The rooftop of the
Minneapolis Convention Center is on its way to housing the largest solar photovoltaic system in the Upper Midwest--despite a series of low domes where solar panels won't be installed.
Work is underway on the flat portions of the convention center roof that will carry 2,613 panels. Last month the city issued a progress report as the effort was about a sixth of the way to completion.
One-sixth is also the proportion of the rooftop area that can support the solar installation, including flat and other areas over non-rentable space, according to information provided by Project Manager Brian Millberg and Chris Larson, facility director at the convention center.
Had the convention center been designed to gather solar energy in the first place, the roof would likely generate more power than the facility could use--raising issues about how to handle the surplus. As built, the system will generate 750,000 kilowatt hours of energy per year, all used on site. That would be enough power for 85 homes, and it means 529 fewer metric tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere--the same amount as 60,587 gallons of gas would produce.
Newer facilities can go green more easily by building that way in the first place, but federal and other funds mean Minneapolis won't need to provide capital for the project. "The solar array is not meant to be a cost-saving project but a cost-neutral project that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels," said Jeff Johnson, the center's executive director.
What's next for solar in the Twin Cities? State funding will pay for solar installations along the Central Corridor light-rail route, including Fire Stations No. 1 and 19 in Minneapolis, according to Gayle Prest, the city's sustainability manager. "It's a great opportunity to showcase [solar]," she said.
Sources: Brian Millberg and Gayle Prest, City of Minneapolis; Chris Larson and Jeff Johnson, Minneapolis Convention Center
Writer: Chris Steller