District Energy's Press Release:
May 17, 2001

PRESIDENT BUSH CALLS 
DISTRICT ENERGY ST. PAUL A NATIONAL MODEL

ST. PAUL, Minn. – President George W. Bush today praised District Energy St. Paul as a model of energy efficiency, diversity and affordability. The President’s remarks were part of a major energy policy speech delivered at RiverCentre in St. Paul following the President’s tour of District Energy St. Paul.

District Energy St. Paul “is a model of energy efficiency,” said President Bush. “It is also a model of energy diversity. It uses conventional fuels like oil and natural gas and coal, and renewable fuels like wood chips. And the plant is a model of affordability. While other energy prices rise, District Energy has not raised its heating and cooling rates in four years.”

District Energy St. Paul currently operates heating and cooling systems in downtown St. Paul. A new combined heat and power plant, which is expected to be completed next year, will use clean waste wood to generate heat and electricity simultaneously.

“President Bush was very interested in how we produce energy, and he took time during the tour to thoroughly understand our operations,” said Anders Rydaker, president of District Energy St. Paul. “We are thrilled that he chose to visit us and that he wanted to learn more about what we are currently doing and what we have planned for the future.”

The new combined heat and power plant is being developed by Market Street Energy, an affiliate of District Energy St. Paul and Trigen-Cinergy Solutions. It will use clean urban waste wood as fuel, which will reduce District Energy St. Paul’s reliance on coal by 80 percent, reduce soot emissions by 50 percent, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This new combined heat and power plant will use steam to run a turbine-generator to make electricity,” said Rydaker. “Then, rather than release waste heat into the air, we’ll use it to heat water for our heating system. As a result, the new plant will be more than twice as efficient as plants that only generate electricity.”

“About District Energy St. Paul District Energy St. Paul is a private, nonprofit, community-based corporation providing energy services in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Courtesy of the International District Energy Association (IDEA)