Tuesday, January 15, 2013 - 12:30pm to 4:00pm

Hartley Nature Center
3001 Woodland Avenue
Duluth Minnesota
United States
Hosted by
Minnesota Solar Challenge Partners

Learn the solar energy best practices in planning, zoning, and permitting, and hear about the free assistance available through the Minnesota Solar Challenge for implementing them.
Many communities agree that renewable energy is important for the future. But has your community really assessed its local renewable energy resources? Is solar energy addressed in your comprehensive plan, your development regulation, and your economic development priorities? What standards does your community use to balance between productive renewable energy resources and protecting community character? What is “distributed generation” and why should planners and building officials care?

Every community has a solar energy resource. Solar installation costs are rapidly coming down, and solar energy systems are coming soon to your community. But most local governments have little experience with renewable energy from a land use or economic development perspective. This workshop will review the rapidly evolving world of community-scale solar energy markets, technologies, and regulation, with a special emphasis on addressing renewable energy resources in plans, development regulation, and building code permitting.

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These workshops will address:

• Market trends in solar energy and solar energy technologies
• The hows and whys of addressing solar resources in local plans and policies
• The different technologies for harvesting local renewable energy and how different technologies can create different considerations in development regulation and permitting requirements
• Steps for local governments to encourage the development of a local solar energy market by removing barriers and limiting uncertainty
• What potential conflicts might arise from solar energy installations, and distinguishing between real and perceived nuisances
• Opportunities for local renewable energy incentives to meet your sustainability, economic development, or energy independence goals

Who should attend? Elected and appointed officials, planners and zoning administrators, building and inspections administrators, sustainability staff

Questions: For registration questions, contact Catherine Dubbe at GTS Educational Events: cdubbe@mngts.org or 651-222-7409 ext. 200

For program questions, contact Brian Ross: bross@crplanning.com