Solar Energy

The city's sustainability framework plan was developed by the St. Cloud Area Joint Planning District covering the metropolitan area of St. Cloud: Stearns, Benton, and Sherburne counties. The plan notes that the area is home to the St. John's University 1,820-module Solar Array (p. 6). The plan includes two energy-related best practice areas: Renewable Energy (BPA 6) and Energy Efficiency (BPA 7), and envisions the District as a statewide model for distributed renewable energy generation (p. 3.25). Goals include encouraging the use of renewable energy in new construction and redevelopment in both public and private sectors (B), creating incentives for renewable energy use (C), encouraging investment in renewable energy technologies to create jobs (D), using local solar and other renewable energy sources to support local energy security (E), gathering building performance data to support the use of renewable energy technologies including solar hot water (F), and removing regulatory barriers to renewable energy use (G). Initiatives and action steps include supporting passive solar housing development (1.c), exploring the installation of demonstration solar energy systems on city or school buildings (2.a&b), offering incentives for alternative energy technologies (2.c&d), and supporting use of renewable energy technologies through case study development, partnering with local vendors, and creating benchmarks and goals (3.a-c).