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2017 MMPA Annual Report 2928 2017 MMPA Annual Report In addition to MMPA’s Energy Education events, in 2015 our program expanded to include the Hometown Solar Grant Program. Hometown Solar brings energy education and local power to our member communities. The purpose of the grant program is to provide our members with a unique, local learning opportunity to educate and familiarize students and members’ customers with solar power. The solar installations serve as a tool to help teach local youth and area residents first-hand how sunlight is converted into electricity, as well as the unique benefits of solar power. To support “real-world” energy education learning opportunities in the classroom, we developed lesson plan concepts and tools designed to integrate the data from the solar arrays into the school’s curriculum. Data from the arrays provides learning opportunities for all grade levels and can be applied to multiple state education standards. • Brownton City Offices (Brownton, 2016) • BOLD High School (Olivia, 2016) • GFW High School (Winthrop, 2016) • Sibley East Middle/High School (Arlington, 2016) • Anoka High School (Anoka, 2017) • South Point Elementary School (East Grand Forks, 2017) • North High/District Education Center (North St. Paul, 2017) HOMETOWN SOLAR GRANT RECIPIENTS Since the Program’s launch in 2015, the Agency has awarded seven Hometown Solar Grants, in addition to its pilot installation at MMPA’s Faribault Energy Park. The following educational facilities have been awarded Hometown Solar Grant Awards: ANOKA EAST GRAND FORKS NORTH ST. PAUL SUPPORTING OUR MEMBER COMMUNITIESSUPPORTING OUR MEMBER COMMUNITIES MMPA’s Hometown Solar Grant Program MMPA manages CIP activities for seven of our member communities. MMPA’s Conservation Improvement Program offers a variety of rebate programs to both residential and business customers. In addition, MMPA understands that each utility has a unique customer base and we work directly with them and their customers to identify and develop conservation programs that best meet their energy efficiency goals. This individualized attention adds value to each member’s conservation program and helps them achieve their annual CIP goals. MMPA’s Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) is another example of how we support our members by providing supplemental services that make them more competitive. Our program helps members compete by improving energy efficiency, putting money back into their communities, and encouraging local economic development. Helping Our Members Reach Their Energy Efficiency Goals Keeping Benefits in Our Member Communities In 2017, our members saved energy, put money back into their communities, and encouraged local economic development by: • Educating residential customers about energy efficient products - Offering rebates for ENERGY STAR™ appliances and LED lighting that customers might not otherwise consider purchasing • Improving energy efficiency for local businesses - Awarding rebates to school districts that install energy-efficient LED lighting - Encouraging commercial and industrial customers to upgrade to LED lighting by offering competitively-priced lighting rebates • Encouraging local partnerships - Partnering with local hardware businesses to offer free LED light bulbs to residential customers and promote residential LED lighting rebates - Partnering with low-income multi-family rental properties by purchasing energy efficient LED lighting and appliances to be installed in residential units and common areas “ Students and teachers will be able to access a technology platform that provides real-world data from the solar panels. Teachers at North and Tartan high schools attended workshops and developed units this summer that apply to several courses in which alternative energy content will be embedded. ”Penny Baker North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, ISD 622 Curriculum and Pathway Coordinator