Throughout 2018 and 2019 the City and project partners Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Energy Smart program worked with residents and businesses to follow up with past energy efficiency efforts and provide solar information and resources to continue supporting the community's efforts toward clean energy.  Following is a recap of the Re-Energize Maplewood! energy programs completed:

Battle of the Parks

From June through August 2018 two Maplewood manufactured home parks (Beaver Lake Estates and Rolling Hills Estates) representing over 500 homes, battled to be the "biggest energy losers." Homeowners signed up for Home Energy Squad visits at their manufactured homes. Home Energy Squad is provided by the City's project partner Center for Energy and Environment. The winner of the Battle of the Parks, though, was Rolling Hills Estates homeowners with the most Home Energy Squad visits conducted! Residents of Rolling Hills Estates celebrated with an energy pizza party.  Home Energy Squad visits helped all of the manufactured homeowners save on their utility bills by installing energy saving products, so everyone was a winner in the end.  

Re-Energize Your Business! 

The Re-Energize Your Business! program expanded on the energy efficiency upgrades made in the Energize Maplewood! commercial programs. The 20 businesses that participated in those programs received:

• Concept design for solar array including configuration, tilt, azimuth, preliminary panel and inverter selections
• Financing options and payback calculations
• Solar feasibility resources that outline the benefits of solar, understanding solar potential, and ownership, funding, and financing options for solar

Re-Energize Your Home! 

The City's Energize Maplewood! Residential Energy Challenge focused on energy efficiency in the home. Ninety seven households participated in the Challenge, earning points for implementing energy efficiency improvements in their homes. The Re-Energize Your Home! program:

• Expanded on the energy efficiency of the residential energy challenge, promoting energy efficiency programs such as the Home Energy Squad visits. Home Energy Squad visits are easy and convenient way to save money and energy. Click here to view a short video on a Home Energy Squad visit being conducted on a home in Maplewood.
• Introduced solar feasibility including:
  • Solar payback period with and without incentives
  • Actual building rooftop solar energy levels by month
  • Solar feasibility resources that outline the benefits of solar, understanding solar potential, and ownership, funding, and financing options for solar

Top 40 Solar Sites

A rooftop survey of all buildings in Maplewood was conducted.  Forty buildings were identified as being ideal solar PV sites that represent a range of building types found in Maplewood.  Solar feasibility assessments of the "Top 40" sites identified these sites could produce over 29,169,900 kwh in solar electricity annually if solar is implemented.

Helpful Resources

Re-Energize Maplewood! Report:  Read the Re-Energize Maplewood! report for more on these solar potentials explored throughout Maplewood.

Contact:  Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner, email, (651) 249-2304