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Are you looking for inspiration and practical tips for making clean energy improvements in your home, business or community?

You can find both in this series of videos created with the support of the Clean Energy Resource Teams or CERTs. Erica Gilsdorf is the creator of this series of videos posted at

She made eight videos highlighting people in the Bemidji area, and several more in the region. These videos share the stories of people who are already making energy efficiency and clean energy improvements.

CERTs provided a seed grant to make this series possible. You can learn more about CERTs at

On this website, you鈥檒l find stories about many clean energy topics, a calendar of events, the staff that are ready and able to help, and much more. Check out the review of CERTS activities in 2024 at

It should be no surprise that many of the stories in the series focus on energy efficiency. It certainly makes sense (and cents) to reduce the energy needed to heat and cool a home or operate appliances.

If you need help with energy efficiency, check with your electric utility. Beltrami Electric Cooperative offers an Energy Assessment to its members. Otter Tail Power Company offers 鈥淲ays to Save.鈥� BiCAP offers its weatherization assistance program for households in Beltrami and Cass Counties.

Some of the videos in the series refer to the Inflation Reduction Act, a federal law passed in 2022. There are tax credits and rebates for a variety of home improvements, from weatherization to electrical service upgrades to heat pumps.

A great resource for up-to-date information is The tax credits are already available, and the rebates are coming soon.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce was awarded $74 million through the Inflation Reduction Act in the fall of 2024 and will launch its HEAR program in the spring of 2025.

HEAR is the acronym for the Home Electrification and Appliances Rebate program. Information about this program is available at

These rebates are income-qualified, based on the area median income (AMI). Households with annual income less than 80% of the AMI are eligible for 100% of the cost of the qualified project up to the maximum rebate amount.

Households with annual income between 80% and 150% of AMI are eligible for a rebate of 50% of the qualified project cost. Details for household eligibility for all Minnesota counties are found at

As an example, in Beltrami County a household of four people with an income less than $73,300 is eligible for the full rebate. A household of four people with an annual income between $73,300 and $137,400 is eligible for the 50% rebate.

The bottom line is that these programs can improve your bottom line. You can start saving energy, and the rebates can bring down the initial cost.

Both Otter Tail Power Company and Beltrami Electric Cooperative offer additional incentives for many of these improvements. Be sure to check with your utility to see how they can help you.

Linda Kingery is a member of the Citizens' Climate Lobby organization. For more information, visit