July 2024

July 2023

Inside the Newsletter:

2024 Symposium | Water Conservation | Waste Reduction | Energy Efficiency | Salt Symposium | Intern Symposium

2024 MnTAP Intern Program to Wrap up with Symposium

The summer has flown by in Minnesota! Here at MnTAP, we are working with our 2024 MnTAP Intern Cohort to wrap up their projects and summarize all the recommendations made. Help us celebrate the accomplishments of these interns as they wrap up their summer projects. MnTAP staff are grateful that in collaboration with our sponsors, host companies, and interns, we have been able to carry out safe, high-impact projects for pollution prevention, energy, and water efficiency during the 2024 MnTAP Intern Program.

This year’s event will feature 14 projects that span a variety of industries and focus areas. MnTAP’s Intern Cohort has been hard at work identifying solutions and best practices that bring savings to MN businesses, organizations, and communities.

Don’t miss out! The 2024 MnTAP Intern Symposium is scheduled for Wednesday August 14, 2024 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm CDT. This event will be held at McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota, as well as streamed live via Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. Register now and get this fun, informative event on your calendar!

REGISTER

For More Information, Contact:

Matt Domski – Intern Program Manager
612-624-5119
mdomski@umn.edu

Water Efficiency Projects

Water-leaking-tubeAlthough Minnesota has an abundant supply of clean water, the costs and impacts of consuming water can add up quickly for companies. With the economic and environmental impacts in mind, many businesses are considering how to conserve more water in their operations and improve the efficiency of their facilities. MnTAP strives to help companies optimize water use to save money, avoid additional charges, and reduce environmental impact. This summer, MnTAP interns are mapping facility water use and identifying opportunities for reuse and conservation.

The following projects have water efficiency components and will be featured at the 2024 MnTAP Intern Symposium:

Waste & Pollution Prevention Projects

Interns are targeting a variety of sources of waste and pollutants through this year’s projects. Multiple sites are investigating opportunities to minimize product loss and food waste. Others are exploring solutions that increase waste diversion and beneficial reuse of by-products. Sites are also targeting wastewater loading pollutants, as well as finding ways to cut down on the use of chemicals in process or implement material substitutions. Addressing these waste and pollution prevention opportunities is not only good for our environment, it can result in cost savings associated with purchasing, production, and handling, as well as disposal of byproducts and wastewater discharge.

The following projects have waste and/or pollution prevention components and will be featured at the 2024 MnTAP Intern Symposium:

  • FINNOVATION Lab, Minneapolis, MN– Lead a project focused on upcycling various food waste feedstocks from a manufacturing facility, and potentially, other sites, using technology at a start-up company.
  • Lakeside Foods, Owatonna, MN – Lead a project focused on waste diversion, wastewater loading reduction, and water conservation at a food manufacturing facility.
  • Liberty Paper Inc., Becker, MN– Lead a project focused on water conservation and reduction of landfill waste at a recycled linerboard manufacturer.
  • Michael Foods, Chaska, MN– Lead a project focused on water conservation, wastewater loading reduction, and energy efficiency at a food manufacturing facility.
  • Niron Magnetics, Minneapolis, MN– Lead a project focused on green chemistry for a materials technology company.

Energy Efficiency Projects

water pumpsAll businesses, especially manufacturers, can benefit greatly from implementing energy conservation solutions. Doing so can reduce costs and give your facility a competitive advantage. This year, two intern projects place a significant focus on energy efficiency opportunities, while other projects will bring in energy solutions as a secondary focus to water efficiency and pollution prevention efforts. Analyzing process energy efficiency, compressed air systems, potential lighting upgrades, and more will help companies identify energy efficiency solutions at their facilities. Interns are busy defining these opportunities for their host sites and quantifying the impacts that implementation can have on their business bottom line.

The following projects have energy efficiency components and will be featured at the 2024 MnTAP Intern Symposium:

2024 Salt Symposium – Livestream – August 6-7, 2024

You’re invited to the 25th Annual Salt Symposium! The Salt Symposium celebrates the optimization of salt use to improve community sustainability and protect vital freshwater systems and infrastructure. Free MPCA Smart Salting training included!

More Information

Save the Date! 2024 MnTAP Intern Symposium

Plan to attend the 2024 MnTAP Intern Symposium scheduled for Wednesday August 14, 2024 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm CDT. This event is open to the public and will also be streamed live from the Symposium venue at McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota. Register now and get this fun, informative event on your calendar!

MnTAP is proud to host 14 interns at companies throughout the state this summer. All the interns for the 2024 MnTAP Intern Program cohort are paving away at their project objectives. By the end of August, these interns will have worked closely with their host companies to evaluate opportunities, recommend solutions and as time allows, implement those solutions! The outputs of their work will result in using materials more efficiently, reducing waste, decreasing use of hazardous materials, improving energy efficiency, and/or saving water. This will be an inspiring afternoon that you do not want to miss!

REGISTER