“Green Evolution” Electric Power Facility Open for Business

Faribault Energy Park generates electricity with a green twist

Faribault, Minn. (October 6, 2007) – Minnesota has a new source of electrical energy generated from clean-burning natural gas and from renewable biomass resources – the Faribault Energy Park. In addition, the facility will be a “working classroom” about green energy production.

The facility, owned by the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA) and designed by Avant Energy Services, is now operating in “combined cycle.” The main source of power is a turbine powered by burning natural gas. The second cycle is another turbine powered by excess heat from the natural gas turbine and supplemented by burning liquids from renewable, or “biomass,” sources such as recycled vegetable oil, soy oil and camelina oil. The result is highly efficient production with low emissions. Capacity is 265 megawatts, or enough electricity to power about 265,000 homes for a day.

“This is an important win for Minnesota,” said Dave Pokorney, chairman of MMPA and Chaska city administrator. “Faribault Energy Park will mean reliable, economical power for the state, while balancing the mandate for electricity from renewable resources,” he said.

Pokorney said Faribault Energy Park will be among the cleanest-burning, most efficient electrical generation plants in the Midwest – part of the evolution toward greener power. The natural gas portion of the facility has been operating since 2005, and the addition of the second generator brings the project to completion.

The Minnesota Municipal Power Agency’s member utilities are in Anoka, Arlington, Brownton, Buffalo, Chaska, East Grand Forks, Le Sueur, North St. Paul, Olivia, Shakopee and Winthrop. Power from Faribault Energy Park will serve these communities, and excess power will be sold to other utilities in the region.

The educational aspects of the facility are unique. “We created this facility to be integrated into the community as an asset, while serving as an educational and recreational resource,” said Derick Dahlen, president of Avant Energy Services, the firm that designed the facility and managed construction.

Students and residents touring the facility are able to view the control room and one of the massive turbines. Set among the facility’s 20 acres of wetlands will be educational displays demonstrating alternative energy sources including hydro, solar and wind energy.

“Visitors will be able to visit the wetlands recreation area, view the educational displays and even drop a fishing line,” said Dahlen, who added that MMPA also placed a premium on building an attractive, aesthetically pleasing campus. He said the wetlands serve as a rainwater recovery and filtration system that stores rainwater for producing steam and cooling equipment.

Dahlen said emissions are dramatically reduced compared to conventional power plants.  For example, he said, Faribault Energy Park will produce less than three percent of the nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide that a similar-capacity coal burning plant would produce. He said that although there are many variables, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions are expected to be roughly half of a coal plant.

Faribault mayor Charles Ackman adds, “Faribault Energy Park is a welcome addition to our community. It is providing good jobs along with amenities you’d never imagine from a power facility, including tours, public use of their park-like wetlands area, and the educational displays.”

The facility cost approximately $180 million, the largest investment in Faribault’s history.