Electrify Everything MN energizes new communities in 2024
What’s the next step in your home electrification journey? We asked this at the end of a half dozen Electrify Everything MN workshops in 2024, and we heard a chorus of inspiring responses from attendees such as “install a heat pump,” “insulate my attic,” “get an energy audit,” and “buy an induction stove.” One project at a time, residents are making their homes more comfortable, more climate friendly, and healthier.
Thanks to the support of Electrify Everything’s partner cities and community organizations, the program had a successful second year. For more information on the program, what it accomplished in 2024, and how to get involved, keep reading.
Making electrification accessible to Minnesotans
When Electrify Everything MN launched in 2023, Center for Energy and Environment partnered with Eden Prairie, Edina, Minneapolis, and St. Louis Park to provide education and resources to residents interested in electrifying their homes.
Since then, the program has continued to provide education at workshops and community events, connect homeowners with high-quality contractors, share local success stories, consult on electrification projects, and inform participants about available financial incentives.
Another successful year: 2024 by the numbers
Energy use in homes makes up approximately 26% of total greenhouse gas emissions in cities that participate in Electrify Everything MN. Most of those emissions come from burning natural gas and oil to heat our homes and water. Upgrading gas appliances to efficient electric options is the clearest path to reduce our homes’ carbon emissions. In Minnesota, state law requires our electric grid to be 100% carbon free by 2040. In addition to greening the grid, electric technologies nationwide are becoming more widely available and affordable, making now a better time than ever to transition to electric.
CEE's Arbor Otalora-Fadner presents on heat pumps to attendees at a St. Louis Park Electrify Everything MN workshop.
CEE's Gerardo Roca presents in Spanish on the benefits of electrification at a Hennepin County sponsored Electrify Everything MN Workshop.
Community conversations that make a difference
In 2024, we hosted, co-hosted, or participated in nearly 20 events, speaking to nearly 600 residents about electrifying their homes. A primary goal of Electrify Everything MN is to educate residents on their electrification opportunities, which we do through many activities, including hosting workshops and tabling at community events.
Workshop attendees learn about the electrification and weatherization processes — from the steps to take before a project begins to the financial incentives available to lower project costs — and can get their questions answered, speak with qualified contractors, and even draft their own electrification plan. For more information about upcoming events, visit the Electrify Everything MN website.
Reaching new communities statewide
Beyond our work with established partner communities, Electrify Everything MN continues to expand into new communities. In 2024, we teamed up with partner organizations like Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina (COPAL), and Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota (CUB) to support underserved residents in Duluth, greater Minnesota, and Spanish-speaking communities in the Twin Cities Metro area.
We hosted two workshops entirely in Spanish with over 20 attendees, one hosted by COPAL and the other sponsored by Hennepin County. “Workshops like these are crucial for helping our communities understand their options for reducing energy costs and improving home safety,” said Carolina Ortiz, Associate Executive Director at COPAL MN. “They provide practical resources and guidance to make the transition to clean energy more accessible.” Three more Spanish workshops are already in the works for 2025.
Electrify Everything MN is also committed to sharing regular electrification and incentive information with anyone interested, regardless of whether they can attend a workshop or tabling event. We share updates through a quarterly newsletter and Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts.
Tailored guidance for your unique circumstances
Residents are also welcome to contact the Electrify Everything Advisors for free, personalized guidance on their home electrification projects. During a phone or email conversation with an advisor, residents get detailed answers to their specific questions, such as the appliances that may work for their homes or the financial incentives for which they may be eligible. The advisors may also connect interested homeowners with the Heat Pump Water Heater Installer Network and Air Source Heat Pump Preferred Contractor Network, which are trusted networks of contractors trained in the installation and maintenance of heat pump equipment. This year, the Electrify Everything Advisors had over 60 conversations with homeowners and residents with questions about electrification.
Start your electrification journey in 2025
Home electrification is more accessible every year as more technologies become available and new financial incentives are offered at the local, utility, state, and federal level. Despite this growth, understanding the electrification process from beginning to end can still be challenging. Electrify Everything MN convenes partner communities and organizations to make going electric simpler.
Electrification and weatherization will make your home healthier, more comfortable, and more climate-friendly, and there’s never been a better time to make the transition. Homeowners and residents can explore the Electrify Everything website or sign up for our quarterly newsletter.