Twin Cities Energy Innovation Corridor: A Community-Driven Model for Saving Energy

The planned 11-mile light-rail path connecting downtown Minneapolis with downtown St. Paul won’t just be a convenient and energy-efficient way to travel between the Twin Cities. Local leaders hope that stretch will become a role model for how U.S. cities and neighborhoods can come together to save energy.

That 11 miles – which crosses the centers of both cities and the University of Minnesota main campuses – is being dubbed the Energy Innovation Corridor, or EIC. Government leaders are helping businesses and homeowners along the projected light-rail path to reduce their energy usage through energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and use of public transportation. They are hosting free workshops on the benefits of energy efficiency for businesses and residents each neighborhoods along the corridor, as well as offering low-cost audits. They are also helping community members learn about financial incentives for energy efficiency upgrades available to them. (For instance, Xcel Energy -- the large electric and gas utility serving the Cities – has rolled out more and higher rebates in 2010 for customers making energy improvements or installing renewables.)

The goal is for the corridor to reap energy efficiency savings that are 50% higher than the state’s Next Generation Energy Act goals. That's the equivalent saving enough energy to power 7,100 homes, they estimate.

Already, the project boasts some success stories. The Spruce Tree Centre on University Avenue, an office complex, installed one of the largest solar panel roofs in Minnesota. The project was made possible by a $250,000 grant from Xcel Energy. This system is expected to save 49,200 KWh annually. (Read more about the Spruce Tree’s project here or view the energy output of its solar panel system.)

Community and project leaders say the EIC is an experiment in how to battle energy issues on a community level. And it’s something, they say, Minnesota must grapple with now and in the future. Demands for energy are only expected to get higher, and the state has put a ban on the construction of new coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants. Reducing the need for traditional forms of energy may answer the question of how we will meet our future energy needs.

Project leaders say they will be keeping track of their energy savings, their carbon reduction, their renewable energy generation, and their miles saved (through car share and public transportation). They are currently working on attaining baseline data.

Have a home or business in the EIC and want to get involved? Find out about workshops in your area here. Corridor offers free energy efficiency workshops for residents of areas surrounding the corridor. Also check its Web site for more information on these events.

Businesses interested in finding out how they can get involved and increase their energy efficiency can also call Energy Smart. We can provide no-cost phone consultations, site visits to identify no- and low-cost energy conservation strategies, and help businesses find financial incentive and resources for their energy-efficiency projects.

-- by Chelsey M. Johnson