|  | | The University of Minnesota Renewable Energy Research and Demonstration Center at Morris
Date Approved: Elements of this project funded in 2003, 2004 and 2005
Amount: Wind turbine development - $2,000,000
University of Minnesota-Morris Biomass Facility - $1,000,000
Assistantships, Fellowships, and Visiting Scholars - $65,000
Renewable Energy Center pre-design - $60,000
Coordinator - $110,000
Leverage Funds: $1,295,000
Leads: Greg Cuomo, Lowell Rasmussen, Mike Reese
Contacts: Greg Cuomo, Lowell Rasmussen, Mike Reese
Benefits and Deliverables:
The
University of Minnesota Renewable Energy Research and Demonstration
Center at Morris in partnership with IREE will be a visible example of
the benefits the University of Minnesota brings to the citizens of
Minnesota. This facility will help establish the University and the
State as leaders in the emerging renewable energy industry.
Description:
IREE funds have been allocated to help develop the University of Minnesota Renewable Energy Research and Demonstration Center at Morris. The renewable energy project is a collaborative effort among the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC), the University of Minnesota-Morris (UMM), and the IREE with two primary objectives: 1) provide a model for rural communities and agricultural producers to integrate renewable energy systems into their economies, and 2) establish systems research that provides information to stimulate the renewable energy industry. IREE funds to this project currently focuses on two community scale renewable energy research and demonstration systems.
The first is a hybrid wind energy system located at the WCROC. A 1.65 MW wind turbine will be completed March 2005. This system has opened the possibility of developing a globally unique and important wind to hydrogen demonstration and research platform with leveraged funds from the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources. This is phase one of a three phase plan to demonstrate and conduct vital research in the areas of stored wind energy with hydrogen, fuel mixing, and value added products such as producing fertilizer from wind energy. Partners in this project include the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources, the Upper Midwest Hydrogen Initiative and member companies, Windustry, and the National Renewable Energy Lab.
The second project is a biomass district heating and cooling system at the UMM. The Morris campus 2004 bonding bill has requested 6.0 million dollars to construct a biomass gasification demonstration/research platform. The plant scale project that would provide up to 80 percent of the campus heating and cooling needs. In additional to being a model for commercial application of biomass in heating and cooling systems, this facility would also enable U of MN research to address important collection, processing, and storage issues, enable improved permitting, establish Best Management Practices to insure environmental sustainability of biomass systems, and provide valuable information on the economic impact of using biofuels on rural economies. The Agricultural Utilization and Research Institute (AURI), and MN Corn Growers are partners in this project.
IREE funds have also been allocated to an Assistantship, Fellowship, and Visiting Scholars program. This program will bring researchers throughout the University to work on renewable energy issues important to rural areas through the Renewable Energy Center at Morris. Research topics range from economics and policy, to engineering, to environmental impacts, to the plants and management systems needed for sustainable biomass production.
Two additional pieces of the Renewable Energy Center that have been supported by IREE funds are a Renewable Energy Education Center pre-design and a Coordinator for the project at the WCROC. The Renewable Energy pre-design will be an addition to the WCROC Administration Building and will highlight the conservation side of renewable energy technologies. The building addition will solidify educational infrastructure for the site, integrate solar, lighting and energy technologies, and enhance long-term research and education capabilities. A Renewable Energy Center coordinator has also been funded for two years.
The systems in development at the University of Minnesota Renewable Energy Research and Demonstration Center exemplify the application of research-based knowledge utilizing local and state resources and innovative partnerships to solve real life issues in energy, the environment, and rural development.
View photos of the Morris wind turbine being constructed.
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