Invest in Fuel-Flexibility for District Heating
When the City reconstructed East Superior Street, it took the opportunity to enhance the infrastructure of the district heating system in place in downtown and Canal Park. Duluth Energy Systems oversaw the transition of its current Open-Through Steam System into a more efficient and environmentally-friendly Closed Loop Hot Water System. The update reduced energy consumption across the system and led to the decreased use of fossil fuels and the reduction of carbon emissions.
The City of Duluth Climate Action Work Plan recognizes the need for fuel-flexibility and developed Strategy 1.2 to address it:
- Continue to improve the fuel emissions factor and efficiency for Duluth Energy System.
- Identify clean energy resources to replace fossil fuel inputs; eliminate coal in the next 5 years
- Encourage a transition to a more efficient hot-water loop for new and existing customers of Duluth Energy Systems
The City is still working to find resources and funding to make changes like the downtown and Canal Park district heating updates happen on a larger scale. The City should continue to focus on investment in renewable sources and funding the replacement of fossil fuels and upgrade the rest of the system to one that would accommodate fuel flexibility.
To complete this action, write to city leaders supporting their continued efforts in increasing fuel-flexibility in Duluth and emphasize fuel-flexibility as a spending priority.
Contact City Leaders About this Issue
Use the sample letter below to send a letter to your city councilor about this issue. You can find their contact info on the City of Duluth website.
Dear City Councilor,
The City of Duluth demonstrated conservation leadership by transforming the downtown district heating system from an open-through steam system to a closed loop hot water system, which reduced emissions and saved money. This change finally leaves us in a position to take the next step in updating the sustainability of Duluth Energy Systems by investing in new fuel sources.
Rather than relying on coal and natural gas as back-up fuels, the City of Duluth should find funding to break from all fossil fuels and invest in renewable fuel sources. With a clear call from the scientific community to immediately halt and retire coal use to combat climate change and emerging information disproving many advantages we thought natural gas had over coal, the urgency of this transition cannot be understated. The City of Duluth cannot continue to allow fossil fuels at its core, but lead and invest in a renewable energy future.
Now is the time for the city to map its future energy needs and to take the necessary steps to prioritize finding funding for upgrading the system to one that would accommodate fuel-flexibility so that it would not need to continue to rely on fossil fuels at Duluth Energy Systems.
Sincerely,
Your Name
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