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ST. PAUL – (April 22) – Metro
Transit, Xcel Energy and the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce recognized
Earth Day today by the highlighting energy-conserving features of the rail
center that is home to the METRO Green Line that begins operations in less than
two months.
The new Operations and Maintenance
Facility in Lowertown St. Paul will maintain and store 37 of the light-rail
vehicles that will serve the Green Line.
Metro Transit General Manager Brian
Lamb noted that the energy-saving features of the new facility build on a
six-year conservation partnership with Xcel.
“In 2008, Metro Transit and Xcel
performed a comprehensive energy audit of our bus garages” he said. “As a
result, we invested $8.8 million in energy-saving improvements such as automated
heating and cooling systems and high-speed, insulated garage doors. By the end
of this year we will have entirely recouped those capital investments through savings
in our utility bills. Working with Xcel through its Energy
Design Assistance program, we’ve built this new
facility using sustainable principles that reduce energy consumption and will
save about $167,000 beginning in year one.”
Formerly a vacant Gillette Co.
storage building, the $49.4 million Green Line Operations & Maintenance
facility re-used structural elements such as walls and columns. Other
sustainable features include automated heating and cooling controls, exhaust
systems with energy-recovery technologies and motion-triggered lighting. Heated
and chilled water supplied by St. Paul-based District Energy
is the primary energy source for warming and cooling the facility. Hot water circulated through concrete in front of the building also melts ice from rail tracks.
Xcel
Energy, Metro Transit and The Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce are partners in
the Energy
Innovation Corridor (EIC). Established in 2010, EIC combines private,
public and non-profit partners focused on developing a first-of-its-kind clean
energy and transportation corridor along the Green Line. The EIC encompasses a
quarter-mile zone on either side of the 11-mile rail corridor. The Green Line
Operations and Maintenance Facility anchors the eastern end of the EIC.
"Xcel Energy is a proud
partner in helping Metro Transit contribute to a clean, healthy
environment," said Laura McCarten, regional vice president, Xcel Energy.
“Thanks to Metro Transit and our partners in the Energy Innovation Corridor,
today the 11-mile stretch along the Green Line is a showcase of energy
efficiency, renewable energy and clean transportation.”
More than 100 Metro
Transit employees, including rail operators, maintenance and support staff,
have begun moving into the location as training and testing occurs on the Green
Line leading up to the grand
opening on June 14.
“Earth
Day is a great day to meet the dozens of employees moving into this fantastic
new facility,” said Rick Beeson, executive vice president of Sunrise Banks, a
member organization of the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce. “On behalf of
the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce - Welcome to Lowertown! We’re thrilled
to have you providing sustainable light-rail transit for the Twin Cities from
this vibrant and growing St. Paul neighborhood.” Beeson added that St.
Paul-based Sunrise Banks has three branches along the Energy Innovation
Corridor, two in St. Paul and one in Minneapolis, which practice and promote
sustainable business approaches.
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Metro Transit is a service of
the Metropolitan Council. Customers boarded buses and trains operated by
Metro Transit more than 81 million times in 2013. In recognition of Earth Day,
Metro Transit is offsetting 100 percent of the electricity used for the METRO
light-rail system and support facilities through Xcel Energy’s Windsource
program. This Earth Day partnership demonstrates that light-rail can be powered
entirely by clean energy sources such as wind - a Minnesota-produced resource.
The
Energy Innovation Corridor
is the first-of-its-kind, clean energy and transportation model which extends
along the 11-mile METRO Green Line light rail transit route connecting the
downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Focus areas are energy efficiency,
renewable energy, transportation and smart technology. EIC partners include:
BOMA Greater Minneapolis, BOMA Greater Saint Paul, Center for Energy and
Environment, CenterPoint Energy, City of Minneapolis, City of Saint Paul,
District Energy St. Paul, Division of Energy Resources-Minnesota Department of
Commerce, Drive Electric Minnesota, Hennepin County, Metro Transit,
Metropolitan Council, Midway Area Chamber of Commerce, Minneapolis Regional
Chamber of Commerce, Neighborhood Energy Connection, Nice Ride Minnesota, NRG
Energy Center Minneapolis, Ramsey County, Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce,
Saint Paul Port Authority, Science Museum of Minnesota, University of Minnesota
and Xcel Energy.
Xcel
Energy (NYSE:
XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated
operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a
comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million
electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its
regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis.
The Saint Paul Area Chamber of
Commerce is a
dynamic network of businesses and individuals organized to deliver economic
opportunity for its members. More than 1,200 Twin Cities companies of all sizes
and industries, as well as not-for-profit and government organizations belong
to the Chamber.
Contact: John
Siqveland,
Metro Transit Public Relations Manager, 612-349-7089
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