MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (May 16, 2018) – Xcel Energy and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board are recipients of the Clean Energy State Alliance’s “State Leadership in Clean Energy” award for bringing solar power to five Minneapolis parks over the last three years. The project is one of six programs nationwide recognized with a 2018 “SLICE” Award for its outstanding accomplishments.
A nearly $1 million grant from the Xcel Energy Renewable Development Fund and $150,000 in matching funds from the MPRB made the project possible. In 2014, the MPRB received the grant and began community engagement and research to vet 52 potential sites for renewable energy in the Minneapolis park system. Five sites were ultimately selected.
The first, and largest installation, was completed at Parade Ice Arena in December 2015. Projects at East Phillips Cultural and Community Center, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park and Webber Natural Swimming Pool began producing power in 2016 and the final solar installation was completed at Lake Nokomis Main Beach during summer 2017. Visit www.minneapolisparks.org/solar (external link) to view a video with more information on the project.
“This project is a great example of public and private partners working together to benefit the community and we’re honored to be recognized,” said Lee Gabler, senior director of customer solutions, Xcel Energy. “Renewable energy options are a big part of our future, and we’re pleased to work with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation board on a project that exposes more people to the benefits of solar energy.”
“This is a wonderful project that demonstrates the enormous potential for solar energy in our parks – at the beach, pool, ice arena or recreation center,” said Mary Merrill, superintendent, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. “We’re proud of the project’s thorough community engagement process, creative planning and beautiful result, and thrilled to be recognized by the distinguished experts at the Clean Energy States Alliance.”
The Clean Energy States Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of public agencies working together to advance clean energy, established these biennial awards to highlight model programs and projects that have accelerated the adoption of clean energy technologies and strengthened clean energy markets. The recipients of the awards were chosen by an independent panel of five distinguished judges, each with years of experience in clean energy.
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About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is an independent, semi-autonomous body responsible for the Minneapolis park system. With 179 park properties totaling 6,804 acres of land and water, the Park Board provides places and recreation opportunities for all people to gather and engage in activities that promote health, well-being, community and the environment. Its Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, neighborhood parks, recreation centers and diversified programming have made the park system an important component of what makes Minneapolis a great place to live, play and work. More than 22 million annual visits are made to the nationally acclaimed park system, which was named the number one park system in the nation in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 by The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore® Index.