Minnesota News and Events
Summary
There are more than 250 buildings on the U of M Twin Cities campus, from classrooms and offices to labs and student residence halls—nearly 30 million square feet of space, much of it requiring energy-intensive heating and cooling.
Increasing renewable energy production on campus while reducing the University’s overall energy consumption is a key goal of the new U of M Twin Cities Climate Action Plan (CAP). The University plans to triple its on-campus renewable energy production by 2033, through both an increase in solar generation and electric battery storage. By 2050, the U of M will increase its renewable energy-based power production six-fold, from two megawatts (MW) today to 12 MW by 2050 (one megawatt is enough power to meet the needs of about 140 Minnesota homes).
A key investment: The Main Energy Plant
Located on the East Bank of the Twin Cities campus along the Mississippi River, the Main Energy Plant was a key investment in the University’s 2011 climate action plan and has reduced the University’s carbon footprint by nearly 15 percent. The plant uses a 22.8 megawatt turbine that generates electric power (enough for about 20,000 homes) and uses the leftover heat to produce steam, which in turn travels through nine miles of underground tunnels (all with newly installed, highly efficient LED lighting) to heat buildings all over the Minneapolis campus. While the plant operates at more than 80 percent energy efficiency, it will need to be eliminated as part of the University’s pledge to become carbon neutral. Watch a TikTok video to learn more.
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