Recent History
Cooperative Energy Future’s (CEF) current focus is on Community Solar Gardens with over 1000 members to date and folks joining daily. We have built and own and operate eight Community Solar Gardens with a successful business model enabling local benefit for a wide range of communities and demographics. To date, CEF has secured over $16M in funding for these eight solar gardens and is in the process of developing seven more. CEF supports the growth of community-based energy efforts nationwide and continues to grow opportunities for Minnesota households to share in the benefits of clean energy.
History
2006 - 2008
While attending school, a group of impassioned Macalester College students launched the Clean Energy Revolving Fund. This fund was based on the idea that energy efficiency and clean energy can build wealth for a local place while accelerating sustainability, a model that was a seed for Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF). Working alongside community members, students began seeking ways to expand this approach with local Twin Cities communities.
2009
Cooperative Energy Futures formed as a 308B Cooperative with a 6-member founding Board. The team dove head first into research and hosting energy workshops and direct sales to share with the community what they learned. With the knowledge base growing, our early work focused on making homes more energy efficient and focusing on local leadership in South Minneapolis.
2010
CEF defined a four part strategy that would provide clear opportunities in local neighborhoods and welcome people to join us in building a collective community energy future:
1. Basic education and engagement to help people build commitment while experiencing the direct and immediate benefits of saving energy through free or low-cost activities to save energy at home.
2. Neighborhood coordination to stream-line and lower the cost of major energy upgrades, especially insulation and air sealing and residential solar.
3. Developing a community ownership model that would allow community members to own renewable energy projects jointly. Learn more at our community solar page.
4. The final step is turning the role of the average energy user on its head from consumers to producers. We seek to create mechanisms so that communities can participate in that market, reaping the benefits of their collective actions.
2012-2014
CEF focuses on growing a residential solar bulk-buying model, helping over 45 Twin Cities residents switch to solar energy. This process made it clear the extent of the barriers facing many members.
2014-2017
CEF begins developing its community solar garden model as a way to enable all members to participate in the benefits of clean energy. By the end of 2017, CEF had secured program approval for 8 community solar gardens and completed subscriber engagement for the Shiloh and Edina projects.
2018-2019
CEF secures project financing, begins construction and operating for all 8 solar garden projects, and engages over 700 member households as subscribers.
2020
CEF begins development of a new series of 7 community solar projects, launches a new program for solar serving tenants of affordable housing, and accelerates efforts to shift Minnesota solar policy towards economic and social justice.