Jeff Larson from MN Energy (representing the Wisconsin Public Services Foundation) presented the first installment, $2000, of a pledged $6000 donation to the Grand Rapids Area Library Foundation for the educational portion of the Riverfront Energy Center. The presentation was made Thursday, December 1st in front of the library.
The River Front Energy Center, to be completed by December 11, will utilize hot waste water from the UPM Kymmene paper mill to provide heat for the Grand Rapids Area Library. The goal is a reduction of 70% in the use of the gas-fired boilers in the library.
The Grand Rapids Area Library Foundation is raising money for the educational components of the project, which will include interactive displays of on-going processes, a demonstration solar unit and a demonstration wind turbine. Fundraising events and activities will be taking place during the next several months, and donations will also be accepted at the Library.
The first phase of the educational project will be a dashboard showing real time building data with energy consumed from various sources, and the amount of energy saved. The dashboard will be accessible remotely via the internet, as well as from inside the building and the Library. (A demonstration of one version of an educational dashboard can be found at : http://franklin.qagdevelopment.com/ )
The Grand Rapids Public Utilities Commission has also pledged a contribution of $5000 for the educational project.
Construction of the Energy Center has been funded in part with grants from the Iron Ranges Resources and Rehabilitation Board and the Blandin Foundation
