Vikings offset carbon at the Metrodome The Minnesota Vikings have gone PC on us.
The NFL team, in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, said this week that it will offset 100 percent of the electricity used to power the Metrodome for all of the season's eight home games and -- in a sign of optimism just two games into the season -- any playoff games.
The Vikings are purchasing renewable energy through Xcel Energy's Windsource program. The team didn't release how much of a premium it will pay for the program. Residential customers who want to offset all their power pay a premium of up to $25 a month for the typical home.
"The Vikings are committed to developing sustainable business practices and utilizing renewable energy sources whenever possible," Mark Wilf, the team's president, said. The move is the equivalent to eliminating emissions from the electricity use of nearly 32 homes for one year.
The Windsource program has signed up more than 21,000 residential customers and nearly 200 businesses in Minnesota.
KAREN LUNDEGAARD
Converting manure A Minnesota company is exploring building a plant in central North Dakota that would use bacteria to turn lignite, manure and the leftover liquid from ethanol production into natural gas and fertilizer.
St. Paul-based Proterra Bioconversion says the $6 million plant would be investor-funded, though it is asking the Mercer County Commission to help by issuing bonds for the project.
The plant would be built at an industrial site at the Mercer County Regional Airport near Hazen, N.D.
Hazen Economic Development Director Duke Rosendahl says it could create up to 20 jobs.
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