Greetings!
Welcome to the October edition 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 email. |
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HOURCAR adds two new plug-in hybrids to fleet in the EIC | |
Residents and employees in downtown Saint Paul have two great new options for personal transportation. They can reserve and drive one of these remarkably 'green' HOURCAR plug-in hybrids, which are now available for use by its members in the Lawson and Lowertown ramps in Saint Paul, both of which are located in the Energy Innovation Corridor. With 13 HOURCARs stationed at nine hubs in the city, Saint Paul residents and visitors are among the earliest adopters of advanced transportation technologies.
Members reserve and drive any of 32 fuel-efficient vehicles located in convenient neighborhood hubs across Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Rate plans include the costs of insurance, gasoline, maintenance and parking. In customer surveys, HOURCAR members report a high level of satisfaction and savings. Learn more about HOURCAR.
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Viking's Planet Purple powered by WindSource®
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The Minnesota Vikings partnered with Xcel Energy for Planet Purple Week for the third straight season. Organizers planned a series of community events and activities that celebrated the companies' dedication to energy conservation and environmental responsibility. Planet Purple Week ran Monday, October 3 through Sunday, October 9. To wrap up the week and kick off the rest of the season, the Vikings purchased renewable energy through Xcel Energy's Windsource® Program to offset 100 percent of the carbon emissions used to power Mall of America Field for the Vikings vs. Cardinals game (10/9) and all other home dates for the remainder of the 2011 season. The Vikings created Planet Purple in conjunction with the NFL's Green Team with the mission of developing sustainable business practices and utilizing renewable energy in an effort to lessen the team's impact on the environment. Go Vikes!
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Home Energy Squad EIC Outreach |
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University & Lexington |
The Home Energy Squad is hitting it hard in the Energy Innovation Corridor. Hitting homes with energy-efficiency that is. And they're getting the word out via door knocking, billboards and bus stop enclosures. They even have a You Tube video. Haven't had the Squad visit yet? Now's the time! It's quick-n-easy and super-affordable.
The Home Energy Squad is an innovative service committed to helping you save time, energy and money. Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy are partnering to help customers reduce energy use. Get more information. |
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Solar at the station
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 The City of Minneapolis' Fire Station No. 19 located at 200 SE Ontario St. is now sporting solar PV and a solar hot water system. The 9.8 kW solar PV system will take care of about 25 percent of the station's annual power needs. The PV system was made locally by TenK Solar and installed by Sundial Solar. The solar hot water system, by Innovative Power Systems, is a three collector system covering 120 square feet and should meet about 50 percent of the building's hot water needs.
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Recreation center sports solar | |
 The City of Saint Paul completed the first of eight solar projects along the Energy Innovation Corridor. A 7.75 kilowatt solar photovoltaic project was installed the St. Anthony Park Recreation Center by Innovative Power Systems. The project was funded in part by a Federal Stimulus grant from the Minnesota Department of Commerce and Xcel Energy Solar*Rewards program.
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Plug-in charging station in Minneapolis | |
Electric vehicle drivers can plug-in at the Hennepin County-owned ramp downtown Minneapolis at the Hennepin County - Minneapolis Central Library located at 300 Nicollet Mall with the parking ramp entrance on 4th St. Get more information. |
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Kilowatt Crackdown in final quarter | |
 We're in the 4th and final quarter of the 2011 BOMA Kilowatt Crackdown challenge! Over 80 BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) member office buildings are engaged in an exciting energy saving battle to see who will come out on top! The competition, sponsored by BOMA Greater Minneapolis, BOMA Greater Saint Paul and Xcel Energy, runs through the end of the year so is still anyone's game to win!
Key dates to remember:
- December 31, 2011 - Kilowatt Crackdown challenge ends
- January 31, 2012 - competitors submit 2011 ENERGY STAR building rating to Missy Southard at ms@bomampls.org. If you have any issues meeting the deadline, contact Missy at 612-338-8627.
- March 2012 - ceremony announcing all 20 award winners in the following categories:
The Kilowatt Cup: awarded to the firm, building or team achieving superior accomplishments in energy efficiency
Highest Performing Buildings: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes to buildings with the highest ENERGY STAR ratings in each of the following categories (30,000-100,000 sq. ft.; 100,000-500,000 sq. ft.; 500,000+ sq. ft)
Most Improved Buildings: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes to buildings showing the greatest percentage gain in ENERGY STAR ratings comparing 2010 to 2011 in each of the following categories (30,000-100,000 sq. ft.; 100,000-500,000 sq. ft.; 500,000+ sq. ft.)
Most Valuable Tenant: prize awarded to tenant who has shown leadership and enthusiasm for reducing energy. |
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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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New U of M
Bike Center |  |
The new University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus Bike Center is now open and offers biking amenities and education to the U of M community including secure bicycle parking, showers, a repair area, accessories store, workshops and meeting space. It's also a base for the Radio Frequency Identification system (RDIF). The system features identity tags for users, which are scanned and provide many health & welfare benefits to counting bikes in & out. The Center hosts a weekly "Open Shop" - providing advice and tools for people to work on their bikes. The Bike Center is operated in partnership with Bike Walk Twin Cities, Nice Ride Minnesota, The Hub bike co-op and the United States Department of Transportation. |
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E3 2011
Conference |  |
E3 2011: The Latest in Renewable Energy Innovation
November 7
McNamara Alumni Center, U of M
Register today
This will be a day of renewable energy success stories - plus reports on the latest University of Minnesota research, networking opportunities and a research poster session. Keynote speaker Alexis Madrigal is the author of Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology as well as a senior editor at The Atlantic and host of The Atlantic's Technology Channel, a look at the human side of technology. |
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The Big Green Conference | |
November 10
Crowne Plaza Hotel & Suites Airport, Bloomington
Get more details
The Big Green Conference is a unique gathering of public, private and non-profit partners coming together to address key environmental issues. This conference has quickly established itself as the place where 'business and government meet.' The Conference features nationally recognized speakers, cutting edge breakout sessions and a green expo presenting new and innovative technologies. | |
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About
Energy Innovation Corridor
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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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| Interested in LRT progress? |  | |
Sign up with the Metropolitan Council for updates about the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit project construction. |
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