Stunning Lack of Intellectual Diversity on Energy Board Explains Poor Decisions in Minneapolis

Yesterday I wrote about how Minneapolis’ renewable energy targets are just expensive virtue signalling. A closer look at the City advisory board helps explain why the state’s largest city could implement such bad policy.

The table below shows the members of the Energy Vision Advisory Committy, which is charged by the Board with reviewing and providing feedback on the Clean Energy Partnership’s biennial work plan. As you can see, there is not a single voice on the committee who thinks it may be a good idea to pump the brakes on spending $473,600 on renewable energy credits that will provide no material benefit to the City. Many of the members have a vested financial interest in promoting renewable energy.

Conflict of interest much?

I emailed the City and asked to be considered for the panel when they update their membership this fall. I sincerely doubt I’ll hear from them.

Member Ward Organization
Louis Alemayehu 3 Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs ( HECUA)
Timothy DenHerder-Thomas 9 Cooperative Energy Futures
Trevor Drake 7 Great Plains Institute
John Farrell 11 Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Abby Finis 9 CR Planning / Great Plains Institute
Matt Kazinka 9 Lake Street Council
Kevin Lewis N/A Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA) of Greater Minneapolis
Patty O’Keefe 10 Sierra Club
Rebecca Olson 3 Neighborhood Energy Connection
Julia Silvis 7 Representing Minneapolis residents/property owners
Siri Simons 1 Minnesota Department of Transportation
Jamez Staples  5  Renewable Energy Partners
Shane Stennes  N/A  University of Minnesota
William Weber 9 Center for Sustainable Building Research