Metro CERT Annual Event

This free annual event is an opportunity to gather with friends and connections from community organizations, small businesses, local governments, utilities, state agencies, clean energy industries, and folks interested in clean energy! If you’ve joined us in the past, you know that it’s a great way to get inspired and connect with others about all things clean energy.

Since it’s 2025, we’re focused on a retrospective of community-based clean energy projects from the last 25 years AND collectively imagining what we want from our next 25 years of progress.

The retrospective will feature a lightning round of community leaders sharing the benefits of energy efficiency, solar, and electric vehicles in their schools, local governments, and neighborhoods. In the visioning portion, a panel of emerging clean energy leaders will engage you, the audience, in a conversation about how we will continue to light the way for Minnesota’s future. Networking and light appetizers will follow the conversation.

We’re excited to welcome back our friends from Two Line Studios who will again provide graphic notetaking during the event.

MANY THANKS to our sponsors for helping to keep the event free and accessible for all who would like to attend!

Please help spread the word, we especially encourage new attendees and local residents to join us. We look forward to seeing all of you for an evening full of great food and conversation!

Thank you to our sponsors:

Megawatt – Great River Energy and Xcel Energy

Kilowatt – Center for Energy and Environment, City of Minneapolis, Clean Energy Economy Minnesota, Energy Division at Minnesota Department of Commerce, Energy Smart, Fresh Energy, Hennepin County, Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, Minnesota Solar Energy Industry Association, Ramsey County

Watt – Citizens Utility Board, Dakota Electric Association, B3 Benchmarking

Transportation & Parking Details: 

The Keller Building, where Quincy Hall is located offers limited complimentary parking spots. 

The Hillcrest lot, kitty corner from Quincy Hall, has parking spots available after 5 p.m. 

The Indeed Pay Lot, at the end of the block, offers pay-by-the-hour spots on a first come, first served basis. 

Please DO NOT park on Quincy Street. It is a no-parking zone.

If you are able to walk, bike, roll, take transit, or carpool we will enter you in a raffle for CERTs swag!

Accessibility: 

This venue is wheelchair accessible. Please contact Maren at m.butenhoff2016@gmail.com with any questions, needs, or requests.

About Metro CERT:

Clean Energy Resources Teams (CERTs) is a statewide partnership between University of Minnesota Extension, Great Plains Institute, MN Department of Commerce, and Southwest Regional Development Commission. CERTs connects individuals and communities in Minnesota to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects, in seven regions across the state. The Metro region is made up of 11 counties in and surrounding the Saint Paul and Minneapolis metropolitan area.

Find CERTs on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and YouTube, and tag us with #MetroCERT

Host or Publisher Metro Clean Energy Resource Team and Great Plains Institute