Our Projects

We are developing district energy projects at multiple scales, from a single residential block to a downtown core.  Some of our projects are described below.

(Diagram from DE St. Paul website)

Salmon Street Energy	Salmon Street Energy will link 14 homes with a common thermal energy system in the middle of the block.  The 40 residents of the block have completed household energy surveys and shared utility bills to create a database of thermal load over 12 months.  Preliminary system designs include a new energy center and solar platform, solar thermal panels mounted on about half of the homes, a biodiesel boiler, and an integrated stormwater management system.  This project was a finalist for the City of Portland's 2009 Green Investment Fund.  To download the application click here.
Sunnyside Neighborhood Energy (SunNE)	SunNE is a proposed thermal energy district centered at Sunnyside Environmental School serving approximately 50 blocks, including two commercial districts, several churches, and hundreds of homes. John introduced the SunNE concept to the Sunnyside neighborhood in the summer of 2007.  Since then, he and Seth have worked to advance the project with a local citizens' advisory board and a student group, the Northwest Institute for Community Energy.   We are seeking funding for a thorough feasibility study. For a detailed description of the project, please visit the SunNE website by clicking here.
North Pearl District Energy Project	In 2007 John proposed a district energy system for heating and cooling in the North Pearl area, the largest energy efficiency measure in Portland's history.  A $100,000 feasibility study encompassing both technical and financial considerations was recently completed, and the results are encouraging.  A key innovation in this project is to use a locally available and abundant resource to power the system: beer mash.  Portland's famous community of craft brewers dispose of thousands of tons of spent grains each week.  Processing this waste "mash" through an anaerobic digester yields carbon-neutral biogas, which can be burned cleanly in a CHP unit to create both heat and electricity.  Anheuser-Busch has used this process in their brewing facilities for over 20 years.