Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Solar  -  June 30, 2021

Winona State Launches $12M Energy Overhaul

Winona State University will soon be home to a solar array that will be the largest on any Minnesota State campus as part of the university’s $12 million campus-wide energy overhaul.

The massive project is expected to cut university emissions by 25% per year and will help WSU substantially in its pursuit of net-zero emissions. The project is due to a partnership with McKinstry through the state’s Guaranteed Energy Savings Program, which allows the university to pay off the costs of the upgrades over 18 years through a lease purchase agreement. 

Upgrades will include installations like solar panels across six rooftops and four carports, replacing 21,000 light fixtures with LED and modernizing the heating and cooling system. Construction begins in October and should be completed by August 2022. The upgrades are also estimated to save 225,809 therms of natural gas per year.

“We’re doing everything we can to carve out the most resource savings and carbon cutting solutions for the campus and to do that in the most cost-effective way possible,” Nathan Engstrom, WSU’s campus sustainability coordinator, said in a statement. “This project allows WSU to take bold climate action and sustainability leadership to new heights.”

Share this valuable information with your colleagues using the buttons below: