|
Chronological List of District Heating
Systems in the United States |
The City of Willmar built a public library in 1904 that appears to have been heated with live steam from the city's power plant located on the same block (42). The use of live boiler steam limited their ability to generate power in the winter months and a plan was made to convert the system to use exhaust steam. After much discussion, an exhaust steam system began service in 1915, heating several other buildings in addition to the library.
The city installed the first "modern" hot water system that began service in September 1982 that used European standard EN-253 pipe. The last of more than sixty old hot water systems was shut down in Perry, Iowa on June 14, 1981..
References
1899 Sanborn
Fire Insurance Map from Willmar, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota,
November 1899
Plate 2: Showing pumping station & elec light plant.
1904 "Library Opens Friday," Willmar Tribune, February 24, 1904, Page 1.
1909 Sanborn
Fire Insurance Map from Willmar, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota,
January 1909
Plate 2: Showing pumping station & electric light plant and
Willmar Public Library
1912 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, November 13, 1912,
Page 4.
Alderman Freeberg reported that the Supt. of the Water & Light plant
had advised him that the library Building would have to be heated in some
other way than by live steam from the Power Plant, as it is now heated.
Alderman Freeberg, Norman and Larson were appointed a Committee to look
into said matter and confer with the Library board.
1912 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, December 4, 1912,
Page 5.
Exhaust Steam Heat for Library
1912 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, December 11, 1912,
Page 11.
The Water & Light Commission appeared in a body and presented plans
and specifications prepared by the Chas. L. Pillsbury Co., engineers of
Minneapolis, for the proposed central heating system running from the
Power House to the Library building. A report from the Engineering firm
accompanied the said plans and specifications showing the estimated cost
of said system to be $4,500, and the total yearly cost for operating the
system to be $1,460. The matter was discussed by the Council and the Water
& Light Board.
A representative of the above named Engineering firm was present and gave
some explanations about the matter. Alderman Freeberg presented the
following resolution which as adopted by the following vote: "Ayes," 6
"Noes," none. RESOLUTION. Resolved, that the plans and specifications for
the installation of a central heating system for the City of Willmar,
prepared by Chas. L. Pillsbury Co., engineers, now on file with the City
Clerk, be and the same are hereby adopted. Resolved, further that the City
proceed at once to purchase and install the necessary machinery for said
system enumerated under division 2, of said specifications and that the
City Clerk be and he is hereby instructed to advertise for bids for
furnishing said machinery but not for installing the same. Approved
December 10, 1912. E. WELLIN, Mayor.
The cost of the new apparatus and changes to power plant for the proposed
system was reported to be $1,000.
1913 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, August 6, 1913, Page
3.
A set of plans and specifications were presented for an underground
heating system from the Power Plant to the Library Building. The matter
was talked over. Alderman Larson presented the following resolution which
was unanimously adopted. RESOLUTION. Resolved, That that certain
resolution, passed and adopted by the City Council on the 9th day of
December, 1912, approving and adopting the plans and specifications for a
central heating plant, prepared by Chas. S. Pillsbury, be, and the same is
hereby rescinded in part, and to extent only to which said resolution
adopts the portion of said plans and specifications relating to the steam
pipe line from the power plant to the Library building. Approved Aug. 5th,
1913.
E. C. WELLIN, Mayor. Alderman Larson offered the following resolution
which was unanimously adopted: RESOLUTION. Resolved, That the plans and
specifications for an underground heating"system, consisting of a steam
pipe line from the Power Plant to the Library building, together with
certain changes to be made in both Power Plant and Library building,
presented by the Water and Light Commission, and prepared by J.H. Wiggins
Co., be and the same are hereby approved and adopted. Approved Aug. 5th,
1913. E. C. WELLIN, Mayor. The estimated cost of such an underground
system was stated to be about $800. The Clerk was instructed to advertise
for bids for such heating system to be received at meeting Aug. 25, 1913.
1913 "Bids
for Underground Heating System for Library Building," Willmar
Tribune, August 13, 1913, Page 7.
Sealed bids Underground Heating System for Library Building, Willmar,
Minnesota. Sealed bids will be received-hy the City Council of the City of
Willmar Minnesota, up to 8 o'clock in the afternoon of August 25th, 1913,
for the installation of a Tyler Underground Heating System for the Library
Building in the City of Willmar, Minn. Said bids to state price for all
material and the complete installation of the under-ground work from the
Power House to the Library Building and re-setting of vacuum pump in Power
House and all necessary changing of piping in the Power House and the
Library Building. Plans and specifications for the said heating system may
be seen at the Builders' Exchange, Minneapolis, Minn., or at the City
Clerk's office in the City of Willmar. All bids to be sealed, addressed to
the City Council and endorsed "Bid For Heating System" and must be
accompanied by a certified check of $75.00, payable to the City Treasurer
of Willmar.
1914 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, June 24, 1914, Page
6.
Committee on Central Heating System.
The Committee on Central heating system presented a new set of plans and
specifications for such a system and the matter was discussed. Alderman
Benson offered the fol lowing resolution which was unanimously adopted.
RESOLUTION Resolved, That that certain resolution passed and adopted by
the City Council on the 4th day of August, 1913, adopting the plans and
specifications for a central heating system, presented to the Council by
the Water & Light Commission and prepared by J. H. Wiggins Co., be and
the same is hereby rescinded.
Resolved, Further, That the plans and specifications for a central heating
system, consisting of a pipe line from power plant to the Library building
with a return pipe for condensation, together with necessary changes in
the power plant, prepared under the direction of the committee of the
Council appointed for that purpose, and now on file with the City Clerk,
be and the same are hereby adopted. Adopted June 23rd, 1914. E. C. WELLIN,
Mayor.
The estimated cost for such a system was reported to be about $3500. The
Clerk' was instructed toad vertise for bids for a central heating system,
such bids to be received at the next meeting, July 13, 1914.
1914 "Bids
for Central Heating System," Willmar Tribune, July 1, 1914,
Page 3.
Sealed bids will be received by the City Council of the City of Willmar,
Minnesota, up to eight o'clock in the afternoon of July 13, 1914, for the
construction and installation of a Central Heating System from the Power
House, east to fifth street, and thence south on fifth street to Library
building, in said city. Such bids to include all necessary equipment and
labor. Plans and specifications for said system may be seen at the
Builders Exchange, Minneapolis, at the office of the Water and Light
Commission, at the City Clerk's office in Willmar. All bids to be sealed,
addressed to the City Council, and marked, "Bids for Heating System," and
must be accompanied by a certified check of 10 per cent of the amount of
the bid.
The Council reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Willmar, Minn.,
June 30, 1914. HANS GUNDERSON, 2w City Clerk.
1914 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, July 15, 1914, Page
3.
The matter of bids for Central Heating System was taken up as advertised,
and bid of J. H. Wiggins Co., City, was and read. The said bid was one
received, and opened, three different propositions were presented for
which they asked $4781.50, $5135.35 and $5215.00. On motion the bid was
laid over to the next meeting.
Alderman Sperry was appointed to go to Litchfield and investigate to their
Central Heating System.
1914 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, August 26, 1914, Page
3.
The Finance Committee, being the Committee appointed on Central Heating
plant, reported that they had met with the prospective patrons of said
service, and that they had agreed that the City pay $1,215 for Library
Bldg., and that the other patrons raise $4,000, these amounts being the
cost of the Tyler Heating System. President Olson of the Water & Light
Commission, was present and gave a schedule of rates they proposed to
charge for heat if the Heating System was installed. Alderman Benson made
a motion that the Council order that the Rickwell system of heating be
installed instead of the Tyler system which motion was seconded by
Alderman Johnson and was adopted by the following vote: "Ayes," Johnson,
Benson, Kent and Erickson, 4; "Noes," Tjosvold. Aldermen Sperry and Norman
did not want to vote on the question, and their votes were counted in the
negative, making 4 "Ayes" and 3 "Nayes." The motion was declared carried.
1914 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, September 9, 1914,
Page 8.
Mr. Russell Spicer, representing the patrons of the proposed Central
Heating Plant, appeared and stated that the prospective patrons of said
proposed Heating system, had met and had decided that they would not agree
to finance the Heating proposition, because the Council had decided to
install the Rickwell system instead of the Tyler system, which the
prospective patrons had decided on. The matter was discussed. Alderman
Sperry made a motion that the matter of installing Central Heating system
be indefinitely postponed, which motion was seconded by Alderman Norman
and was duly adopted. A motion was made and seconded that the Heating bids
be rejected and the checks returned to the bidders.
1914 "Council
Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, September 30, 1914, Page 3.
The Committee on Library heating, recommended that connections be made
through the old pipes and have the building heated direct from Power House
as was formerly done. The said Committee was granted further time.
1914 Sanborn
Fire Insurance Map from Willmar, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota,
November 1914
Plate 3: Showing pumping station & elec light plant and Willmar
Public Library
1914 "Water
and Light Dept.," Willmar Tribune, December 16, 1914, Page
1.
Reports on the Water & Light Plant
The Library building was heated with live steam for 9 hours each day, but
no allowance has been made for this.
I would also advise contracting for all the low pressure heating possible,
up to the full amount of your exhaust steam. Your plant is ideally
located for taking on that business and the income from that business will
greatly reduce the cost of your electric current.
1915 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, July 14, 1915, Page
8.
Messrs. Olson and Fridlund of the Water and Light Commission were present
and reported on matter of heating Library building, and the committee from
the Council on said matter also reported on having met with the owners of
property North of the Library building. The Committee from the Council and
the Water and Light Board were requested to try to arrange so that the
heating main could be extended to the Library building.
1915 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, September 15, 1915,
Page 6.
The matter of heating contract between Kandiyohi County Bank and
other property owners on west side of 5th street in Block 42 was brought
up, which contract had been approved by the Water and Light Comn. The said
contract was read and discussed. Alderman Tjosvold offered the following
resolution which was adopted by the following vote: "Ayes," 7 "Noes,"
none. RESOLUTION. Resolved, That that certain proposed contract relating
to a central heating system, between Kandiyohi County Bank, and others,
and the City of Willmar, dated August 10th, 1915, approved by the Water ft
Light Commission of said City on August 20th, 1916, and now on file with
the City Clerk, be and the same is hereby approved as to all of its terms
and conditions, and the Mayor and City Clerk are hereby directed to
execute the same on behalf of the said City of Willmar.
1915 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, October 9, 1915, Page
5.
J.H. Wiggins Co., part payment Water & Light Board share heating
extension to Library building 250.00
J.H. Wiggins Co., library building share heating main extension one
466.66.
1915 Sweet's
Engineering Catalogue
Page 464: The Ric-Wil Underground Pipe Covering Company
Page 465: Tyler Underground Heating System
1916 "City
Council Proceedings," Willmar Tribune, August 16, 1916, Page
9.
Central Heating System
1916 "There
Will Be No Heating Extensions," Willmar Tribune, August 30,
1916, Page 7.
The proposition of extending the utilization of exhaust steam at the city
power plant for the heating of several more buildings the vicinity the
city hall has been dropped by the Water and Light Board and Council. Bids
received for the work show the costs of installing extensions too high..
1925 Sanborn Fire
Insurance Map from Willmar, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, May 1925
Plate
2: Showing pumping station & electric light plant and
Public Library
Plate
5: Showing new pumping station and electric light plant
1980 Minnesota
Project: district heating and cooling through power plant retrofit and
distribution network. Final report. Phase 1. Appendices,
January, 1980
Page 36: Willmar
1982 District
Heating Planning in Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Energy,
Planning and Development
Pages 113-114: Willmar is in the process of converting an existing
steam cogeneration district heating system to a new hot water system.
The existing steam system is 60 years old and has 117 customers. The total
load is currently 12 MW steam.
In Phase I, 76 customers in the downtown area will convert their systems
from steam to hot water. This will be done in conjunction with the
downtown redevelopment project.
Phase I construction is scheduled to begin' May 1, 1982. Operation of the
downtown hot water system is scheduled for fall 1982. This project is the
first implementation of modern hot water district heating technology in
the United States.
1982 "Willmar, Minnesota Lays District Heating Pipe," District Heating 68(1):20-21 (3rd Quarter 1982)
1983 Minnesota
State Plan to Implement District Heating, March, 1983
Bloomington, Duluth, Ely, Fairmont, Grand Marais, Grand Rapids, Hibbing,
International Falls, Minneapolis, New Brighton, Rochester, Willmar
1983 "Willmar District Heating Start-up," District Heating 68(4):31-33 (2nd Quarter 1983)
1983 "Hot-water
district heating works well for Willmar, Minn," Public Power
41(9):66-68 (July August 1983)
Page 68: The system was filled and put into immediate service during
the last week of September 1982.
1984 Cost
of energy from new hot water district heating in US cities,
June, 1984
The cities of St. Paul, Minnesota; Willmar, Minnesota; Piqua, Ohio; and
Trenton, New Jersey have all recently built new hot water district heating
systems. The systems presently serve high-density areas; plans are to
expand the systems to lower density surrounding areas in the future. The
prices charged for thermal energy from these systems vary from $0.025/kWh
to $0.048/kWh and, in all cases, are economically competitive with the
primary space heating alternative. The largest single component of the
cost of thermal energy in all cases is the cost of debt retirement. In
particular, the costs are dominated by the cost of the buried piping
networks. Consequently, it is essential that the cost of the piping
distribution system be minimized if thermal energy costs are to be
competitive. In the St. Paul, Willmar, and Piqua systems, low costs have
been achieved by using system designs based on European design concepts.
The design incorporates thin-wall piping, inexpensive insulation, shallow
pipe burial, and several other features that are conducive to easy
installation. The Trenton system required modification of the European
design concepts to accommodate higher distribution temperatures, but
several of the benefits are captured.
1984 "Modern
Hot Water District Heating," ASHRAE Transactions 90 (Issue 2
)(Part 2):323-333 (1994)
Page 325: The city of Willmar, Minnesota (population, 20,000),
replaced an old steam system with a modern hot water system in the summer
of 1982. The first phase of the hot water system was constructed in the
central business district (figure 3). The system serves a thermal load of
10 MW and includes about 12,000 ft (3,600 m) of distribution network.
Willmar's piping system, which mostly includes small-diameter pipe, was
installed for approximately $125/ft ($410/m) of distribution system. The
Willmar system started a second phase of expansion in the summer of 1983
and is planning continued expansion in the future. The system currently
serves residences as well as commercial, institutional, and industrial
customers.
Page 330: Cost of Willmar district heating system.
Page 332: Willmar district heating market area
1987 District
Heating Marketing: Analysis of a Twelve-City Survey, May,
1987. City of Columbus, Ohio Department of Development Planning
Division, Richard C. Davis, Stephen N. Buckner
San Francisco, Baltimore, St. Louis, Youngstown, Vancouver, Seattle,
Minneapolis, St. Paul, Trenton, Jamestown, Willmar, Provo.
Page 97: Brochure Excerpts (Willmar
Municipal Utilities
Pages 126-127: Willmar Municipal Utilities
District heating in Willmar is provided by the city's Municipal utilities
Department. Heat is obtained from the municipal electric plant as a
product of cogeneration. The current system is a hybrid type-—part steam,
part hot water--which grew out of the need to either renovate, replace, or
abandon the city's original aging steam system. A study undertaken to
determine the most economic choice determined that part of the steam
system could be renovated, and that the remainder should be replaced with
a modern hot water system. The system is moderately sized, with a recent
annual sendout of 98,890 MMBTU.
Willmar uses an attractive marketing brochure. The full-color, glossy
brochure is constructed to double as a presentation folder, containing a
pocket to hold additional information circulars and flyers. The brochure
has been used for a variety of applications including direct mail
advertising, group presentations, and the annual "Open House" promotion
for potential residential customers.
The "Open House" is Willmar's major group presentation. The annual
event features a short slide-show "tour" of the system, followed by a
period in which participants can ask questions of utility representatives,
examine heat exchange equipment, and obtain information on contractors.
This annual event is widely advertised through radio, newspaper, and
direct mail.
Another interesting feature of Willmar's marketing efforts is the use of
customer testimonials — perhaps especially effective in a small-town
environment. Willmar Municipal Utilities also offers free heat exchange
equipment ("furnaces") to residential consumers. This greatly enhances
marketability to homeowners, who represent the greatest potential for
expansion of the Willmar network.
1991 Willmar
municipal utilities: a century of service, 1891-1991, October
1991
Pages 25-27 Steam heating system and Willmar Heating Company
Page 34: 1936: Mayor Selvig asked the Commission to make city
heat a year-'round service, since many households and businesses were
beginning to use it for water heating.
Page 47: 1949: Steam heat use, according to the report, was
increasing and necessary extensions to the heating system would cost about
$30,000.00 in the next two years.
Page 56: The hot water heating idea rapidly assumed major
proportions in the Commission plans and, on October 13, 1981, it engaged
Scantec, Inc., of St. Paul, to design the basic system. One of the reasons
Scantec was chosen was that it had a joint-venture agreement with a
research firm in Vasteras, Sweden, where district heating using hot water
was already a reality. Working with those two firms, the Commission began
sending personnel to Sweden, to attend conferences related to this type of
heating, and other men to see systems in actual operation.
Willmar's new heating system was the first of its kind in the United
States and attracted a great deal of attention from all parts of the world
where heating is an important budgetary factor. Delegations from Sweden
came here rather frequently, interspersed by groups from France, the
Netherlands and other countries where Wi I I mar-type systems cou Id be
used. Since this type of heating was new in the United States, almost all
of the components of the new system came from Sweden. American cities sent
observers, too, as Willmar's pioneering system was installed. One matter,
which required careful consideration, was keeping downtown Willmar stores
open while streets and sidewalks were completely torn up.
Page 58: it also operates two heating systems ... the hot water
system which has only recently been installed, and the old steam heat
system for four customers. The Commission has tried to help them
converttheir heating plants to some other heating method, since the hot
water system does not go into their area, and has now notified them that
as of December 10, 1992, the steam heat system will be shut down
completely. The hot water system has grown to meet the Commission's
anticipation for this stage of its development, but further growth will be
held in abeyance until current economic factors improve.
2016 "Willmar
Municipal Utilities celebrates a milestone anniversary," West
Central Tribune, May 9, 2016
Villagers began pushing for electricity by 1889, and Willmar approved the
first electric light plant May 27, 1895.
Willmar first started providing steam heat to downtown customers in 1913
during the winter. It became year-round in 1936 and was upgraded to a hot
water heating system in 1982.
2017 Willmar
Municipal Utilities Minutes, January 23, 2017
At the January 3rd MUC Work Session, WMU Staff had reviewed with the
Commission a PowerPoint presentation (“Financial Viability of District
Heat Option”) which provided background and data regarding Willmar’s
District Heating Division. Staff further provided information relating to
studies and analyses along with evaluated options for consideration.
General Manager Harren had requested the Commission to assess the provided
material and to establish a directive and course of action regarding the
future of Willmar’s district heating. Commissioners were asked to consider
the economic feasibility of district heating as a sustainable revenue
source for WMU. Following review and discussion, Commissioner Mattern
offered a motion to direct Staff to contact Willmar’s district heating
customers to gain an understanding of their challenges and to pursue
options to transition its customers away from district heating. Based on
customer input, a transitional strategy plan would be developed for
consideration and approval (determine process & time frame). This
would include a 2-year transitional period from the time the transition
strategy is adopted. The timeline will be sensitive to our customers’
needs. Commissioner Weber seconded the motion which carried by a vote of
six ayes and zero nays.
2017 "Willmar
Moves to End District Heating," West Central Tribune,
November 22, 2017
After years of research and discussion, the Willmar Municipal Utilities
Commission approved a motion Monday to begin the process of shutting down
the district heating system, after over a century of service.
District heating limits the choices of our power supply opportunities,"
Harren said.
The power plant currently uses a combined heat and power system. Those
types of units are considerably more expensive than just power units,
Harren said.
Now that a decision has been made on the district heating system, Harren
said staff will focus on creating an exit plan for customers and closing
down the heating system before making any major decisions on the power
plant's generation units
Willmar Municipal Utilities has provided heat since 1913, when the steam
exhaust from the power plant was used to heat properties in downtown. The
system was converted to hot water in the 1980s. There are only a few
district heating systems left in Minnesota including the cities of
Hibbing, Virginia and New Ulm; the University of Minnesota; St. John's
University; and, of course, Willmar.
"We're one of the last," Harren said.
2020 "Willmar's
District Heat program comes to an end," KWLM Radio, June 30, 2020
After 100 years, Tuesday is the last day for Willmar Municipal Utility's
District Heat program. It began as a way to heat businesses in the
downtown area using steam generated by the power plant at 7th Street and
Litchfield Avenue. In the 1980s the program was greatly expanded, but due
to the expense of maintaining the equipment, WMU decided in 2017 to
discontinue the program and gave customers 3 years to disconnect. Those 3
years are up come July 1st. General Manager John Harren says at it's peak
there were about 400 customers of district heat, and as of June 10th there
were still about 60 customers who had yet to find an alternate heat
source.
In addition to hundreds of homes, places like the Kandiyohi County
Courthouse, WEAC building and many businesses downtown used district heat.
Harren says as the number of district heat customers dwindled, and the
price of natural gas dropped, Willmar Municipal Utilities decided to
decommission the power plant. They haven't bought coal in 3 years, and the
plant hasn't generated electricity for the last 2 years. The steam for the
remaining district heat customers came from a rented boiler. Harren says
they are now in the process of determining what needs to be done to
decommission the power plant, the cost, and possible future uses.
As for energy usage in June, Harren says there have been half-a-dozen says
in the 90s or warmer, pushing the utility's output past it's peak,
although a new overall peak record hasn't been set.
2020 Willmar
Municipal Utilities
NOTICE: The District Heat system will be permanently decommissioned
effective July 1, 2020. For more information, call 320-235-4422.
© 2024 Morris A. Pierce