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221 West First Street Duluth, MN 55802 1-800-232-0707 |
Rural Energy Development Inititive (REDI)
Arrowhead Energy Survey Results…Coming Soon!
ARDC has been awarded additional grants to assist communities with energy efforts…watch for new information soon!
Arrowhead Energy Survey Results…Coming Soon!
ARDC has been awarded additional grants to assist communities with energy efforts…watch for new information soon!
| NEWS RELEASE:
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| ARDC ANNOUNCES REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR COMMUNITY-BASED WIND ENERGY PROJECTS Click here for PDF of news release Please scroll down page to "REDI Loan Information" or more information on the loan program |
| Background
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 This goal will be accomplished by providing organizing and technical assistance to rural entities seeking to develop wind energy projects for the purpose of selling the energy to an electric utility and by raising awareness of the local economic, community and environmental benefits of renewable energy development, energy conservation and efficiency. |
| Wind Energy Outreach for Northeast Minnesota
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| SWIF has established a group of Regional Organizers across the state, with ARDC working as the Regional Organizer for northeast Minnesota’s Arrowhead seven county region (Koochiching, Itasca, Aitkin, Carlton, St. Louis, Lake, and Cook). For a fact sheet on the ARDC - Rural Energy Development Initiative for wind power, click HERE. |
| Public Wind Energy Forums
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| During 2009, public forums with expert speakers in wind energy and the law will be held in several locations throughout the Arrowhead region. These meetings will help to educate community members about wind energy development, the opportunities of community-based energy development ("C-BED"), and how communities can embark on creating a community-based wind energy project. 2009 UPCOMING COMMUNITY-BASED WIND FORUMS FOR NE MINNESOTA: TUESDAY, APRIL 14TH - GRAND MARAIS Location: North House Folk School, 500 W. Highway 61 Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm For an Agenda: click here WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH - GRAND RAPIDS Location: Grand Rapids Public Library, 140 NE 2nd Street Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm For an Agenda: click here 3-26-09 WIND ENERGY FORUMS MEDIA RELEASE NOVEMBER 12TH, 2009 NORTHEAST MINNESOTA WIND ENERGY FORUM The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission, working in partnership with the Northeast Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, the REDI Program (Rural Energy Development Initiative) The Minnesota Project, and Iron Range Resources will be holding a Northeast Minnesota Wind Energy Forum on Thursday, November 12th from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Mesabi Range Community and Technical College in Virginia, MN.This meeting will provide information to local units of government and community members in the Arrowhead Region who are interested in learning more about opportunities for wind energy development. FORUM PRESENTATION MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE BELOW. 11-12-09 AGENDA PRESENTATION: Community Wind Options and Benefits (Ryan Stockwell, The Minnesota Project) PRESENTATION: Opportunities Through Wind Energy (George Crocker, REDI Program) |
| Learn About Community Scale vs. Small Scale Wind
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| If you are interested in developing a "community-scale" wind project or a "small-scale" wind project, here are two powerpoint presentations from the organization "WINDUSTRY" to help you learn more. COMMUNITY WIND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SMALL SCALE WIND TURBINE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT |
| Project Funding
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 The grant period for this project runs through December 31, 2009. The Southwest Initiative Foundation is a regional community foundation dedicated to advancing southwest Minnesota through leadership, relationship-building, program development and philanthropy. The foundation has contributed over $42 million to date through its grant and loan programs in southwest Minnesota. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.swifoundation.org on the World Wide Web. |
| REDI LOAN INFORMATION
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| A REDI revolving loan fund has been established in Northeast Minnestoa for the counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis. The REDI loan fund is designed to provide financing for costs related to early-stage project development and feasibility analysis. The Northland Foundation will adopt its own policy and procedures for administering the REDI loan fund, however the Southwest Initative Foundation (SWIF) and the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) will participate in the review of REDI loan applications. ELIGIBLE USES OF FUNDS REDI loan financing is limited to early stage project development and feasibility analysis for wind energy electric generation projects that intend to sell the electricity to an electric utility. Eligible costs include: • Early stage project feasibility study expenses • Preliminary wind resource assessments • Meteorological data analysis and/or related equipment costs • Environmental, engineering, and geotechnical analysis/consulting • Accounting, finance, and other professional services consulting Payments to project owners for services are generally ineligible but will be considered on a case-by-case basis. LOAN PARAMETERS, INTEREST RATES, TERMS, COLLATERAL, AND FEES • Maximum loan size is $25,000 for any one project and/or borrower • Maximum loan size is $7,500 for projects that are less than two megawatts of total nameplate capacity • Loans must have (at a minimum) an equal amount of borrower investment • Interest rates will be fixed at one percent ( 1.00%) per annum • Loan maturities will be not longer than 48 months, and will be determined case-by-case based upon use of funds and overall scope of project • Repayment may be deferred until maturity, but an annual payment of accrued interest will be required • Loans will be secured by the assets of the project and/or borrower and will be subordinate only to the interest of the primary lender of the project and/or borrower • There are no application or origination fees, but borrowers may be charged for legal and other costs associated with closing the loan LOAN APPLICANT – LETTER OF INTEREST If you are interested in applying for a REDI loan, please send a letter of interest specifically describing how your project meets the eligible uses of funds as described above. Letters of interest may be emailed to the NE Minnesota REDI Regional Organizer, Bonnie Hundrieser: bhundrieser@ardc.org. |
| For More Information Contact:
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| Bonnie Hundrieser, ARDC REDI NE MN Regional Organizer Phone: (218) 529-7527 Email: bhundrieser@ardc.org |
Regional Planning Division Programs
| Current Drafts Available for Comments
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| Regional Planning Staff
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| Please click here to see a list of Division staff members. |
| RTAC In-Kind Transportation Planning Grant
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| The RTAC In-Kind Transportation Planning Grant will give a community up to $10,000 worth of ARDC planning services to do transportation planning....more |
| ARDC Phone & Email Directory
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| Click Here |
| ARDC Directions
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| Regional Planning Meeting Calendar
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| Click here to see Regional Planning's meeting schedule. |
| Recently Completed Regional Planning Projects
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| To download recently completed documents click HERE. |
| Current Regional Planning Projects
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