Shortly after taking over operations and management responsibilities, Ever-Green completed a system master plan to increase reliability, efficiency, cost-competitiveness, sustainability, and growth.

During planning, Ever-Green identified the advantages of a steam to hot water transition. When the city began planning the Superior Street reconstruction project, it was a good opportunity to improve operations by transitioning 16 blocks of the steam distribution system to hot water in coordination with the project. The steam to hot water conversion has shifted 42% of the heating load to hot water.

The system modernization has enabled the addition of natural gas to the fuel mix with coal being used for peaking and backup. Since 2014, coal use has been reduced by nearly 98%. The coal reduction and efficiency gains have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in that time frame. Additional renewable integration is under consideration.

Milestones

• 1932 – Service begins
• 2012 – City of Duluth selects Ever-Green Energy as OMM
• 2013 – Duluth Steam Master Plan completed
• 2018 – 2021 – Steam to hot water conversion to serve hot water to Superior Street
• 2021 – Environmental Initiative Energy and Climate Award for Decarbonizing Duluth
• 2020-2023 – Connected the Regional Exchange District to the hot water system including Vision Northland and Saint Luke’s Building A

Ever-Green’s Role

Ever-Green serves as the system operator and manager. Ever-Green works closely with the City of Duluth to determine the strategic direction of the system, practical investments to keep the business competitive, and align with local policy and environmental initiatives. Our team has guided the system through enhancements to the system’s operational and maintenance processes, including inventory management, operating and maintenance crew structure, work planning, performance monitoring, and trending of key parameters. Ever-Green reviewed the debt financing of the system and recommended changes, which enabled the system to enter into long-term contracts with customers and use revenue bonds for future debt financing.

Ever-Green led system advancement through the Superior Street and Regional Exchange District projects, including design of the new hot water distribution system, customer building conversions, plant conversion, and construction management. Our team works closely with the city to transition more steam customers to hot water and to add new system customers.

About the City of Duluth

The City of Duluth is a port on Lake Superior in Minnesota with a population of about 86,000 people. The city has made its energy future a priority and has seized opportunities to work within the community, with its utilities, and in collaboration with experts from around the country to integrate state-of-the-art technology and international best practices for an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally advanced system.

Stakeholders

Ever-Green supported the city in its effort to gain community support and state funding for system upgrades. This project has engaged experts and supporters from within and beyond Duluth, including state commissioners, city councilors, and executives from the business, energy, environmental communities who believe in Duluth’s grand energy vision.