Duluth's Lake Superior Zoo has been chosen as the site for northeastern Minnesota's first Rebuild Minnesota renewable energy demonstration project. It's designed to improve energy and environmental performance at the zoo while demonstrating the benefits to a large, diverse audience. Rebuild Minnesota is a new program through the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Partners in this project include Minnesota Power, City of Duluth's Lake Superior Zoo and Public Works & Utilities, Rebuild Minnesota Institute, Johnson Controls, and LHB Architects and Engineers.
Each component of the project — from a solar water heating system to a micro hydropower plant — is designed to not only solve a current problem but also provide education on renewable energy. The elements being proposed include: