State of Minnesota

Background

The State of Minnesota has a long tradition of promoting energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy to Minnesota consumers, businesses and policymakers. As a Better Buildings Challenge partner, the state will work to achieve a 20% reduction in state energy consumption, as well as boost energy savings and jobs across the state, as promoted through several recent initiatives. The State's Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) oversees the conservation improvement plans of each electric and gas utility in the state to help business and residential customers become more energy efficient and to require an energy savings goal of 1.5% from each participating electric and gas utility. The Trillion BTU Energy Efficiency Improvement Program is an effort designed to reduce energy consumption by up to one trillion Btus a year, save businesses money, and sustain and create jobs. It is a partnership of DOE, CIP, Xcel Energy Co., and the Saint Paul Port Authority that combines a revolving loan program created by the Port Authority and an Xcel Energy rebate to finance energy audits, engineering studies, and physical improvements to businesses.

The Public Building Enhanced Energy Efficiency Program (PBEEEP) is a $9 million endeavor providing loans or grants for state and local government units to make energy-efficiency improvements to existing buildings. Fifty-five government units are currently enrolled. The Guaranteed Energy Savings Program was initiated in April 2011 when Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton issued an executive order calling for state agencies to "adopt cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies" that will achieve at least an aggregate 20% reduction in energy use for state-owned buildings. Back to Work Minnesota, launched in October 2011, is Senator Franken's Back to Work Minnesota initiative aiming to identify innovative financing methods that can spur energy efficiency retrofits of commercial and public buildings across the state. The initiative brings together local and national leaders from the public and private sectors to identify potential retrofit projects and unlock financing to implement those projects.