Mechanics

This is another section of the District Energy power plant in downtown St Paul. I couldn't explain to you what all of this does, but I will just call it the meat and potatoes of the operation.

Wood Silo

This silo is a storage bin that holds up to 1000 pounds of wood chips. Which is the amount the District Energy plant burns in one day. The clean energy power plant is used to create electricity, heating, and cooling for the St Paul downtown and nearby areas. In the past, I've referred to this power plant as the 'smoke factory'.

Turning Wood Into Electricity

That smoke you see rising out of the top of this building is actually steam. I've featured this building many times in the past, but always from a distance and refered to it as the 'smoke factory'. The purpose of this building is electricty, heating, and cooling. It burns 1000 tons of wood chips per day. It's fancy technology boils water very hot, creating electricity in it's turbine blades. The hot water is the pumped through underground pipes heating nearly all of the buildings in the downtown area. There is also a really fancy technology called a steam absorption chiller that condensed the steam vapor back into a liquid, cooling the water down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This water is also pumped into the downtown area into air-condition units to keep the buildings cool in the summer months.

Prepare For Digital Television

February 17, 2009....That is the last day to receive over the air, analog television signals in the United States. The morning of February 18, you should receive 'snow' on your screen without a convert box. While some television providers will continue to broadcast analog signals, the majority are no longer allowed too to make way for future innovative services. If you have cable, satellite or have digital television, a converter box is not necessary. As of now, you have less than 9 months, or 269 days before the switch....

For more information:

DTV Answers
Digital TV Facts
Digital TV Transition