Our Mission

MRES is a catalyst, equitably advancing a sustainable low-carbon society
and a renewable energy economy through education, leadership and example.

It’s Give to the Max season!

Support us in continuing the renewable energy momentum in spite of federal funding cuts! Solar energy and energy efficiency are on a roll and MRES, through its education and outreach, want to keep the ball rolling. With a gift of any amount, you help support our many outreach efforts.

November Speaker Series

A Clean Economy Depends on CleanCounts

The nonprofit formerly known as M-RETS has grown to become North America’s largest clean energy registry and is still headquartered in Minneapolis. With a development team of more than 40 people, CleanCounts creates and manages the software that underpin clean energy claims for state and province clean energy requirements and the surging voluntary corporate market. Attend this session to learn a few new things about RECs and the other types of Energy Attribute Certificates, including nuclear and thermal.

About the Speaker:

Rob Davis
Chief Growth Officer
CleanCounts

Rob Davis is Chief Growth Officer of CleanCounts, North America’s largest registry for clean energy certificates. A nonprofit previously called M-RETS, CleanCounts’ platform is responsible for issuance of more than 40% of all Renewable Energy Certificates in the US and Canada.

Previously, Davis led public affairs, media relations, and federal grant programs for Connexus Energy, the Midwest’s largest electric cooperative. In 2024, the North American Agrivoltaics Awards recognized Davis as “Solar Steward of the Year.” Davis’s work has been featured in trainings by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in feature stories in The New York Times and Scientific American, and on TED.com. Previously, Davis helped launch technology start-ups and created the international crowdsourced campaign that launched the Firefox web browser

November LIVE ONLINE PRESENTATION

Thursday, November 20th @ 6:00pm

New!
As of March 2025, you will need to register for the monthly Speaker Series.
Simply provide your name and email and you will be emailed a link to join the Zoom presentation.

Green Rock Apartments Transform Multifamily Housing from Old to Sustainable: A Guide for Property Owners

Dale Howey, in six years, has transformed his Green Rock Apartments into a model of carbon-neutral housing. Howey, a Minneapolis owner/renovator, has completed eight multi-unit building retrofits. The physical improvements, coupled with enhanced livability amenities, have dramatically reduced each building’s utility usage/cost of energy, increased owner profits, and improved livability for residents. Most importantly, the retrofits have significantly reduced the use of fossil fuels, and thus contribute toward lowering the world’s extreme carbon emissions.

Howey’s intention is to open-source his unique retrofit approach so that others may gain ideas, inspiration, and guidance. To that end, the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, in collaboration with Green Rock Apartments, has produced a detailed guide documenting Howey’s projects, noting the carbon-reducing products used, retrofit project financing, key contacts and sources for further research. The following guide highlights four Green Rock Apartment buildings in Minneapolis, MN that have been retrofitted to near zero carbon by Howey. These retrofits have greatly lowered utility usage, increased owner profits and have improved livability for Residents. Most importantly, these retrofits significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels to further lower the world’s extreme carbon emissions.

Read the full guide