solar collector installation bid and specifications
Submission Due: 3:00 PM, 9/15/2010
download district energy solar installation bid
download addendum no. 1 to solar installation bid
download table of drawings and specifications
If you encounter any problems with the download process, contact Nina Axelson, nina.axelson@districtenergy.com
$1M doe grant to lauch solar-thermal project on
saint paul rivercentre
Recovery Act money is helping Saint Paul and Minneapolis demonstrate potential for large projects.
Downtown Saint Paul will become a demonstration for how diversified energy sources can power large-scale buildings, complexes and district systems, thanks to money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
District Energy St. Paul will install solar thermal or hybrid solar thermal/photovoltaic systems using the
$1 million grant administered through the U.S. Department of Energy and its own matching funds. Together with the two cities through the Minneapolis Saint Paul Solar Cities partnership, District Energy will study both how solar energy can be integrated into existing district energy systems and the value such diversified energy generation brings as a business model and as a stand-alone solar district system. With their sights set on the rooftop of the Saint Paul RiverCentre and an estimated project price tag of over $2 million, this DOE selection was integral to project success.
“These Recovery Act awards will enable Solar America Cities to tackle emerging challenges involving solar energy use in urban environments. The solutions that emerge will accelerate solar energy adoption across the nation,” said JoAnn Milliken, Solar Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy.
“In recent years, mayors and cities have taken the lead to improve our environment and find innovative solutions to our energy challenges. Now with a partner in the White House who understands the significant role cities play in our nation’s economy, we can move forward with projects that create jobs and solutions to our energy needs,” Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said.
The project with District Energy is one of 40 projects that were selected nationwide to help speed adoption of solar energy while supporting development of a skilled workforce and continuing to pursue new scientific breakthroughs to increase the efficiency and lower the cost of solar technologies. U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced the grant in early October as part of $87 million awarded to universities, electric power utilities, the DOE’s national laboratories, and local governments to support use of solar technologies in U.S. cities. This project was selected to receive $1 million of the $10 million in grants dedicated to Solar America Cities’ Special Projects.
“Finding solutions to our energy needs will lead to job growth and lift our economy. Innovation has driven our state and national economy in the past, and the challenges of today demand we reignite that innovative spirit,” Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said.
“Meeting the energy needs of our cities requires the integration of multiple, sustainable energy sources, and solar will play a key role,” said District Energy CEO Anders Rydaker. “District Energy is committed to integrating solar into our energy generation portfolio and demonstrating how solar can be used to transform the future of cities throughout the United States.”
In addition to the $1million grant, the Department of Energy also awarded $30,000 to NRG Thermal to study the integration of solar thermal into their system.
District Energy St. Paul, a 501(c)(3) non-profit utility, heats and cools more than 80 percent of the buildings in downtown Saint Paul as well as 300 single-family homes. Already, District Energy has made substantial investments in “green” energy, utilizing a combined heat and power (CHP) plant primarily powered by local wood residues. The utility also installed six solar panels near its downtown plant in 2008 for testing. Since its creation in 1979, District Energy has become a model in North America demonstrating the viability of a district heating and cooling system in a major urban setting.
n 2008, Saint Paul and Minneapolis were named Solar America Cities by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a strategic plan to make solar energy more accessible for homes and businesses by the year 2015. The two cities are partnering with local organizations and businesses including District Energy, NRG Thermal LLC, Xcel Energy, Fresh Energy, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Center for Energy and Environment to develop mainstream solar in the coming decade and implement dozens of projects during the next two years.
20-Year Franchise Extensions for District Energy and District Cooling
The City of Saint Paul entered into new 20-year Franchise Agreements with District Energy St. Paul and District Cooling St. Paul effective January 1, 2008.
"This is a great accomplishment and we appreciate the hard work the City Council and Mayor Christopher Coleman and his administration put into this effort to secure a new era for District Energy and District Cooling," said Anders Rydaker, president of the two companies.
The new franchises are on terms virtually identical to the prior Franchise Agreements that were first adopted for District Energy in 1982 and District Cooling in 1991. This affords existing customers the opportunity to continue experiencing environmentally responsible, affordable, stable energy charges for an additional 20 years of service.
During the franchise adoption process, the City and District Energy successfully negotiated a number of matters assuring a continuation of their remarkable public/private partnership. Included was restructuring of an outstanding financial obligation to the City under mutually acceptable terms that District Energy considered very favorable. District Energy will be working with the City to extend the heating and cooling customer agreements for City buildings when they come up for renewal.
Rydaker stated that the new Franchise Agreements will serve not only the immediate and long-range interests of all district heating and cooling customers, but will also continue to provide environmental benefits through the highly efficient production of energy, using biomass as a fuel source.
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