Sustainability : Innovation + Job News

For Geoff Stenrick, owner and president of the Saint Paul-based SimpleRay Solar, sunshine is much more than a mood-lifting respite from winter’s bitter chill. It’s a way of life.

In 2006, Stenrick quit his job as a Saturn salesman and channeled his longtime fascination with renewable energy into a nascent solar panel business called SimpleRay Solar. He enrolled in a comprehensive training course in solar technology, installation techniques, and parts engineering, then signed on with three U.S. distributors and began selling their equipment through his website.

His timing couldn’t have been better. While SimpleRay’s early customers were often hard-core environmentalists committed to green living, the launch of California’s rebate program, in 2007, drew building contractors onto the site. Similar incentives followed shortly in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and other East Coast states. Still, Stenrick’s gig remained low-key through the late 2000s: After his daughter’s birth, in 2009, “I would have to send emails and work on the website while she napped,” he says.

Because of generous rebate programs, falling manufacturing costs, and end-users’ increasing demand for panels and accessories, things are much busier now. In 2011, Stenrick hired his first employee, a car-industry colleague. His company’s 2012 revenues were sufficient to earn a spot on the “Inc. 500” list for 2013. Last year, after several additional hires—SimpleRay now has seven employees—he moved into a permanent office on Raymond Avenue, in the Creative Enterprise Zone on the Central Corridor’s Green Line.

Stenrick’s team doesn’t just sell solar panels out of this new space: As part of a transaction, SimpleRay’s in-house engineering and design professionals often help clients plan and optimize their arrays.

The most exciting development, though, may be Minnesota’s recently passed “Omnibus Energy Bill,” an aggressive renewable-energy law that requires “all utilities in the state [to] procure 1.5 percent of their electricity from solar generation by 2020,” according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. By the end of the decade, predicts Stenrick, this requirement could boost in-state solar panel sales by a factor of 40.

Already, the law has dramatically increased the likelihood that the Aurora Solar Project, a planned cluster of about two dozen solar arrays in the state’s eastern half, will be built. SimpleRay doesn’t typically sell to utilities—it prefers small and medium-sized commercial and residential contractors, although it will soon contribute to a one-megawatt array in the area—but the increased demand that accompanies large-scale utility projects is sure to reduce panel costs and render the technology competitive with fossil fuels.

“A solar system works like a furnace,” says Stenrick. “You don’t need to replace it every five years. Instead, you’re basically prepaying for your power over the 20-plus-year lifespan of your system.” Thanks to industry-standard warranties that guarantee efficiencies of at least 80 percent over a 25-year span, this leads to dramatic long-term savings.

Even in Minnesota, with its short winter days and frequent cloud cover?

Yes, says Stenrick, noting that Minnesota gets more sun than many solar-friendly East Coast states—and far more than Germany, the world’s reigning solar energy leader. “On average, Germany gets about as much sunlight as Seattle,” he says, “and look at what they’re doing over there.”

Stenrick doesn’t minimize the obvious environmental benefits of solar power—“It’s better than blowing up a mountaintop for coal,” he half-jokes—but he’s more interested in touting the cost side of the equation. In California, solar power is already cost-competitive with fossil fuels, and the Omnibus Energy Bill suggests that Minnesota isn’t far behind. Eventually, Stenrick believes, the tax credits and rebates that currently support the U.S. solar industry will be obsolete.

“The whole idea of where you get your power from [will] totally change by 2030,” says Stenrick. “We hope to ride that wave.”

Source: Geoff Stenrick, SimpleRay Solar
Writer: Brian Martucci

As local food and sustainable farming gains even more momentum in the Twin Cities, entrepreneurial efforts are cropping up to help people navigate this new landscape.
 
One of the most intriguing is The Everyday Table, recently launched by dietitian Sara Bloms and local chef Polly Pierce. The pair started the venture as a way to help those in the metro area not only learn cooking skills, but also gain knowledge about nutrition, food shopping, and menu planning.
 
"The [impetus] behind The Everyday Table was frustration, with the constant reminder of the obesity statistics and the impact it has on rising healthcare costs, the rotation of fad diets claiming to be the magic formula to weight loss, and the plethora of processed foods that fill the grocery store shelves," says Bloms.
 
She adds that information has become a detriment rather than an advantage — so much info is available online in the form of recipes, websites, company newsletters, blogs, and other media that people often feel overwhelmed.
 
The Everyday Table aims to provide tools and resources in an interactive and engaging way that takes relevant information and puts it into action. For example, Bloms will meet clients at a grocery store and guide them though decisions, and Pierce can go to client homes and teach them how to cook in their own kitchens.
 
The Twin Cities, in particular, is well suited for the entrepreneurial effort since the area has become a hub for local food, as demonstrated by more farmers markets and an innovative restaurant scene. Also, Bloms believes that the large number of young professionals here is driving a change.
 
"This generation understands the benefits of using fresh ingredients and cooking at home but wants to learn how to create a meal plan that fits their lifestyle, not their mother's," she says. "They are also the ones that can benefit the most from sustainable, long-term, healthy eating habits."
 
Source: Sara Bloms, The Everyday Table
Writer: Elizabeth Millard
 

As cabin fever continues across the metro, many local food lovers are signing up for community supported agriculture programs and eagerly looking forward to this year's farmers markets.
 
That mentality created ideal timing for a recent Living Social sign-up offer from Twin Cities Local Food, an online marketplace and food delivery system that pairs local consumers and growers. Now entering its second year, the company used the deal-making site to offer a discount on its usual membership price, and was rewarded with a stunning surge in new memberships. Within only four days, the firm sold all of those discounted memberships.
 
"We were amazed, it was a really intense couple of days, and we had no idea it would take off like that," says co-founder Josh Kelly, who started the venture with his wife, Natalie. He left the corporate world to pursue his dream of providing fresh, healthy food to the local community, and after slow-but-steady growth last year, it already looks like they'll need to expand infrastructure to meet demand.
 
With the Twin Cities Local Food model, farmers and producers of other goods like honey and maple syrup benefit because they can directly market, sell, and package their own products, but skip distribution. Customers can order online weekly and then pick up their food at one of the company's drop-off sites in locations like South Minneapolis, St. Paul, Eagan, and Osseo.
 
The model has been tried in other states, but so far, Twin Cities Local Food is the only business of its kind here. From the recent reaction to the Living Social deal, it's obvious that demand is strong. As the farming season gears up, it's likely that more new memberships and referrals will be on the way.
 
Kelly says, "It felt really good to see so much interest and enthusiasm, not just for us, but for local food. Healthy, whole, real food is getting the attention it deserves, and that's bound to drive growth for us."
 
Source: Josh Kelly, Twin Cities Local Food
Writer: Elizabeth Millard
 

Inver Grove Heights-based agribusiness company CHS is owned by farmers, ranchers, and cooperatives across the country, and now, all of those stakeholders will be able to connect even more effectively through a new online platform.
 
Dubbed the CHS Center for Cooperative Growth and launched in October, the platform gathers diverse viewpoints from the industry and academia, with the goal of making cooperatives more effective.
 
Jessica Lamker, CHS Director of Marketing and Organizational Development, notes that the project came together when the organization considered the needs of the next generation of agribusiness leaders.
 
"Many agricultural cooperatives were formed in the 1930s," she says. "What we're finding is that as time goes on, young people don't understand the value of having them, and why they're important."
 
The online tool will provide clarity about complex topics related to cooperatives. For example, the latest content includes insight about equity management, with four industry leaders offering videos and articles on the topic. A future topic will be how cooperative boards of directors can achieve more alignment with each other and with customers.
 
The reaction from users has been strong, Lamker notes. Not only are farmers and ranchers turning to the site to access research papers and garner advice, but also to connect with others.
 
For the future, Lamker expects that content will continue to be king, with tutorials and tools. "Having the opportunity to bring this to life has been exciting, and we look forward to seeing where it goes from here," she says.
 
Source: Jessica Lamker, CHS
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Conferences can be rich sources of networking, innovation, education, and sales leads, but those opportunities tend to end when the speakers and the trade show exhibitors begin packing up to leave.
 
One local entrepreneur wants to keep the energy going.
 
Michael Lunser, who acts as a project manager for conference content capture firm OrganicVoices, felt that all of the education and connection that occurs at conferences could be put to greater use, and also reach a wider audience, if they could be transferred to an online format.
 
The result is Exhibit Hall Earth, a startup project that Lunser is rolling out for organic agriculture conferences initially, but which has potential for all types of conferences.
 
"The traditional model for content capture is to record speakers and then try to sell the materials to attendees," he says. "But that model is starting to wear out; people aren't as interested in buying a pack of CDs anymore."
 
He envisioned a system where content could be included as part of a registration cost, with all the sessions and workshops online for easier access. Since the exhibit hall would be online and accessible, it could also host articles posted by users, publish classified ads and job listings, and become robust with other content. Lunser has even created a cookbook on the site so that attendees can swap recipes.
 
"Instead of a couple days networking and learning about topics, you could get exposure to so much more in a virtual exhibit hall," he says. "For conferences, it would allow them to have a presence on a yearly, ongoing basis. Everyone benefits."
 
Lunser is still fine-tuning the site, but is optimistic about making the model into a must-visit destination for conference attendees.
 
Source: Michael Lunser, Exhibit Hall Earth
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

It all started with a lampshade.
 
When Katherine Hayes was visiting her grandparents in 2010, she noticed stains on a lampshade, and decided to spend some time with bleach and a bucket rather than making a run to the store to buy a new one.
 
A finance professional, she'd been contemplating a career switch, and somehow, that seemingly minor moment of home maintenance clicked for her. "I love to repair things, put them back in order," she says. "I've always been a tinkerer, and in some ways, it's a reaction against our disposable consumerism. It feels like people don't fix things anymore, they just replace them."
 
That line of thinking has led Hayes to start Fixity, a service specializing in the small aspects of a home that could use adjustment. From tailoring curtains to mending jewelry to righting a wobbly chair leg, Hayes embraces the long list of to-do items that many people usually avoid. She's repaired a zipper on a travel bag, re-woven small holes in sweaters, assembled IKEA furniture (a talent in itself), and patched holes in upholstery, among numerous other tasks.
 
To get the business going, she's been relying on grassroots marketing efforts, which involve traditional referrals and social media. Hayes believes that her service is unique, because as a former art major, she utilizes creative solutions that some handyman-type services might skip. For example, she once sewed a round pillow to cover an oddly shaped window in a client's attic space.
 
"A handyman isn't going to be sewing pillows," Hayes says. "But if that's what you need, and you can't sew it yourself, now there's Fixity." 
 
Source: Katherine Hayes, Fixity
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The University of Minnesota is slated to lead an international virtual institute for the study of Earth-surface systems. The multi-university effort will have a particular focus on watersheds and deltas, and is being called Linked Institutions for Future Earth (LIFE).
 
The effort is funded by the National Science Foundation, which is awarding the U of M a grant of $720,000 to kick off the collaborative network. In total, funding, grants, and resources from all participating universities come to roughly $30 million.
 
An ambitious project, the initiative will bring together numerous international research institutions and field sites, with the purpose of better understanding the impacts of climatic and human stresses on the environment.
 
LIFE intends to produce research that can affect policy decisions as well as future scientific directions. Initially, the project will also boost networking and information sharing among researchers. It's also likely to increase awareness about sustainability issues among the general public.
 
LIFE lead researcher Efi Foufoula-Georgiou notes that the effort will build on another NSF-funded project, the National Center for Earth-Surface Dynamics, and with that foundation, the project will be able to take a significant step toward better understanding watersheds and deltas worldwide.
 
"LIFE seeks to empower the next generation of Earth-system scientists, engineers, and educators with depth, breadth, and a global perspective on environmental sustainability," she says.
 
All that global insight will start right here in Minneapolis, at the distinctive experimental facilities at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory.
 
Source: Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, LIFE
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Lean Startup Conference
December 3
University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management
11am - 7pm
free
 
Those who aren't able to attend The Lean Startup Conference in San Francisco can still see great speakers, thanks to this simulcast event that showcases the conference's experts. Presented by the university's Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship and the Minnesota Lean Startup Circle, the event will help attendees jumpstart their businesses.
 
Women in the Boardroom
December 4
University of St. Thomas
Law School Atrium, 11th St. and Harmon Place, Minneapolis
3pm - 6pm
$105
 
An organization designed to assist women in pursuing board service, Women in the Boardroom hosts several types of in-person and virtual events throughout the year. This signature event brings together a panel of experts, including the Chief Administrative Officer of the Mayo Clinic.
 
Automation for the Cloud
December 5
Open Book
1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis
4pm - 5:30pm
free
 
Hosted by cloud management company enStratus, this event looks at extending automation to cloud environments, including auto-provisioning, auto-scaling, and setting automated backups. Attendees will learn more about cloud management and see a product demo.
 
No Coast Craft-O-Rama
December 7 & 8
Midtown Global Market
3pm - 8pm on Dec. 7; 9am - 5pm on Dec. 8
free
 
Started in 2005 as a way to feature designers, artists, and creators of handmade crafts, the No Coast Craft-O-Rama has grown into a true showcase for artisans of every type. From letterpress operators to knitters to jewelry makers to many others, the breadth of work is staggering--and the fair is showing up just in time for holiday shopping, too.
 

Advocates of sustainability have often demonized lawn care for squandering water, adding fertilizers and herbicides to the environment, and increasing our carbon footprint through gas-powered mowing. But a new research project from the University of Minnesota could make both environmentalists and homeowners happier in the future.
 
Funded by a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the 5-year project is part of a national research effort aimed at improving specialty crops. Researchers will be investigating ways to develop turf grasses that require less water and mowing, and that stay green without extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers.
 
The reduction in water usage will be especially important, since this season's lengthy drought isn't seen as a fluke by many climate experts, but as an indication of dry seasons ahead. With a more drought-resistant turf grass, public spaces and lawns could remain healthy even with significantly reduced rainfall.
 
The project's lead investigator, U. of M. Associate Professor of Horticultural Science Eric Watkins, says: "This project will lead to the development of new varieties of these grasses that are well-adapted to adverse conditions and more available to consumers."
 
As part of the research, Watkins and his team will work with scientists from Rutgers University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They'll evaluate homeowner buying patterns and breed new varieties of grasses called "fine fescue" that are better at withstanding heat and disease.
 
As the project evolves, it's likely that a greener and more eco-friendly lawn may be coming soon to a neighborhood or park near you.
 
Source: Eric Watkins, University of Minnesota
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Minnesota Cup Final Awards Event
 
September 6
University of Minnesota, McNamara Center
5:00pm - 7:30pm
free
 
One of the liveliest entrepreneurial competitions, the Minnesota Cup has been a source of innovation and fresh ideas since its founding. (Read about this year's finalists here.) In its final awards event, attendees will get to hear elevator pitches from the division winners and hear the announcement of the grand prize winner. The event promises to be an ideal networking opportunity for the state's entrepreneurial community.
 
Work/Life & Flexibility Expo
 
September 13
Minneapolis Marriott Southwest
8:30am - 4:30pm
$50 - $150, depending on registration type
 
As the economy recovers, engaging highly skilled talent will be crucial for all organizations, and employee retention will be vital. This conference offers insight and strategies for building a work environment that attracts the best talent and positions a company for future growth.
 
Minnesota Blogger Conference
 
September 22
Allina Health
Midtown Exchange Building, Minneapolis
9:00am - 5:00pm
free
 
The first Minnesota Blogger Conference, in 2010, was such a success that organizers decided to keep it rolling. The highly popular conference--tickets are released at strategic times, as for a rock concert--will feature speakers who've taken blogging to new levels, including turning their blogs into business opportunities. Last year's sessions also included insights on legal issues, writing topics, and video blogging.
 
Food + Justice = Democracy
 
September 24 - 26
Radisson Plaza Hotel
35 S. 7th St., Minneapolis
Ranges from $85 - $195 depending on registration type
 
A distinctive national meeting, this event brings together food-justice activists with the aim of pushing political leaders to prioritize a fair, just, and healthy food system. Instead of traditional breakout sessions, the meeting features "People's Assembly sessions," connecting attendees with fellow participants in order to craft elements of a national food-justice platform.

The Collaborative Innovation Series
 
August 2
University of St. Thomas College of Business, Minneapolis Campus
46 Eleventh St. South, Minneapolis
7:10am - 11:20am
$45 for members, $105 for non-members
 
The Collaborative, a membership organization focused on growing companies and investors, frequently provides education opportunities, and this upcoming morning seminar is part of its "innovation series." Speakers will focus on larger topics like choosing angel or VC investors, leveraging advisors, and growing through new hires. 
 
Datavenu
 
August 7 & 8
University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management
Fee ranges from $25 - $125, depending on type of pass
 
Organized by local entrepreneur Barbara Bowen, Datavenu focuses on personal data, economic development, and the information economy. The first day of the event brings together leading speakers to talk about IT developments and data policies, while the second day is an "unconference" that features an agenda created in real time by participants.
 
Exporting in 2012: The Practices of Profitable Companies
 
August 22
Mortenson Construction
700 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley
8:00am - 11:00am
$79 before Aug. 14, $119 afterward
 
Hosted by Enterprise Minnesota, this seminar brings together experts and business leaders who will discuss the export process and how attendees can better navigate this particular strategy. There will be several examples of how local companies are selling internationally, and connecting with global business experts who can streamline the process.
 
The Engaged Philanthropy Conference
 
August 23
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
4:00pm - 8:00pm
$70
 
Also known as EPCON, this conference focuses on social innovation in Minnesota, and is hosted by Social Venture Partners Minnesota, an organization made up of entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who are attempting to address the state's social issues. Now in its fourth year, the conference features a competition for identifying top social entrepreneurs, and keynote speaker Tim Knowles from the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute.

For building owners and property managers, staying on top of energy costs can be challenging, especially since statistics can be tough to find. But a St. Paul-based firm is removing the roadblocks.
 
EnergyPrint provides an online energy management dashboard that helps users understand how a building is doing in terms of energy and water usage. The firm gathers utility data and inputs the information into its proprietary tool, which can track usage over time. That type of historical data lets an owner or manager know if they're making the best use of those environmental resources.
 
"This kind of monitoring has the benefit of helping to improve the planet, but the main reason for tracking this data is to increase net asset value and improve energy savings," says EnergyPrint's Chief Operations Officer Mike Williams. "Without a doubt, getting these kinds of stats is crucial for property owners."
 
Collecting this type of information can be tricky for owners to do on their own, however. Every utility company has different measurements in terms of energy usage, Williams says. Comparing a building in Minneapolis to one in St. Paul is difficult, for example, because separate utilities do the usage monitoring. EnergyPrint is determined to smooth out those differences so that building owners have the ability to implement more effective energy management programs.
 
The program has been so well received that the company is gearing up for growth in the near future, including expansion into Canada and hiring to beef up its staff.
 
"We're stable and strong and we intend to stay that way," says Williams.
 
Source: Mike Williams, EnergyPrint
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Twin Cities residents looking for information on urban food growing, zoning changes, permits, community kitchens and other food topics now have a one-stop online location, thanks to the City of St. Paul.
 
The Healthy and Local Food site is intended to aid the growing number of community organizations and individuals who are working on local food issues like food security and backyard farming.
 
"One of the things we kept hearing from the community was that they'd like to have a central source of information about local food issues," says Anne Hunt, the city's Environmental Policy Director. "We developed this to help people navigate all the information that's available, especially since there's such a growing interest."
 
Through the site, visitors can find out about permits for having chickens in their yard, for example, or the rules regarding compost on an urban property. The site also offers guidance on finding resources like gardener networks and food share programs.
 
St. Paul supports numerous initiatives designed to increase the production and distribution of sustainable, locally grown food. Recently, the city broke ground on the development of a huge greenhouse on Rice St. where fruits and vegetables will be grown for Twin Cities grocery stores.
 
The Healthy and Local Food site lists a few of these projects, including micro-farm collective Stone's Throw Urban Farm and a master plan for turning Lowertown into a massive urban farm.
 
"We're trying to make things really clear and straightforward for people," Hunt says. "Hopefully, this will accommodate even more access to urban agriculture."
 
Source: Anne Hunt, City of St. Paul
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

There are plenty of new lunch trucks zipping around the metro, but keep your eyes out for a different kind of fresh food delivery system.
 
Twin Cities Local Food aims to connect farmers with customers in a unique way: by playing middleman. Started by Josh Kelly, who left the corporate world to pursue his dream of providing fresh, healthy food to the local community, the service intends to give people year-round access to locally grown and produced food.
 
Farmers benefit because they can directly market, sell, and package their own products, and customers can order online weekly and then pick up their food at a location in South Minneapolis. The system has been successful in other states, such as Michigan, but hasn't been tried here before. The first orders went out just last week, and Kelly is excited to see the online marketplace grow as it becomes better known.
 
"This is a different kind of model, but we feel that it's needed," he says. "People are busy, and sometimes they just want the convenience of shopping for good, local food online and picking it up easily."
 
The service includes numerous types of products, including fresh produce, meats and poultry, eggs, honey, syrup, dairy, grains, and preserved foods.
 
Kelly created the company with his wife, Natalie, and he notes that they always knew they'd make great business partners. Twin Cities Local Food is fulfilling that prediction, and they're both eager to keep the orders rolling in.
 
Source: Josh Kelly, Twin Cities Local Food
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

At accounting and advisory firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, industry experts advise clients on a range of issues, such as management, taxes, transactions, and international expansion. However, when the industries intersect, things can get even more interesting.
 
That's what's occurring among three to four practice areas within the firm, says John Jackels, Renewable Energy Development and Finance Manager, who notes that the energy group and waste management group are crossing paths with the food and beverage group. The result: huge potential for turning food waste into renewable energy.
 
Baker Tilly recently spoke at the International Cheese Technology Expo, on the topic of cheese waste becoming an energy product. Although it would take an awful lot of cheese to create a major energy source, when you consider the amount of other food waste that results from manufacturing, the impact could be formidable, Jackels believes.
 
"Food and beverage manufacturers all have waste as a result of production," he says. "This is called 'high-strength waste' because it requires more time and energy to process. Right now, manufacturers are paying a surcharge for this service, but what if we can use that by-product for energy? Then it would be prevented from going into the watershed, and we'd have a renewable source of energy."
 
Baker Tilly is looking into tax credits and other federal incentives, and plans to bring together clients from its multiple industry groups to begin working toward more food-to-fuel solutions. Jackels notes that in the near future more treatment facilities could be built to handle the conversion process. Baker Tilly will look at the financial support needed to handle these projects, and play a lead role in shepherding the process.
 
"This type of effort is just going to continue to get larger as people look for more ways to cut down on waste and find renewable energy sources," says Jackels. "As a result, we can drive more jobs and expansion as well."
 
Source: John Jackels, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause
Writer: Elizabeth Millard