Aug. 12--KENNEDY, Minn. -- The old Kennedy Public School, which closed just a year ago, is being recycled -- into the Go Green Business Center, a renewable energy incubator that will generate new environmentally friendly business and industry.

The center is expected to create as many as 20 jobs in the next two years.

Community members gathered Wednesday at the school to celebrate the receipt of $284,000 in grants toward the $368,000 project.

The building will be converted from fuel oil to a self-sufficient energy center, which will include wind, solar and geothermal energy sources to provide heat, air conditioning and electricity.

"We'll be completely void of a carbon footprint," City Clerk Shannon Mortenson said.

The project involves installing a wind tower, solar panels and a geothermal energy system, which is expected to be completed by fall.

"It cost $25,000 to heat this building last winter," said Cam Fanfulik, executive director of the Northwest Regional Development Commission, which developed the grant applications. And the school, which currently uses fuel oil for heat, was closed last winter.

This Kittson County town of 255 recently was awarded a federal Economic Development Administration grant of $184,000, with funds coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 -- of federal economic stimulus funding.

The state of Minnesota also contributed $100,000, with funds coming from its share of the federal stimulus package.

The remaining funds will come from the city and from private investors, according to Mortenson.

"It's a very visionary approach to the question of what to do with an empty building," said John O'Leary, an EDA economic development representative for Minnesota. "Our hope is the center becomes a model for the state and the entire nation."

The initial industries are:

Next Generations Power Systems, owned by Minnesota community wind pioneer Dan Juhl and his wife, Mary, a native of Kennedy. The company specializes in community-scale wind turbine and solar systems. It sells wind turbines, solar panels and geothermal heating and air conditioning systems.

ToddCo., which will install and maintain NextGen systems. The business is owned by Todd Truedson, an electrician from Kennedy.

Juhl Wind Inc., which plans to start building $200 million, 19-turbine, 20-megawatt wind farm at Donaldson, Minn., near Kennedy. Construction likely will begin in 2010 or 2011.

Juhl Wind, based in the southwestern Minnesota town of Woodstock, also is working with TRWind, a planned 80-megawatt wind farm planned near Thief River Falls.

The businesses are expected to create six to eight jobs by the end of the year, and a total of 16 to 20 by the end of 2010, according to Mortenson.

The school has been renamed the Louis C. Deere Events Center, in honor of the former mayor who died in June.

The Go Green Business Center, which will occupy just a portion of the building, also will include a renewable energy education center, in collaboration with businesses and schools. It will host continuing education classes in renewable technologies, using working wind turbine, solar panels and geothermal energy systems,

"The best spot to learn will be right here in this facility," Dan Juhl said.

"I'm so excited about this project," Mary Juhl said. "This is my home. This school was my home."

Wednesday's event coincided with a wind energy forum hosted by the Northwest Regional Development Commission, Kittson County Economic Development Authority and Southwest Minnesota Foundation. The forum focuses on development of small-scale (5 megawatt and smaller) community wind projects. A similar forum was held later Wednesday in Ada, Minn.

Reach Bonham at (701) 780-1110; (800) 477-6572, ext. 110; or send e-mail to kbonham@gfherald.com.

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