Since 2013, Minnetonka has participated Minnesota GreenStep Cities, a voluntary program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. The five-step program focuses on cost savings, energy use reduction and innovation.

 Minnetonka advanced to Step 5, the highest level, in 2020. Step 5 cities have demonstrated improved sustainability metrics in categories such as buildings, lighting, transportation, renewable energy and environmental management. Minnetonka is one of just 20 communities in Minnesota to reach the highest step. Visit Minnetonka’s GreenStep Cities profile.

The city participates in Xcel Energy’s solar garden program. Multiple city buildings, street lights and water systems are subscribed to receive solar energy from community solar gardens.

The solar garden subscriptions significantly reduce the city’s carbon footprint and has significant cost savings. Visit our solar energy page to learn more.

Minnetonka is involved in the Regional Indicators Initiative, which measures citywide performance through key indicators to assess progress and increase efficiency and sustainability. The initiative collects data about energy, water, travel and waste, and calculates greenhouse gas emissions and costs associated with each indicator.

Visit regionalindicatorsmn.com to learn more and explore the data.

The city provides public building energy consumption data to the B3 Benchmarking program, which helps the city monitor and improve energy consumption at our facilities.

Visit mn.b3benchmarking.com to learn more, and view Minnetonka’s data here.

Energy Action Plan 

Minnetonka City Council adopted an Energy Action Plan, in June 2020. In October 2022, the city and Energy Action Team updated the subject plan with a new addendum. The Energy Action Plan and addendum were developed by a team of residents, businesses, students, non-profits, board/commission members and community groups, with support from city staff and Xcel Energy.

View the Energy Action Plan.

 

Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

In 2023, the City of Minnetonka will be working to create a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for our community. The Sustainability Commission and city staff will be leading these efforts; however, the process will also include a robust public engagement effort. The final product will provide the community with city-wide:

• A vulnerability assessment focused on human, built infrastructure, and natural environments;
• Focus areas with tactics to make the city more sustainable.
• Climate adaptation and greenhouse gas reduction goals and strategies; and
• Tools to track the city’s progress.

Resident input is crucial to the success of this plan. Join in now at the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan at Minnetonka Matters.