Minnesota’s Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program Awards $19 Million

In March 2026, the Minnesota Department of Commerce's Division of Energy Resources announced $19 million in solar project awards through its Solar on Public Buildings program. Funded by the Minnesota state legislature, this program began accepting applications from local governments and Tribal Nations in 2024 to support installation and equipment costs of 40kW and smaller solar generating systems on publicly owned and operated buildings. Since then, 92 communities have been awarded grants. A full list of projects and grant awards can be found here.

Several awardees have already installed and begun operating their systems, including those in Bemidji, Baytown, New Ulm, Robbinsdale, Eden Prairie, Olmsted County, and St. Peter. This program brings 230 new solar arrays online and delivers net benefits between $50,000 and $300,000 per project over the next 25 years. This program does not consider school districts as eligible applicants, as the Division of Energy Resources administers a separate Solar for Schools grant program.

For more information on awarded projects, please click here. For questions about the program, please email [email protected].