Aligning Duluth's realities and aspirations through the installation of energy producing Piezo tiles along highway 35W.

1. Infrastructure as a way to
power Duluth’s growth goals
Jen Krava . Nissa Tupper 12.10.12

2. LINKS IN THE SYSTEM
AgingInfrastructure
EnergyAffordabilityGap
PopulationChanges
CarbonEmissionReductions
REALITIES
ASPIRATIONS

3. LINKS IN THE SYSTEM
AgingInfrastructure
EnergyAffordabilityGap
PopulationChanges
CarbonEmissionReductions
REALITIES
ASPIRATIONS

4. REALITY . AGING INFRASTRUCTURE
25,879homes built prior to 1962
66%homes are more than 50 years old

5. more than Rochester
2x
DULUTH. 25,879homes built prior to 1962
more than St. Cloud
3x more than Mankato
4x
REALITY . AGING INFRASTRUCTURE

6. $46,110median household income
DULUTH
MN
$56,954median household income
19%gap
REALITY . ENERGY AFFORDABILITY GAP

7. $46,110median household incomeDULUTH
$2,900average household energy cost
REALITY . ENERGY AFFORDABILITY GAP

8. $46,110median household incomeDULUTH
$1,668energy
affordability gap
$2,900average household energy cost
2002
2012
REALITY . ENERGY AFFORDABILITY GAP

9. $46,110median household incomeDULUTH
$1,668energy
affordability gap
$2,900average household energy cost
$477energy
affordability gap
2002
2012
305%increase
REALITY . ENERGY AFFORDABILITY GAP

10. Duluth Energy Efficiency Program
2011 2013?2012
cuts the energy
affordability gap by1/3
REALITY . ENERGY AFFORDABILITY GAP

11. LINKS IN THE SYSTEM
AgingInfrastructure
EnergyAffordabilityGap
PopulationChanges
CarbonEmissionReductions
REALITIES
ASPIRATIONS

12. ASPIRATION . POPULATION CHANGE
2002
2020
2010
4%increase
86,238people
86,265
people
90,000
people
84,288people
2007

13. ASPIRATION . REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS
Carbon Emissions
DULUTH
20%reduction by 2020
“The City of Duluth will need additional projects
and initiatives to meet future [CO emission]
goals.”
- 2008 Duluth Green House Gas Inventory Report
2
2,702,137tonCOe2
2,962,811
tonCOe2

14. AgingInfrastructure
EnergyAffordabilityGap
PopulationChanges
CarbonEmissionReductions
REALITIES
ASPIRATIONS
OPPORTUNITIES
REWARDS
LINKS IN THE SYSTEM

15. The way that we can weave these realities and aspirations together and turn them into opportunities and rewards is through
piezoelectricity. Piezoelectric tiles can be placed underneath the top layer of asphalt on select parts of 35W in Duluth, which is
up for repaving in 2015. The top layer of the asphalt has visco-elasto-plastic qualities which make it flexible. The vehicles that
pass over the tiles create compression stress. The compression stress deflects vertically and releases mechanical energy. The
piezoelectric elements, in the form of tiles, captures the mechanical energy charges and converts them into electricity which can be
used immediately, stored, or sent back to the grid.
Because the piezoelectric tiles are underneath a layer of asphalt, the road can be maintained the same as it would be if there weren’t
any tiles. The road can be plowed and swept the same way, and the tiles themselves do not require any maintenance beyond
routine system checks. The life span of the tiles is approximately 30 years, and the installation of the tiles does not change the
characteristics or load reaction of the asphalt. This does not affect a car’s MPG.
There are currently five countries that we have found to have installed piezoelectric systems. Anything from a rail line in Israel, to tiles
in the train station in Tokyo, underneath portions of the Veneto-Trieste highway in Italy, to underneath dance floors in England and the
Netherlands. Well, why not Duluth? Installation of the piezo tiles underneath 35W would make Duluth the first city in the US and in
the western hemisphere to capitalize on this technology. This installation could not only put Duluth on the map, but directly affect the
mayor’s 90 by 20 goal.
We are proposing that piezo tiles be installed along the points of 35W that run through Duluth and are on the ground. This way,
integrity of overpasses and bridges will not be compromised and this will also allow more energy to be created by any snow or rain
that runs down the hillside and sits on the piezo tiles.
The cost of installation after grant money allocation would be approximately $1.8 million. This is what Duluth would be responsible
for. This is only 27.5% of what the total cost would be if it all ten miles of the road that runs through Duluth would be repaved. The
six miles of 35 that we are proposing to be lined with these tiles would produce over 22 million kilowatt hours in one year. That is 2
million more kwh than the city of Duluth operations buildings used in 2010.
As stated before, the energy produced from piezo materials can be used immediately, stored, or sent back to the grid. When being
sold back to the grid, the energy company pays the holder of the kilowatts mony in the form of feed in tariffs. Feed in tariffs provide
guaranteed grid access for the energy producer, long term contracts for the electricity produced and the purchase price is based
on the cost of generation. The current going rate for feed in tariffs is 8.734 cents per kilowatt hour. That means that the city of Duluth
could make $1.9 million on the energy produced in just one year.

16. An asphalt road has visco-elasto-
plastic qualities which make it flexible.
Compression stress from vehicles passing
over the asphalt causes it to deflect
vertically, releasing mechanical energy.
Piezoelectic tiles capture these charges
and convert them into electricity which can
be used immediately, stored, or sent back
into the grid.
Global energy grid
Surface layer of asphalt
Piezo tiles
Energy from piezo tiles
Road base
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY

17. OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY
0Maintenance
With a layer of asphalt over the piezo tiles,
they do not require maintenance beyond
routine system checks.

18. 0Reduction in Car Energy
Installation of the piezo tiles do not change
the characteristics or load reaction of the
asphalt, thus not affecting a car’s MPG.
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY

19. 30Years of Life
Which just happens to be the same
lifespan of a road. Reinstall at the same
time that a road is repaved.
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY

20. 0Affect from Weather
Because there is a layer of asphalt above the piezo
tiles, roads where they are installed can be plowed
and swept as usual. As snow and rain fall on the
road, the weight contributes to energy production.
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY

21. Israel Japan
Italy
The Netherlands
England
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY
5Countries
Are currently using this technology. It has
been installed in a roadway in Italy, a rail line in
Israel, and dance club floors in the UK and the
Netherlands.

22. DULUTH
1Duluth
Put Duluth on the map! Duluth could become the
first city in the US (and Western hemisphere) to
capitalize on this technology, which could directly
affect the 90 by 20 city population goal
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY

23. 6Miles of 35W
6 miles of 35W have been chosen to be installed
with piezoelectric tiles. This is the amount of
highway that touches the ground. The integrity
of elevated sections (bridges) of 35W will not be
compromised.
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY

24. DULUTH
GRANTS
INSTALL
$4,389,000M
$2,565,084M
$1,823,916M
to install 6 miles of piezo tiles
average grant money available
paid by Duluth
Cost of installation
After grant money has been taken into consider-
ation, Duluth would be responsible for this much of
the installation cost.
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY
$1,823,916M

25. DULUTH
REPAVE
$6,615,638 cost to repave 10 miles of 35W in 2015
$1,823,916 paid by Duluth
27.5%Of the total cost of repaving
The additional amount it would cost to install
piezoelectric tiles is approximately 27.5% of the
total amount it costs to repave the same section of
highway.
OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY

26. 22,580,641
kwhis estimated to be produced along the six miles of 35W
installed with piezo tiles in
1 year
Surface layer of asphalt
Piezo tiles
Energy from piezo tiles
Road base
REWARD. ENERGY PRODUCTION
Global energy grid

27. 1,817,630kwh
more kwh are produced by 35W in one year than city
operations used in 2010. That is equivalent to
8%
REWARD. ENERGY PRODUCTION
PRODUCED
CITY
22,580,641
20,763,011
kwh produced in one year by 35W
kwh of electricity used by Duluth city operations in 2010

28. Feed In Tariffs
8.734
centspaid back to the city of Duluth per
1 kwhof energy produced
REWARD. ENERGY PRODUCTION
Global energy grid
Surface layer of asphalt
Piezo tiles
Energy from piezo tiles
Road base
Provide guaranteed grid
access for energy producer.
Long term contracts for the
electricity produced.
Purchase prices based on
the cost of generation.

29. $1,972,193M
made in one year from 6 miles of 35W
REWARD. REVENUE
8.734 cents
per kwh
1,817,630kwh
produced per year

30. ThemoneymadefromthepiezotileinstallationwouldhelptoreduceDuluth’sresidentialcarbonfootprintandenergyuseasthepopulationisprojected
to increase. We propose that three funds are generated and each year would receive a specific amount of money from feed in tariffs.
The first fund would be controlled by the city and would be used to install piezotechnology on various other infrastructures, such as sea walls, interior
streets, and rail lines. The cycle of these installations could run parallel to other infrastructure projects happening in the city. For example, rail lines
around the new multi modal transit hub in downtown could be outfitted with the energy harnessing technology and any energy produced could either
be used to power the hub or the feed in tariffs could be used to help pay for the new hub.
The second fund would be used to provide money to retro fit homes so that they are more energy efficient. This fund would extend and expand the
currentDuluth’sEnergyEfficiencyProgram(DEEP)byofferingalarger“menu“ofitemsforresidentsupgradingtheirhomes. Thisprogramwouldcutthe
energy affordability gap in half.

31. Implementation Timeline
cuts the energy
affordability gap by 1/2
517k
tonCO e2
514k
tonCO e2
510k
tonCO e2
502k
tonCO e2
494k
tonCO e2
474k
tonCO e2 455k
tonCO e2
1.307B
kWh
1.306B
kWh
1.304B
kWh
1.300B
kWh
1.296B
kWh 1.287B
kWh 1.277B
kWh
87.3kpeople
88.1kpeople
88.5kpeople
89.2kpeople
90.0kpeople
90.7kpeople
91.5kpeople
2015 2016 2017 2019 2020 20252021 2023 20242022 2026 2028 20292027 2031201420132012 20302018
$5.9M$5.7M$3.4M$2.4M$1.9M
INFRASTRUCTURE.POWERINGDULUTH’SGOALS
DuluthResidential
CarbonEmissions
DuluthResidential
ElectricityUse
Duluth
Population
piezoinstallon Rail
tofundIndustry
piezoinstallon I-35
tofundNeighborhoods
piezoinstallon MesabaAve.
tofundInfrastructure
piezoinstallon LakeAve.
tofundInfrastructure
new RevenueStream
NeighborhoodConnections
NeighborhoodEnergyEfficiency
additional774tonCOereduction/year2
1.9MkWhreduction/year
city fund
24%
38%
38% neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
city fund
24%
31%
31% neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
14%
new install
56%
city fund
22%
22%
neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
city fund
32%
14%
14%
neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
40%
new install
city fund
33%
14%
14%
neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
39%
new install

32. Implementation Timeline
435k
tonCO e2
415k
tonCO e2 395k
tonCO e2
375k
tonCO e21.267B
kWh 1.258B
kWh 1.248B
kWh 1.238B
kWh
92.2kpeople
93.0kpeople
93.8kpeople
94.6kpeople
20322031 2033 2034 2036 2037 2038 2039 2041 2042 20442043 2045 2046 2047 2048 2049 205020402035
$7.0M$6.0M $4.9M $5.8M
.
ure
piezoinstallon SuperiorSt.
tofundInfrastructure
piezoinstallon LakeWalls
tofundEnvironment
piezoinstallon Rail
tofundIndustry
re-installpiezoon I-35
piezoinstallon LakeWalls
tofundEnvironment
fund
hood energy
y
hood
ons
new install
city fund
47%
14%
14%
neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
25%
new install
city fund
11%
12%
12%
neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
65%
new install
city fund
35%
16%
16%
neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
33%
new install
city fund
45%
14%
14%
neighborhood energy
efficiency
neighborhood
connections
27%
new install

33. Neighborhood Fund
The third fund would be dedicated to neighborhoods and used
to upgrade infrastructure. The upgrades would incorporate
piezotechnology installations to produce energy and money
for the neighborhood. We started looking at five specific
neighborhoods within Duluth; all have comprehensive plans,
active communities, and common goals. These neighborhoods
are Morgan Park, West Duluth, Lincoln Park and the combined
Central and East Hillside communities. Morgan Park provided
us with an opportunitiy to show how this technology can mark
the future developments for the community. The technology
would be in the form of poles that bend in the wind or when
covered with snow, which create compression on piezotiles to
produce energy.
Former: US Steel site
Future: Piezo production site
Morgan Park
Master Plan
Entrances to Morgan Park
88th Avenue West: Business district
and former middle school as mixed
use development
Connections to Lake Superior. Recreation areas,
nature center, defunct rail lines turned to trails.
Heat Lamp
Lamp
Piezo Tiles
Poles bend with
wind, creating energy

34. Nissa Tupper
tuppe036@umn.edu
Jen Krava
krava004@umn.edu