IonE Reports
Persistent link for this collection
Search within IonE Reports
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Renewable Energy for Minnesota's Future(2020) Hanson, Aaron; Leighton, Chris; James, Richard D; Jalan, Bharat; Shen, Lian; Mohan, NedItem Energy and Equity in the Twin Cities Workshop Summary Report(2022) Ries, Heidi; Nelson, Edwin; Chan, GabrielThe Energy and Equity in the Twin Cities Workshop, jointly convened in November 2021 by the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment (IonE) and Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC), fostered dialogue, collaboration, and new partnerships to drive local solutions promoting energy justice. This summary report is for people who are interested in learning about local efforts – including projects developed during the workshop – to build an equitable green energy future. It is also for people who are interested in organizing cross-disciplinary workshops rooted in equity and shared learning. The Energy and Equity in the Twin Cities Workshop sought to engage local organizations and communities that historically have been excluded from conventional energy policy convenings, which tend to cater to established experts rather than community leaders such as activists, artists, and storytellers. It also sought to engage those working to address household wellbeing and security. More specifically, the workshop aimed to advance conversation, connection, and solutions to energy injustice by building bridges between the still largely distinct fields of clean energy policymaking and frontline community advocacy.Item Assessing the benefits of ENRTF funded conservation easements(2018-10) Noe, Ryan; Keeler, Bonnie; Johnson, Justin; Kilgore, Michael; Taff, Steven; Polasky, StephenItem 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 TransitionVenning, Alex; Everett, Akisha; Kenney, Melissa A.; Institute on the EnvironmentThis 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.