Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program

Notice of Grant Availability

Division of Energy Resources

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

The Minnesota Department of Commerce seeks proposals for the Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program.

In 2023 the Minnesota Legislature established the Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program (Minn. Stat. § 216C.377). The purpose of this program is to provide grants to stimulate the installation of solar energy systems on public buildings. The Department will administer $4.3M in grants to local governments in Xcel Energy electric service territory. This is the second round of funding requests.

Eligible applicants for this grant program are local units of government including a county, statutory or home rule charter city, town or other local government jurisdiction, excluding school districts eligible to receive financial assistance under section 216C.375; or a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Minnesota (Minn. Stat. § 216C.377, subd. 1).

Grants will be awarded for up to 70% of the project costs (dependent on the government’s financial capacity) for a solar array that is built on or adjacent to a public building and is the lesser of 40kW system capacity or 120% of the building’s annual energy consumption.

Deadline: this is two-step process.

Step 1: Public Building Readiness Assessment: Public Building Readiness Assessment due Monday, December 2, 2024.
Step 2: Full Grant Application open upon notification; full applications will be due Monday, May 5, 2025.

Prior to completing the Readiness Assessment, applicants must first obtain a unique project ID number (“ID”) for each application/building. Email the Department at [email protected] to request an ID. The email must include:

Local unit of government’s primary point of contact
Primary contact title
Primary contact email
Planned installation site (e.g. county, city, town, other local government jurisdiction, Tribal government and building)

A public webinar providing details about the Solar on Public Buildings program will be held Monday, October 28, 10:30-11:30am.

For questions about the program and application, email [email protected]. All questions will be answered in the Solar on Public Buildings FAQ and updated weekly, available on the Solar on Public Buildings webpage.

Please visit the Commerce RFP website for the posting: Request for Proposals (RFP) / Minnesota Department of Commerce - Business (mn.gov). For more information about the SPB program, see the Commerce website for more details: Solar on Public Buildings / Minnesota Department of Commerce - Energy (mn.gov).