The Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, Minn., is improving the energy efficiency of its 64,000-sq-foot facility with the goal of reducing its electrical consumption by 30 percent by 2016. A 30 percent reduction would cut $2,000 off its average monthly utility bills. Since the aquarium launched its energy efficiency effort about a year ago, it has cut its electrical bill by about 10 percent, reports the Duluth News Tribune.
The Duluth Aquarium was inspired by the energy efficiency retrofits at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
The Duluth Aquarium worked with Minnesota Power to identify quick energy-efficiency upgrades, such as switching out its metal halide lights to LEDs. It also installed variable frequency drives on its oversized water pumps and installed a capacitor bank to help better control its power supply. The investments are expected to cut the aquarium’s electrical use by 343,000 kWh per year.