The city of Madison is exploring geothermal energy to modernize Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, aiming to move it off the Capitol Heat and Power Plant’s steam network and reduce both costs and carbon emissions, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The city is studying three geothermal technologies, but limited space and environmental constraints make implementation challenging.
The city secured a $50,000 grant from the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence to fund an $80,000 feasibility study with engineering firm Hammel, Green and Abrahamson. However, the study remains on hold while Madison waits for confirmation that federal funding will be honored.
Monona Terrace’s location — surrounded by Lake Monona, roadways, railroad tracks, and a former landfill — complicates drilling for a conventional geoexchange system. To work around this, the city is considering alternative methods, including a groundwater-based system with fewer boreholes or a lake-based heat exchanger that would pull heat from deeper waters.
A lake-based system would require approval from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and present maintenance challenges but could avoid the land-use constraints of an onshore installation. If the project moves forward, the city plans to conduct small-scale tests to refine the system design and minimize risk.
With Monona Terrace’s aging infrastructure in need of upgrades, officials see this as a prime opportunity to transition to a sustainable heating and cooling solution, provided the logistical and funding hurdles can be overcome.
