDA, a team of students in PA 5721: Energy and Environmental Policy, proposed policies to accommodate solar development that addressed community concerns and benefits, and created an educational video about solar development for both the public and decisions-makers. A final report, PowerPoint slides, and poster from the project are available.
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    The Sustainable Energy Solutions Guide for Minnesota Resorts
    (University of Minnesota Tourism Center, 2008) Schuweiler, Andrea
    The Sustainable Energy Solutions Guide for Minnesota Resorts is directed specifically towards Minnesota resorts. While there are a variety of information sources available for energy conservation, this is the first that provides specific information tailored towards a market such as Minnesota resort tourism. Minnesota’s approximately 900 resorts vary in size and provide a variety of accommodations and recreational opportunities. However, they are similar in that they usually provide nature-based recreational opportunities, especially boating and fishing, are located in secluded areas, feature cabin-like accommodations and are not open during the winter.