Greetings!
Welcome to the November issue of the Energy Innovation Corridor e-Newsletter. Thank you for your continued interest in how we are partnering to develop a cleaner energy and transportation future for Minnesota. Questions or comments? Send us an e-mail. |
| Discover Central Corridor |
 Anyone who has driven through downtown Saint Paul knows firsthand that construction for the Central Corridor light rail transit line (LRT) is well underway. Up and down 4th street huge holes and enormous excavators create a giant maze for cars and pedestrians and are making it difficult for businesses to draw in patrons. As a result, businesses and concerned consumers have been asking for tools to promote businesses impacted by the project. To meet those needs, the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce created the web-based campaign Discover Central Corridor. Discover Central Corridor provides a valuable interactive map! This map tool allows customers to plan ahead and avoid the frustration of construction reroutes and parking changes when patronizing stores, restaurants, and other businesses along the Central Corridor.
The campaign also provides tools for businesses and other organizations along four distinct portions of the new LRT route. By downloading logos, posters, even postcards, businesses owners can brand a business as part of the Discover Central Corridor campaign and increase their visibility to new and old customers. All business owners are encouraged to submit their business name, website, address, and business type which will be uploaded into a listing on the website and interactive map.
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| Twins fans are transit fans | 
Twins baseball fans have used public and alternative transportation in record numbers this season, thanks to efforts by the team and Metro Transit. Target Field is located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis and is easily accessible from the Hiawatha light rail and Northstar lines in addition to numerous bus routes. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and carpoolers also made their way to the stadium. According to the Twins, about 20 percent of fans use public and alternative transit to get to the game. This level of participation is a significant increase over the 12 percent of transit use when they played at the Metrodome. Fans seem to be enjoying the options. "My wife and I took the light rail to the Twins' last regular season game. We avoided the hassle and expense of parking downtown, and our daughter really enjoyed the 'choo choo' train ride," said Minneapolis resident Dan Wilder. |
| Energy efficient LED street lights |
 If you're walking or driving around downtown Saint Paul, you may notice something different about the city's street lights. For the past several months, the City of Saint Paul's Public Works crews have been replacing less efficient 50 to 70 watt High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps with new 29 watt Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps. These changes are in globe-style light fixtures. The LED lights use significantly less energy and are estimated to last 70,000 hours compared to 24,000 hours for the HPS lamps. The city conducted a successful LED street light pilot project in 2008-09 and was able to expand the project after becoming the fortunate recipient of two federal stimulus grants: $330,000 from U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds and $119,600 from the Minnesota Office of Energy Security. You can see the new lights on the Robert Street bridge over the Mississippi River and St. Peter, Wabasha, Cedar, Minnesota, Jackson and Robert Street bridges over I-94. Additional LED retrofits are planned for other bridges over I-94 and I-35E, on the flood wall along the Mississippi River and parts of downtown. By April 2011, nearly 1,500 American-made LED lights will be installed. |
| Reduce stress, expenses and emissions |  You've heard about HOURCAR. But wonder, "Will it really work for me?" Check out what Bob has to say about the ease and convenience of HOURCAR for his young family and maybe you'll be inspired to try it out! "My wife and I have chosen to live in downtown Saint Paul without a car most of the last ten years. We've been able to make that choice because of the ease and affordability of HOURCAR. Instead of spending between $450 and $550 a month on auto payments, insurance, gas, maintenance, and parking, HOURCAR lets us spend about $150 per month on household transportation, between HOURCAR, walking, and the bus - a savings of over $4,000 a year. HOURCAR is fun and elegantly simple to use - only once has a car not been available downtown exactly when we wanted one. And I'm continually amazed by the little touches they've thought of - from the state park permit included with the car, to a baby seat for our son. As we hear more and more about our mounting environmental challenges, HOURCAR has kept our carbon footprint comparatively tiny. I am absolutely thrilled by the potential of HOURCAR to help others along our transit corridors make the same money-saving, environmentally-beneficial choices. So go on, sign up, and try it out!" --Bob About HOURCAR - All the convenience of owning a car with none of the trouble. For just a few dollars an hour, you can reserve a car in seconds, drive it immediately, and let someone else worry about parking, maintenance and insurance. Check out HOURCAR plans and rates. HOURCAR is in the Energy Innovation Corridor's Showcase. |
| Anne Hunt wins national sustainability award | |
Anne Hunt, Environmental Policy Director for the City of Saint Paul's Mayor Chris Coleman, is the 2010 recipient of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives' (ICLEI) Local Government Staff Sustainability Leadership Award for important achievements in sustainability and the environment. Some of Hunt's notable successes with the City include securing a Solar America Cities grant, establishing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) building standards for the City, developing an energy conservation revolving loan fund, and cooperating with the City of Minneapolis on green manufacturing and green job creation. Hunt also hired the first energy and water resource coordinators, instituted monthly staff training seminars on environmental topics, and re-created the interdepartmental sustainability working group. Check out information on these awards and the ICLEI USA Local Action Summit. |
| Rebates, energy & money saving tips |  CenterPoint Energy air sealing & insulation rebate
Improve the insulation in your home and seal air leaks in your attic! By taking these actions you will cut energy use and reduce heating and cooling costs. Plus, you'll be more comfortable year round. Defray the costs of these important improvements to your home with CenterPoint Energy's new Air Sealing and Insulation rebate. Qualifying customers can receive 50% of eligible improvement costs, up to a maximum of $400.
Xcel Energy heating rebates
Are you considering a new furnace or boiler? Let our rebates help reduce your cost of buying an energy-efficient unit - and help save our natural resources. Save on residential and business heating costs and earn rebates! |
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Thanks for your continued interest and support of the Energy Innovation Corridor - Minnesota's showcase area - making energy-efficiency, renewable energy, smart technologies and transportation a reality.
Sincerely,
The Energy Innovation Corridor Communications Team | |
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| About
Energy Innovation Corridor | |
Located within one of the most unique urban communities in the country, the Energy Innovation Corridor was formed to create a sustainable energy and transportation showcase. The first-of-its-kind, this clean energy and transportation model extends along the 11-mile Central Corridor light rail transit project route, from downtown Saint Paul to Target Field in downtown Minneapolis, along Washington and University avenues, via the Minnesota State Capitol and entire University of Minnesota-Minneapolis campus. Visit our website.
Please forward this e-newletter to other interested parties and encourage them to join our mailing list! | |
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| Energy Efficiency Scorecards | |
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its fourth annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard report, which ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia according to their overall energy efficiency.
Check out the 2010 scorecards and materials. | |
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| Renewable energy options |  | |
Adding renewable energy to your environmental portfolio can provide high-visibility and high-impact public relations value for your business. But the costs and complexity of adding on-site generation can be prohibitive, especially for small businesses.
Learn how installing solar panels on your business can be more affordable through Xcel Energy's Solar*Rewards program.
Or, purchase renewable energy from one of the nation's leading voluntary green power programs - Windsource®.
Your commitment to renewable energy, with Xcel Energy's partnership, can help your company meet environmental goals, obtain LEED® certification points and position you as an environmental leader. Contact Xcel Energy's Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700 or by e-mail. |
| Minneapolis celebrates home energy savings milestone | |
2,000 Minneapolis homeowners have now taken advantage of the Community Energy Services program that helps them make energy efficiency improvements and cut energy costs in their homes. Read more. | | |
| Editors' Note | |
Oops, our mistake! Last issue we implied that the U of M had received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®)certification on its Science Teaching and Student Services building. Not true! The certification is pending, not yet approved. | | |
| Interested in LRT progress? |
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Sign up with the Metropolitan Council for updates about the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit project construction. | |
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