• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Thursday, November 30, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local News
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
    • Search MSR Archives
      • Search Minneapolis Spokesman Archives
      • Search the St. Paul Recorder
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local News
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
    • Search MSR Archives
      • Search Minneapolis Spokesman Archives
      • Search the St. Paul Recorder
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Disadvantaged business corridors in MN get solar boost

by Mike Moen
January 30, 2023
80
SHARES
1.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn
TAFE SA TONSLEY / Flickr Photo by Ali Madad Sakhirani on Pexels.com

Racial disparities are apparent when it comes to rooftop solar installation, researchers have reported. In Minnesota, there are efforts to close these gaps, and those involved point to the selection of three Twin Cities areas for a key project.

The Lake Street Council in Minneapolis and two other groups have been offered to join the Solar Energy Innovation Network, which is under the umbrella of the U.S. Energy Department. The network is designed to reduce barriers for underserved communities to adopt the technology.

Matt Kazinka, senior strategic initiatives manager for Lake Street Council, said its focus is on helping smaller BIPOC and immigrant-owned businesses in South Minneapolis.

“These businesses are the lifeblood of our community, but it is a struggle,” Kazinka said. “They put a lot on the line to just operate their business, and that means a lot of the time they don’t have the bandwidth and the resources to explore new ways of doing business or new opportunities.”

For solar access, a 2019 study that relied on census tracts found that Black residents have 69% fewer solar installations compared with non-racially diverse areas. The nonprofits will help owners navigate the process, including financing and working with companies that can establish trust in these communities. The other targeted corridors in the Twin Cities include West Broadway and University Avenue.

Terry Austin, community engagement manager of the Northside Economic Opportunities Network, will help to spur solar adoption along the West Broadway corridor. He said business owners and residents in disadvantaged neighborhoods are overlooked when it comes to renewable-energy education, and added that paves the way for bad actors to prey on these areas, creating more long-term harm.

“And when they’re taken advantage of on the technology, that can affect their business and their home. These things have more of a generational effect,” Austin said.

Kazinka added many of these businesses are in older buildings in need of upgrades and said the project could help them pursue energy efficiency at a time when solar costs are coming down, and government incentives are more readily available.

“We’re in a time right now where solar is becoming a better deal than it’s been in a long time because new federal legislation is making the tax credits more generous, we have more long-term certainty and [it’ll] be easier to access in a few different ways,” he said.

The local project is one of just eight nationwide recently selected to join the network.

Mike Moen is a writer for the Minnesota News Connection.

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Nichols killing fuels local demands for police reform

Next Post

Black History Month events in the Twin Cities: Feb. 1-8

Mike Moen

You Might Also Like

UCMT hopes its community-based sites will make it easier to file complaints
Local News

UCMT hopes its community-based sites will make it easier to file complaints

Patrick Adams’ musical journey: A tribute to Southside Minneapolis
Arts + Culture

Patrick Adams’ musical journey: A tribute to Southside Minneapolis

Community members offer feedback on proposed Third Precinct
Local News

Community members offer feedback on proposed Third Precinct

Remembering Andre ‘Debonaire’ McNeal: a pillar in the Twin Cities community
Local News

Remembering Andre ‘Debonaire’ McNeal: a pillar in the Twin Cities community

Don Samuels announces 2024 run against Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District
Local News

Don Samuels announces 2024 run against Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District

​Graffiti artist turns hip-hop passion into a business
Arts + Culture

​Graffiti artist turns hip-hop passion into a business

Next Post
Black History Month events in the Twin Cities: Feb. 8 – 16

Black History Month events in the Twin Cities: Feb. 1-8

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts + Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Calendar
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: