Saint Paul recognized as “geothermal epicenter”

The City of Saint Paul is being recognized as a growing clean energy hub, thanks to several high-profile geothermal projects. A recent article in Finance & Commerce showcased The Heights and Como Park Zoo, in addition to exciting updates within Saint Paul Public Schools and the private sector.

Geothermal energy is one way that the City of Saint Paul is working to reduce carbon emissions and create a resilient community for future generations. The City recently updated our Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP). Our goal is to reduce emissions 63% by 2030 and achieve citywide carbon neutrality by 2050.

To achieve this goal, we're investing heavily in clean energy for our facilities. At the same time, we're partnering with developers to prioritize sustainability in new developments across Saint Paul.

Heating and cooling an entire community with geothermal

The Heights is the largest modern-day investment in the East Side of Saint Paul. This redevelopment is transforming the former Hillcrest Golf Course into a mixed-use community with 1,000 new housing units, 1,000 living-wage jobs, new public parks and green spaces. Residential and light industrial buildings at The Heights will be heated and cooled using one of the nation's largest networked geothermal systems.

Developers broke ground on the new geothermal system in 2025, using a $4.7 million grant from the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority (MnCIFA) to Ever-Green Energy to construct and operate the system. Saint Paul Port Authority is leading the development of The Heights in partnership with Sherman Associates, Ever-Green Energy, and the City of Saint Paul.

The geothermal system at The Heights will be the first of its kind in the state, closely followed by a new geothermal system at Como Park Zoo.

Investing in clean energy for City facilities

The Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is the most visited cultural attraction in Minnesota. The campus, enjoyed by visitors year-round, accounts for 25% of energy used by the City of Saint Paul's building portfolio. To lower costs, improve efficiency, and reduce emissions, the City has launched a multi-year decarbonization project at the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory.

The decarbonization project will upgrade inefficient systems across the campus, including the installation of a new geothermal heat pump system in the Primates and Polar Bear buildings. Working with Honeywell's Building Automation team, the City of Saint Paul is expected to realize up to $1.8 million in energy and operational cost savings over the first three years of the project.

We're investing in geothermal energy across our facilities, from the Como Park Zoo to the North End Community Center. The brand-new building opening in 2025 as the most sustainable community center in Saint Paul. It's designed to use 70% less energy than the average baseline building structure. The community center uses a geothermal energy system for heating and cooling, in addition to other sustainable and cost-effective energy efficiencies.

Why is geothermal energy important?

Geothermal systems use the constant temperature of the Earth to heat or cool based on the season. Below the surface, the Earth maintains a stable temperature. It can absorb excess heat in the summer and provide heat in the winter. Geothermal systems use heat pumps to heat and cool buildings. Large networked geothermal systems, like the one at The Heights, can heat or cool entire communities.

Not only does switching to geothermal reduce emissions, it's also an opportunity for long-term cost-savings thanks to stable operating costs. Geothermal is an efficient source of renewable energy-an important tool for reducing our emissions and building a resilient community for generations to come.

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