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green view While going greener, Minneapolis' Metro brings wind-powered rail travel to riders a s part of its Go Greener program, Minneapolis' Metro Transit powered its Hiawatha light rail trains free of emissions with wind energy on Earth Day. The 10 wind-powered railcars traveled during the a.m. peak period and served 19 stations, providing about 31,000 rides. The transit system bought approximately 71,000 kilowatt hours of windgenerated electricity from energy supplier Xcel Energy's Windsource program to power the rail line for one day. Windsource portions some of its wind power into blocks, sells them to consumers and businesses, and reinvests the revenue into new wind energy, John Siqveland, public relations manager, Metro Transit, explained. In 2008, Siqveland spotted the opportunity to introduce riders to the idea that wind, as he put it, "doesn't just drive sailboats." "You can subscribe to the Windsource program at any time," Siqveland said. "It just struck me that if local companies, residents and universities can use this program, why can't we do it and talk about the flexibility of fuel sources to power electricity and say something on Earth Day about the flexibility of light rail? Rail can move 31,000 people a day, essentially with Photo courtesy Metro Transit BY NICOLE SCHLOSSER, Senior Editor Metro Transit bought approximately 71,000 kilowatt hours of wind-generated electricity from energy supplier Xcel Energy's Windsource program as part of an Earth Day event. This was just one of many components of its Go Greener initiative. power generated from turbines." Xcel recently surpassed its one bill i o nt h k i l ow at t h o u r t h ro u g h t h e Windsource program. Metro Transit and Xcel officials also commemorated Earth Day in the morning at a customer outreach and appreciation event at Xcel's headquarters, which are located just around the corner from Nicollet Mall light rail station in downtown Minneapolis, Metro D.C.'S UNION STATION TRANSITIONS TO ALL-WIND POWER FOR ELECTRICITY LOAD Union Station in Washington, D.C., recently signed a three-year contract with its local power provider to use 100% wind power for its electricity load. One of the nation's premier, historic transportation hubs, Union Station previously used 50% wind power for its electricity needs. Union Station will transition to all wind power for its electricity load of 18,943,964 kilowatt hours annually. This is equivalent to avoiding the consumption of more than 1.4 million gallons of gasoline or taking more than 2,700 cars off the road for one year. The world's fastest-growing energy resource, wind power displaces conventional power, reduces carbon dioxide and helps eliminate air pollution, according to Herndon,Va.-based Washington Gas Energy Services. 62 < mETRO mAGAZINE JUNE 2013 Transit's busiest light rail station. Xcel executives and Metro Transit GM Brian Lamb spoke with riders and downtown residents and workers about the "Go Greener" and Windsource programs. Attendees were able to sign up for Windsource program at the event. A few hundred people attended the customer appreciation event, Siqveland said. Meanwhile, Peace Cofee, one of the local businesses ofsetting all of its operations with Windsource, gave out free coffee to Metro Transit customers and downtown residents and workers. The agency had held similar events for Earth Day each of the previous two years. It had also partnered with Windsource to host the Living Green Expo when it was produced in the Twin Cities. GM Lamb has also written editorials about the topic for the local paper. Using wind power for the light rail line is only one component of Metro Transit's "Go Greener" initiative. Te agency launched the program six years ago in an effort to conserve energy and re- metro-magazine.com