Written by MN Renewable Now staff
MN Renewable Now is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help North Minneapolis achieve renewable energy and a better future towards a sustainable environment. Our work is primarily focused on community development and environmental improvement. Our programs include:
• Rooftop Solar: Providing low-income homeowners with solar panels at a deeply affordable rate. Our Solstar program builds wealth and addresses racial equity through renewable energy.
• Cycle Sisters: Building a stronger Northside community by hosting group bike rides and pop-up events. We provide helmets, pads, bikes and gift cards to local businesses. Highlighting BIPOC and women owned businesses throughout Minneapolis.
• Power North: A team of youth who are out in the community educating residents on renewable energy and energy efficiency such as enrolling into clean energy options, reducing energy consumption and exploring green career pathways.
MN Renewable Now founded, and is working with several partners, to provide the Solstar Rooftop Solar Project in North Minneapolis. This project is for Northside property owners to receive solar panels for their property at a deeply affordable cost. By making solar panels more accessible, we will advance energy democracy in North Minneapolis while shifting our energy supply away from dirty fossil fuels. The work began in early 2021. We engaged with residents and took pre-qualifying applications throughout the year of 2021. In 2022, we were able to install solar onto 18 properties. We will resume applications in early 2024. Info: mnrenewablenow.org/solstar, 612-208-3896 or info@mnrenewablenow.org to receive an application.
Think you might be a good fit? In order to qualify for the program, applicants have to live in North Minneapolis. That is south of I-694, east of the Mississippi River, north of Bassett Creek, and east of Theodore Wirth Parkway. If you Identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian or LatinX; receive government assistance or Social Security Income; are a veteran, physically disabled, or fall at or below the poverty line; you will be put first in line to receive a solar assessment. There are some factors that could eliminate you from qualifying such as: tree cover, which way your roof is facing, the material your roof is made of, or the condition it is in (we may have funds to repair roofs for special cases only). Visit mnrenewablenow.org/solstar.