Mark and Kate Hanson’s home in Roseville, Minnesota, has many special features – but one of the most exciting is their use of clean electricity for heating, cooling, keeping the lights on, and powering the family cars.
September 17 and 18, as part of the AIA Minnesota Home Tour, the Hansons are partnering with Fresh Energy to open up their home and show people a real life example of what our energy system may look like in the future.
Thanks to strong policy leadership and abundant renewable resources in our state, Minnesota’s electricity mix is becoming cleaner and cleaner, with much more wind and solar. Fossil fuels like oil and gas, on the other hand, are getting dirtier and are becoming riskier both financially and environmentally.
For nearly 25 years, Fresh Energy has been working to transition to a clean energy system in the state. Increasingly we see that an “all-electric economy” – like the one modeled by Mark and Kate Hanson – may just be the answer. The keys are to:
- Power more of our economy with electricity while simultaneously ensuring that our electricity comes from the wind, the sun, and other clean, local energy sources.
- Build new homes and other buildings that are so energy efficient that it takes only small amounts of electricity to heat and cool them.
- Reconsider our electric system and embrace technology that can help spread consumer demand out over time – reducing costs for everyone.
Fresh Energy is working on policy solutions that will advance clean energy and help more buildings in our communities become like the Hanson house. If you’re interested in taking a look for yourself, register now for this weekend’s event.
Interested in the details? The 2,434-square foot Hanson home is:
- 100% electric
- Designed to be net zero energy use, including two electric vehicles
- Designed with passive heating and cooling attributes
- Geothermal Loop Field: 14 vertical wells at about 100 feet deep each.
- 61 solar panels generating 22,000 kWh of electricity annually
- Seeking certifications for GreenStar, LEED for Homes, Minnesota Green Path, Living Building Challenge – Net Zero Energy Building
