The University of Minnesota Morris campus has significantly reduced its carbon footprint by transitioning to renewable energy sources. It generated over 80% of its energy from biomass in 2010, reducing carbon emissions to less than 2,000 tons from 12,000 tons in 2004. This was accomplished by installing wind turbines and converting to district heating across campus. The document discusses the Morris Model for creating sustainable campuses using hybrid energy systems and managing carbon emissions. It also outlines opportunities for research in carbon accounting, agricultural biofuels, and developing low carbon communities.

1. Creating Sustainable Campuses
The Morris Model
Managing carbon with hybrid energy systems

2. Carbon Footprint 2004
12,000 tons
2004 UM Morris Campus Energy Source Breakdown
Purchased Electricity,
mmbtu delivered
22%
Oil Use, mmbtu
2%
Gas Use, mmbtu
76%
HGA

3. Carbon Foot Print 2009
4,000 tons
2008 UM Morris Campus Energy Source Breakdown
Purchased Electricity,
mmbtu delivered
Gas Use, mmbtu
14%
4% Oil Use, mmbtu
2%
WT-1 Generated Electric,
mmbtu out
15%
Biomass , mmbtu
65%
HGA

4. Carbon Foot Print 2010
Less than 2,000 tons
2010 UM Morris Campus Energy Source Breakdown
Purchased Electricity,
mmbtu delivered
Gas Use, mmbtu WT-1 Generated Electric,
7%
4% Oil Use, mmbtu mmbtu out
2% 12%
ST-1 Generated Electric,
mmbtu out
5%
WT-2 Generated Electric,
mmbtu out
Biomass , mmbtu 12%
58%
HGA

5. Energy transformation
UM Morris Total Energy Use by Source
100%
Percent Campus Energy Needs
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
-20%
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year
Fossil fuel, mmbtu WT-1 Generated Electric, mmbtu out ST-1 Generated Electric, mmbtu out
WT-2 Generated Electric, mmbtu out Biomass , mmbtu
HGA

6. Carbon negative
UM Morris Net Energy Balance
50,000 16,000
14,000
40,000
12,000
Net CO2 (Eq) Footprint,
Energy Balance, MWh
30,000 10,000
Metric Tons
8,000
20,000
6,000
10,000
4,000
2,000
-
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 -
(10,000)
(2,000)
(20,000) (4,000)
Year
Net Campus Energy Balance, MWh Campus Purchased Fossil Fuel + Elec use, MWh
Net Campus CO2 Footprint, Metric Tons
HGA

7. Managing Change
• Onsite renewable distributed dispatchable energy
generation.
• Integrated combined heat and power plant
• District heating and cooling
• Hybrid energy platforms

8. The Science of Carbon
• Old carbon vs new carbon
• Carbon markets (Global vs Local)
• Climate change
• Carbon Cycles
• Low Carbon Communities (LCC)

9. Low Carbon Communities
• Create nearly four times more total jobs than spending the same
amount of money within the oil industry.
• Create roughly triple the number of good jobs — paying at least
$16 dollars an hour — as spending the same amount of money
within the oil industry.
• Reduce the unemployment rate to 4.4 percent from 5.7 percent
(calculated within the framework of U.S. labor market conditions
in July 2008).
• Bolster employment especially in construction and
manufacturing. The Green Recovery program can, at the least,
bring back 800,000 construction jobs. *
*Center for American Progress and Political
Economy Research Institute

10. Drivers of Change
• Sustainable ecosystems
• Volatile fossil fuel markets
• Energy security
• Economic security
• Carbon Infrastructure

11. Why Morris?
(Green Prairie Alliance)
• ARS research in soils, alternative fuel stocks,
and carbon sequestration
• U of MN WCROC agricultural production and
hybrid wind to ammonia production
• U of MN Morris thermal gasification of
biofuels and environmental studies.

12. The Green Prairie Alliance:
Bio-mass/Bio-energy
Research Triangle

13. Strategic Resources
Soil, Moisture, &
Sun
Excellent Wind
Resource
&
20,000MW
Stranded Wind

14. Bio fuels
(New Carbon)

15. Combined Heat and Power

16. Gasification Plant

17. Hybrid Renewable Energy Platforms
CHP with Renewables
Wind Turbines
Steam Turbines
Gasification /Thermal Conversion
Absorption Chillers
Wind to Hydrogen Platforms

18. Thermal Conversion of Biofuels
• Morris Biomass Plant:
– Use up to 8,000 tons of biomass
– At $54/ton adds $400,000 to local economy.
– Avoids 8,000 tons of CO2 discharges
– Chicago Climate Exchange. $48,000
– $80/ton may be realistic for fuel stocks

19. Opportunities
• Economic development (LCC)
• Environmental impact (GHG)
• Carbon Science
• Agricultural Research
• Public Policy
– CBED vs RPS vs REP
• Smart grids, distributed energy systems

20. Vision for the Future
• Distributed Renewable Generation
• Rethinking energy distribution
• Using RE to manage carbon
• Creating local bioenergy ecosystems
• Creating sustainable communities
• Value added biofuels products

21. Sustainable Campus or Community?
• Morris Project
– 1 million sq ft
– 2000 people
• How do you transform your community?
– Follow the money
– Master Energy Plan
• Infrastructure
• Resources
• Economic insulators
– Define your community
• Risk vs reward
• Stakeholders
• Local vs Global

22. Research Drivers
• Energy
– Hybrid integrated systems with grid intelligence
– Reduced carbon footprint
• Economy
– Economic security
• EU Goal of 50% reduction by 2020
– Green jobs
• EU estimate of 10,000 new jobs
• Environment
– Sustainable inputs/outputs
– Carbon/hydrogen/Nitrogen solutions
• Food and water
– Human caused gains or losses

23. What are the possibilities?

24. Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
• Multiple platforms.
• Synergy by integration
• Business plans and energy finance
• Local environment, economy, energy
Practical production systems with research and demonstration platforms
“Destination Renewable Energy Research & Demonstration Systems”

25. Carbon Markets
• Carbon cap and trade will put value on
Carbon
• Carbon/Hydrogen/Nitrogen
– Value Added
• Global markets
• Biofuels and green electricity are the currency
of the carbon markets

26. National Leadership
• Designing first wind to hydrogen production
• First research turbine at public university
• One of the first ag fuel gasification platforms
• One of the first hybrid renewable energy
platforms
• Prototype of future distributed renewable
dispatchable community based energy
systems.

27. Back to the future
• Distributed local intelligent energy systems
• System wide changes in efficiency and outputs
• Building renewable infrastructure
• Innovation in sustainable systems
• Hybrid solutions
• Environmental vs renewable to:
• Environmental and renewable!

28. University of Minnesota, Morris
• Green Prairie Alliance
– West Central Research and Outreach Center
– Agricultural Research Station
– University of Minnesota, Morris
• Public and private partners.
• June 2 & 3 symposium – Sustainable Communities

29. Value-Added Partnerships
• Department of Energy, U of MN Institute on the Environment,
Institute for Renewable Energy and the Environment, MN Corn
Growers, Otter Tail Power, Agriculture Utilization and Research
Institute, Chippewa Valley Ethanol Cooperative, EERC, West
Central Research and Outreach, Central Administration, HGA,
Mckinstry, United States Department of Agriculture, Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency, Office of Energy Security- Department
of Commerce U of MN IT, U of MN Mechanical Engineering, U
of MN Carlson Ventures School. Humphrey School of Public
Policy, U of MN University Services, State of Minnesota, Office
of General Council, Students, Faculty and Staff.
• Citizens of Minnesota