An ad hoc group exploring creative options for meeting the Northfield area’s future energy needs met yesterday (January 24th) in the city council chambers of City Hall. The group heard presentations from Steve Downer, associate executive director of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, and Anders Rydaker, president of District Energy St. Paul.
The group included representatives of City government (elected officials and staff), Bridgewater Township, Dakota County, Carleton and St. Olaf colleges, Malt-O-Meal, RENew Northfield, The Science Center at Maltby Nature Preserve, and interested citizens.
Downer talked about Minnesota’s 126 existing municipal electric utilities, the potential benefits of creating a municipal utility, and some of the difficulties and hurdles to be expected in any municipality creating a new utility.
Rydaker gave a presentation on District Energy St. Paul’s district heating and cooling system, and the combined heat and power system it converted to use of multiple fuels, including waste wood, in 2003. The plant burns about 300,000 tons of waste wood (mostly boulevard and storm damage tree trimmings) annually, meeting about 70% of its fuel needs. (To view the presentation, click on the image to the right.) 
The group first met in October at the invitation of Pat Allen and myself (then in my capacity as executive director of RENew Northfield; I now work independently as a consultant). The group plans to continue to meet regularly to explore ways in which the Northfield area can benefit environmentally and economically from development of community-based renewable energy systems. Activities in the near future may include a tour of the District Energy St. Paul facility in downtown St. Paul.
Individuals interested in learning more about this clean energy exploratory group may contact me.