VII.1. Resolution Adopting an Energy Action Plan for the City of Hopkins; Howard
CITY OF HOPKINS
City Council Report 2024-057
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: Kurt Howard, Planner
Date: May 7, 2024
Subject: Resolution Adopting an Energy Action Plan for the City of Hopkins
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
MOTION TO Adopt Resolution 2024-035, adopting an Energy Action Plan for the City of
Hopkins.
OVERVIEW
The City of Hopkins Energy Action Plan provides a road map for Hopkins's energy
future by documenting community-defined goals that will create benefits for residents,
businesses, and the environment by saving energy, reducing costs, and avoiding
greenhouse gas emissions. The Plan is the culmination of more than a year's work by
the Hopkins Energy Action Team, consisting of community members, city staff,
members of Hopkins boards and commissions, and the Mayor, who participated in a
series of workshops to develop energy-related goals and chart out a plan of action to
achieve them. The planning process was made possible by Xcel Energy's Partners in
Energy Program, which provides free subject matter expertise, project management,
and implementation support to communities that are selected for the program.
The Plan begins by establishing a baseline for Hopkins’s current energy use by
reviewing historic energy data provided by Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy. The
Plan then documents a vision for Hopkins’s desired future energy use as defined by the
Energy Action Team, as well as a community-wide goal to avoid an additional 40% of
energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2028 compared to a business -as-usual
scenario, which would save the community $1.9 million in the process. The team also
established a stretch goal of avoiding an additional 95% of greenhouse gas emissions
by 2028, which would save the community a total of $3.5 million. The Plan proposes to
meet this goal by implementing strategies and tactics associated with four focus areas:
Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Development, and Electric Vehicle
Infrastructure. The actions within the Plan will be implemented with inclusion and equity
at the forefront, and with the need for the Hopkins community to have easy access to
information and resources represented throughout all four focus areas.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
• Resolution 2024-035 Adopting an Energy Action Plan for the City of Hopkins
• An Energy Action Plan for the City of Hopkins
Planning & Economic
Development
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 2024-035
RESOLUTION ADOPTING AN ENERGY ACTION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF
HOPKINS
WHEREAS, the Cultivate Hopkins 2040 Comprehensive Plan contains a goal of
increasing the use of solar power and other renewable sources for city infrastructure,
facilities, and operations and encouraging residents and businesses to make renewable
energy improvements; and
WHEREAS, Xcel Energy offers cost-free services to assist communities in the
development and implementation of an energy plan through its Partners in Energy
program; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Hopkins directed staff to apply for
participation in the Partners in Energy program at its Regular Meeting on October 4,
2022 and the City of Hopkins was accepted into the program on February 6, 2023; and
WHEREAS, an Energy Action Team, consisting of community members, city staff,
members of Hopkins boards and commissions, and the Mayor, was convened and
participated in a series of planning workshops to develop energy-related goals and
associated implementation actions; and
WHEREAS, the goals and implementation actions identified by the Energy Action
Team were documented in the form of an Energy Action Plan,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Hopkins
hereby adopt an Energy Action Plan for the City of Hopkins.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins this 7th day of May, 2024.
By:___________________________
Patrick Hanlon, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
An Energy Action Plan for
The City of Hopkins
2024
Hopkins Energy Action Plan i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to the following individuals who contributed many hours of service to developing this
Energy Action Plan.
The content of this plan is derived from a series of planning workshops hosted by Xcel Energy’s
Partners in Energy. Xcel Energy is the electric utility serving Hopkins. Partners in Energy is a
two-year collaboration to develop and implement a community’s energy goals. For more
information about the planning workshops, see Appendix 5: Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy
Planning Process.
Energy Action Team
NAME AFFILIATION
Dominique Pierre-Toussaint Director of Community Relations, ICA
Dan Poretti Homeowner
Gary DeVaan Homeowner
Jim Green Planning and Zoning Commission, City of Hopkins
Jodene Riha Board Member, Hopkins Business and Civic Association
Kersten Elverum Director of Planning and Economic Development, City of
Hopkins
Kristin Hanneman Member, City of Hopkins Park Board
Kurt Howard Planner, City of Hopkins; Partners in Energy Community
Lead
Leigh Browning Homeowner
Matthew Miller Member, City of Hopkins Park Board
Molly Dionne Homeowner
Patrick Hanlon Mayor, City of Hopkins
PeggySue Imihy Bean Special Projects and Initiatives Manager, City of Hopkins
Peter Leih Homeowner
Utility Representatives and Facilitators
Paolo Speirn Partners in Energy Community Facilitator
Deirdre Coleman Partners in Energy Community Facilitator
Kelsey Poljacik Partners in Energy Community Facilitator
Michelle Frost Partners in Energy Community Facilitator
Sofia Troutman Program Manager, Xcel Energy's Partners in Energy
Hopkins Energy Action Plan ii
Adam Burr Account Manager, Xcel Energy
Kathryn Knudson Local Energy Policy Manager, CenterPoint Energy
This Energy Action Plan was funded by and developed in collaboration with Xcel Energy’s
Partners in Energy. Partners in Energy shall not be responsible for any content, analysis, or
results if Hopkins has made modifications to the plan.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... i
Glossary of Terms ...................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5
Where We Are Now ................................................................................................................... 7
Community Demographics ..................................................................................................... 7
Energy Use and Savings ........................................................................................................ 8
Grid Energy Use ................................................................................................................. 9
Energy Costs and Energy Burden .....................................................................................11
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ..............................................................................................13
Renewable Energy ............................................................................................................14
Energy Efficiency Program Participation & Savings ...........................................................15
Where We Are Going ................................................................................................................19
Energy Vision Statement .......................................................................................................19
Focus Areas ..........................................................................................................................19
Community-Wide Goals ........................................................................................................20
Energy Action Plan Impact ....................................................................................................21
How We Are Going To Get There .............................................................................................24
Umbrella Strategies: Energy Equity & Information Access ....................................................24
Focus Area: Energy Efficiency ..............................................................................................24
Focus Area: Sustainable Development .................................................................................26
Focus Area: Renewable Energy ............................................................................................27
Focus Area: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure ............................................................................29
How We Stay On Course ..........................................................................................................31
Appendix 1: Implementation Work Plan ....................................................................................33
Appendix 2: Baseline Energy Analysis ......................................................................................41
Appendix 3: Methodology for Measuring Success .....................................................................50
Appendix 4: Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy Planning Process ..............................................55
Appendix 5: Implementation Memorandum of Understanding ...................................................62
1
2
3
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
15 x 15: Xcel Energy’s privacy rule, which required all data summary statistics to contain at
least 15 premises, with no single premise responsible for more than 15% of the total. Following
these rules, if a premise(s) was responsible for more than 15% of the total for that data set, it
was/they were removed from the summary. Prior to 2023, Partners in Energy used the 15 x 15
rule, including the baseline data for this plan.
4 x 50: Xcel Energy’s privacy rule, which requires all data summary statistics to contain at least
four premises, with no single premise responsible for more than 50% of the total. Following
these rules, if a premise(s) is responsible for more than 50% of the total for that data set, it
is/they are removed from the summary. This rule is in effect starting in 2023 and will govern all
data going forward.
Beneficial Electrification: The transition from fossil fuels to electricity where benefits are
achieved through reduced emissions and energy costs.
British Thermal Unit (BTU): The amount of heat needed to raise one pound of water at
maximum density through one-degree Fahrenheit.
Carbon-free: Carbon-free refers to sources of energy that will not emit additional carbon
dioxide into the air. Wind, solar and nuclear energy are all carbon-free sources but only wind
and solar are renewable.
Carbon-neutral: Carbon-neutral, also described as “net zero”, could include carbon-free
sources but is broader and refers to energy that removes or avoids as much carbon dioxide as
is released over a set period of time. Carbon-neutral is sometimes used to describe a site that
produces an excess amount of electricity from a renewable energy source, such as solar,
compared to what it consumes. That excess energy is put back into the grid in an amount that
offsets the carbon dioxide produced from the electricity it draws from the grid when it is not
producing renewable energy.
Demand Side Management (DSM): Modification of consumer demand for energy through
various methods, including education and financial incentives. DSM aims to encourage
consumers to decrease energy consumption, especially during peak hours, or to shift time-of-
energy use to off-peak periods such as nighttime and weekend.
Energy Burden: Percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs.
Energy Efficiency: Using less energy to accomplish the same amount of heating, cooling, or
other energy-dependent task. A building that now uses less energy to maintain a given interior
temperature (by, for example, upgrading its insulation) has become more energy efficient.
Energy Reduction: The result of behavior changes that cause less energy to be used. For
example, setting the thermostat to a lower temperature reduces the energy used in your home
during the winter. Since energy reductions can be easily reversed, they are not accounted for
when calculating changes in energy usage.
Energy Savings: Energy savings come from a permanent change that results in using less
energy to achieve the same results. A new furnace uses X% less energy to keep your home at
4
the same temperature (all things being equal), resulting in energy savings of X%. For
accounting purposes, energy savings are only counted in the year the new equipment is
installed.
Greenhouse Gases (GHG): Gases in the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation and
significantly contribute to climate change. The primary greenhouse gases in the earth's
atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
Grid Decarbonization: The current planned reduction in the carbon intensity of electricity
provided by electric utilities through the addition of low- or no-carbon energy sources to the
electricity grid.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): A unit of electricity consumption.
Million British Thermal Units (MMBtu): A unit of energy consumption that allows electricity
and natural gas consumption to be combined.
Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (MTCO2e): A unit of measure for greenhouse gas
emissions. The unit "CO2e" represents an amount of a greenhouse gas whose atmospheric
impact has been standardized to that of one unit mass of carbon dioxide (CO2), based on the
global warming potential (GWP) of the gas.
Megawatt (MW): A unit of electric power equal to 1 million watts.
Premise: A unique combination of service address and meter. For residential customers, this is
the equivalent of an individual house or dwelling unit in a multi-tenant building. For business
customers, it is an individual business, or for a larger business, a separately metered portion of
the business’s load at that address.
Renewable Energy Certificate (REC): For every megawatt-hour of clean, renewable electricity
generation, a renewable energy certificate (REC) is created. A REC embodies all the
environmental attributes of the generation and can be tracked and traded separately from the
underlying electricity. Also known as a Renewable Energy Credit.
Resilience: The ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and withstand and
recover rapidly from disruptions. Resilience includes the ability to withstand and recover from
deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally occurring threats or incidents.
Solar Garden: Shared solar array with grid-connected subscribers who receive bill credits for
their subscriptions.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV): Solar cells/panels that convert sunlight into electricity (convert light, or
photons, into electricity, or voltage).
Subscription: An agreement to purchase a certain amount of something in regular intervals.
Therm (thm): A unit of natural gas consumption.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 5
INTRODUCTION
The City of Hopkins has made great progress toward becoming a sustainable and resilient city
through participation in programs such as SolSmart and GreenStep Cities, which have helped it
reach solar and other sustainability goals. The City also emphasizes sustainability in its 2040
comprehensive plan by focusing on resilience and clean energy.
Hopkins has already taken on projects to slow climate change impacts such as the extreme
heat conditions mapping project and a collaborative project with HOURCAR and Xcel Energy to
provide electric vehicle (EV) charger at Dow Towers, and is considering fleet electrification of
City vehicles. Hopkins is proud to tout its bikeability, walkability and accessible infrastructure.
Engagement & Outreach Process
The creation of this Energy Action Plan was a six-month process that supported the Hopkins
community to characterize its energy use, identify the community’s energy-related goals, and
develop engaging strategies to guide change toward Hopkins’ energy future. Starting in May
2023, the Energy Action Plan was driven by a series of planning workshops held in the
community with a planning team committed to representing local energy priorities in
collaboration with City of Hopkins and Xcel Energy Partners in Energy. By the numbers,
Partners in Energy engaged the community with 3 surveys, 5 workshops and 15 community
participants. See Appendix 5: Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy Planning Process for more
information.
Why We Want an Energy Action Plan
An Energy Action Plan will advance a community-driven planning process that will establish
clear goals to deliver an energy future that reflects the community’s values and commitment to
sustainability. In the City’s Comprehensive Planning process, sustainability was defined as
meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
theirs. This planning effort is an important step in helping the community meet that definition of
sustainability.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 6
This plan establishes a baseline of the community’s current energy use, identifies benchmarks
for progress toward defined goals, and helps the community evaluate opportunities to
participate in energy-related programs in the future.
All census tracts in the City of Hopkins are defined by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
as Environmental Justice Areas of Concern,1 and the City is committed to reducing harm to low-
income and BIPOC communities due to environmental injustices. As a community with a lower
average annual income than most other urban Hennepin County cities, many households have
expressed concern regarding energy and utility costs, especially residents who rent. In Hopkins,
67% of households rent, and just under half of those renters are housing cost-burdened,
spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
There is also a great desire to access solar or other energy-powered sustainability products
(heat pumps, induction stoves, etc.), but there is a lack of awareness regarding how the
products function and whether they are even affordable for those interested. This plan ultimately
aims to meet the unique needs of all of Hopkins’ residents and businesses.
1 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, “Understanding Environmental Justice in Minnesota”
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 7
WHERE WE ARE NOW
An integral part of the Partners in Energy planning process is reviewing historic energy data to
inform Hopkins’ community’s energy baseline. Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy provided
data on energy use, participation counts and utility energy conservation program savings for
Hopkins, as detailed in the following sections. See Appendix 2: Baseline Energy Analysis for a
comprehensive picture of Hopkins’ baseline energy data.
Community Demographics
Population
According to the American Community Survey 2021 five-year estimates, Hopkins’ population of
almost 19,000 residents lived in around 10,000 housing units. Compared to other Twin Cities
communities, Hopkins is a more racially and ethnically diverse community in which 36% of
residents identify as non-white and 22% speak a language other than English. A poverty rate of
12% and a median household income of $61,000 make the community less wealthy than some
of its peer cities. With 92% of its housing built before 2000, most Hopkins residents live in
housing stock with significant opportunity for energy efficiency improvements because of age
and older building codes. Additionally, 67% of units in Hopkins are renter-occupied, presenting
unique opportunities for energy efficiency measures targeted at renter-occupied units. See
Figure 1 for a community demographic profile.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 8
Figure 1. Overview of Hopkins’ community demographics2
Energy Use and Savings
Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy provided data on energy use as well as participation and
energy savings from utility energy conservation programs for the City of Hopkins, as detailed in
the following sections. Electricity data from Xcel Energy and natural gas data from CenterPoint
Energy was used to create a three-year baseline for Hopkins spanning 2020–2022.
Premises
Xcel Energy provides electricity to Hopkins residents and businesses and CenterPoint Energy
provides natural gas service. Hopkins consists of 9,663 electric premises, which are a unique
combination of service addresses and meters.3 For residential customers, this is the equivalent
of an individual house or dwelling unit in a multi-tenant building. For business customers, a
premise may be an individual business, or for a larger business, a separately metered portion of
the business’s load at that address.
Most Hopkins premises are residential (8,613), followed by commercial and industrial (1,007)
and finally municipal (63) (Figure 2).
2 American Community Survey, 2021 five-year estimates
3 See Glossary of Terms for complete definitions of common energy terms.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 9
Figure 2. Premise count and sector breakdown4
Grid Energy Use
On average, Hopkins consumes 172 million kWh of electricity and 9.6 million therms of natural
gas across all sectors per year (Figure 3). Commercial and industrial premises, which represent
10% of all premises, consumed 70% of electricity and 62% of natural gas on average.
Comparatively, residences make up 89% of all premises but consumed only 28% of electricity
and 36% of natural gas in an average year. Municipal premises represent less than 1% of all
premises and consumed 2% of electricity and 2% of natural gas in Hopkins.
To compare electricity and natural gas consumption, total energy consumption was calculated
using both electricity and natural gas converted into million British thermal units (MMBtu). Taken
together, the commercial industrial customers consumed the most energy in an average year,
followed by residents and the municipal sector.
4 Xcel Energy, 2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 10
Figure 3. Residential and commercial and industrial energy consumption5
During the three-year baseline period, overall electricity consumption increased by 1.8% (Figure
4). Residential consumption decreased slightly (1.7%) while commercial and industrial
consumption increased by 3.4%, leading to a total increase in electricity consumption.
Consumption was lowest in 2021, despite having higher cooling degree days (CDD), which
indicates a hotter summer and typically a greater need for cooling.
Figure 4. Electricity consumption by sector, 2020–20226
5 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022; CenterPoint Energy, 2020–2022
6 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 11
Natural gas consumption increased across all sectors from 2020–2022, with a total increase of
11.2% (Figure 5). In the residential sector, natural gas consumption increased by 10.2%, and in
the commercial and industrial sector, increased by 11.6%. The increase in natural gas
consumption in Hopkins correlates with more heating degree days (HDD), which indicate a
colder winter and typically a greater need for space heating.
Figure 5. Natural gas consumption by sector, 2020–20227
Energy Costs and Energy Burden
In an average year, Hopkins residents and businesses spend a combined total of $28 million
across all sectors on energy (Figure 6). The average Hopkins residential premise spends
$1,523 on electricity and natural gas each year, while the average commercial and industrial
premise spends $18,482 each year.
7 CenterPoint Energy, 2020–2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 12
Figure 6. Total fuel costs sector breakdown8
Table 1. Fuel costs by premise, by fuel and by sector9
Energy burden is the percentage of total household income spent on annual utility bills
(including electric, gas and/or other heating fuels). Homes that are energy inefficient may
require greater spending on energy bills, which can increase energy burden. Low-income
households may pay a greater proportion of their total income on utility bills, increasing their
energy burden. American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy (ACEEE) considers homes
8 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022; CenterPoint Energy, 2020–2022
9 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022; CenterPoint Energy, 2020–2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 13
with an energy burden of 6% or more of their income to be experiencing “high energy burden,”
and 10% or more as “severely energy burdened.”10
Figure 7. Average annual energy burden in Hopkins, plotted against Area Median Income (AMI) and
occupancy status11
In Hopkins, baseline energy burden was examined as it correlates with area median income and
occupancy status (owner-occupied or renter-occupied housing) (Figure 7). Energy burden was
highest for residents with a household income at 0–30% of the total Area Median Income (AMI)
living in owner-occupied housing. At 0–30% AMI, energy burden was 16% for residents in
owner-occupied housing and 7% for residents in renter-occupied units. As household income
increases in Hopkins, energy burden decreases. In all AMI brackets below 100%, energy
burden is higher for owner-occupied households than renter-occupied units.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions were calculated for both electricity and natural gas consumption for
all sectors in Hopkins.12 In 2022, total energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in Hopkins
amounted to just over 104,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e), a standard
10 ACEEE: “How High Are Household Energy Burdens?” https://www.aceee.org/energy-burden
11 Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
12 Electricity emissions are calculated using Xcel Energy’s preliminary and certified emissions factors for
their Upper Midwest Fuel Mix for 2020, 2021 and 2022. Emissions factors used during the planning
process to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption may change as Xcel Energy
completes third-party verification for its emissions intensities. A universal emissions factor sourced from
the EPA was used to calculate natural gas emissions. See Table 15 for the emissions factors used to
calculate energy-related emissions in Hopkins.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 14
measure of GHG emissions. Total greenhouse gas emissions increased in Hopkins by 7.4%
from 2020 to 2022 (Figure 8). In 2022, residential premises represented 31.8% of the total
energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, commercial and industrial premises represented
another 66.4% of the total, while the remaining 1.8% of emissions related to municipal
premises.
Figure 8. Energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in Hopkins, 2020–202213
Renewable Energy
Hopkins residents and businesses use both subscription programs and on-site options to
support renewable energy. In Hopkins, there are more residential participants in Xcel Energy’s
renewable offerings than commercial/industrial participants, but commercial/industrial
participants subscribe to more electricity (including Community Solar) than residential
participants in these offerings (Table 2). Xcel Energy’s Windsource® (which transitioned into
Renewable*Connect Flex in 2023) and Renewable*Connect® programs allow residents and
businesses to access renewable energy directly from the utility to provide some or all a
premise’s electricity from a renewable source. Solar*Rewards Community is a program that
gives participants the opportunity to subscribe to a local, third-party community solar garden.
13 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022; CenterPoint Energy, 2020–2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 15
Table 2. Participation in Xcel Energy renewable energy offerings, 2022 Residential Commercial & Industrial
Windsource® & Renewable*Connect®
Subscriber Count 454 5
Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 1,438,066 61,488
Community Solar Gardens - Solar*Rewards®
Community Subscriber Count 72 45
Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 525,831 6,163,925
Total Xcel Energy Subscription Renewable
Energy Support Subscriber Count 526 50
Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 1,963,897 6,225,413
Percent of Sector Xcel Energy Electricity
Use14 4.1% 4.8%
Residents and businesses also support renewable energy through on-site installations (Table
3). As of 2022, 30 residents and 12 businesses participated in Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards®
or Net-Metering offerings, where participants install solar panels on-site.
Table 3. Participation in Xcel Energy on-site solar offerings15
On-site Solar - Solar*Rewards®
and Net-Metering Residential
Commercial & Industrial
Participant Count 30 12
Total Electricity Capacity (kW) 229 692
Energy Efficiency Program Participation and Savings
Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy offer energy conservation programs to residents and
businesses to help them manage energy consumption at a home or business. Rebates for new
equipment, audit programs, and other energy measures are available in addition to load
management programs. Participation in these programs can result in energy savings through
increased energy efficiency. From 2020 to 2022, participation in Xcel Energy residential and
commercial and industrial offerings resulted in an average of 2.3 million kWh saved each year,
across all sectors (Table 4). Municipal premises are included in the commercial and industrial
aggregations.
14 Xcel Energy retains the renewable energy credits (REC) for community solar garden subscriptions. The
percent reported here is provided to give a sense of the total size of renewable energy subscriptions
compared to overall electricity use.
15 Xcel Energy Community Energy Report for Hopkins, 2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 16
Table 4. Average participation and electricity savings through Xcel Energy ’s energy efficiency offerings,
2020–2022
Sector
Average Annual
Participation
Average Electricity
Savings (kWh)
Residential 386 104,660
Commercial and Industrial 82 2,215,254
Total 468 2,319,914
CenterPoint Energy’s energy efficiency programs for residents and businesses help them
conserve natural gas through program participation. Over the three-year baseline period,
residents and businesses saved an average of over 70,000 therms of natural gas each year
(Table 5).
Table 5. Average participation and natural gas savings through CenterPoint Energy’s energy efficiency
offerings, 2020–2022
Sector
Average Annual
Participation
Average Natural Gas
Savings (therms)
Residential 1,328 29,748
Commercial and Industrial 84 40,997
Total 1,412 70,745
Residents and businesses in Hopkins saw high levels of participation in select Xcel Energy
offerings. Hopkins residents participated the most in Residential Heating and Cooling (Table 6),
an offering for residents to receive rebates for upgrading to more efficient equipment, where the
sector also saw the highest total electricity savings during the baseline period. However,
residents saved the most electricity per participant through the Home Energy Squad, an in-
home audit and direct install program that provides personalized home assessments to help
residents identify ways to save energy as well as install free low-cost equipment.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 17
Table 6. Average participation and savings from key Xcel Energy residential energy efficiency programs,
2020–2022
Residential Program Average Annual
Participation
Average
Electricity
Savings (kWh)
Average
Savings per
Premise (kWh)
Home Energy Savings Program 5 2,331 499
Home Energy Squad16 14 15,198 1,060
Residential Heating and Cooling 154 57,373 372
Refrigerator Recycling 29 24,451 834
Residential Saver’s Switch 119 173 2
In the commercial and industrial sector (Table 7), businesses participated the most and saw the
highest per-participant electricity savings from Lighting Efficiency; this program offers audits and
rebates for businesses to upgrade to more energy efficient lighting.
Table 7. Average participation and savings from key Xcel Energy commercial and industrial energy
efficiency programs, 2020–2022
Commercial and Industrial
Program
Average Annual
Participation
Average
Electricity
Savings (kWh)
Average
Savings per
Premise (kWh)
HVAC +R Efficiency 12 210,443 17,063
Lighting Efficiency 22 1,354,605 60,654
Multi-family Building Efficiency 13 127,970 9,844
Small Business Lighting 18 224,119 12,225
Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure
Electric Vehicle and Charging Baseline
The state of Minnesota’s electric vehicle (EV) adoption rate increased by 221% from 2018 to
2020.17 Technology improvements in charging speed, battery range, and other factors impacted
adoption rates according to Minnesota’s Department of Transportation.
Table 8. Electric vehicles by zip code18
16 Home Energy Squad is provided by Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy and delivered by CEE
17 Minnesota Department of Transportation Electric Vehicle Dashboard , 2022
18 Minnesota Department of Transportation Electric Vehicle Dashboard, 2022
Zip Code Battery Electric
Vehicles (BEV)
Plug-in Hybrid
Electric Vehicles
(PHEV)
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 18
Minnesota also adopted an Electric
Vehicle Infrastructure Plan in 2022.
There are 538 EVs
in the two zip codes associated with the City of Hopkins.
Charging Infrastructure
There are four level 2 public charging stations in convenient locations throughout the city,
including the municipal building’s parking ramp and a popular grocer.
Figure 9: Hopkins area public EV charging stations19
19 Plug Share, plugshare.com
55305 259 78
55343 145 56
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 19
WHERE WE ARE GOING
Energy Vision Statement
During the planning process, the Energy Action Team created a vision statement for this Energy
Action Plan. This statement helped guide the planning process and reflects the intention of the
community.
Vision Statement
Hopkins’ Energy Action Plan will have a positive effect on residents, businesses, and
the environment. The plan will save energy and greenhouse gas emissions through
leadership, pragmatic action, and cost-effective solutions. Reflecting the values of the
Hopkins community, the plan will create a more equitable, resilient city where
residents and businesses have the opportunity to thrive.
Focus Areas
To achieve a community-wide commitment to energy stewardship, the Energy Action Team
identified the following focus areas to prioritize strategies and resources.
Energy Equity
Renewable Energy EV Infrastructure Energy Efficiency Sustainable Development
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 20
These focus areas were chosen to reflect the distinct character, values, and population of
Hopkins, and to both include Hopkins’ existing work on energy conservation and broaden that
work into new sectors. With new incentives coming to communities from the federal Inflation
Reduction Act and new and updated utility programs delivered as part of the state of
Minnesota’s Energy Conservation and Optimization Act (ECO), the future of energy efficiency
will be more affordable to residents. There will also be more opportunities for carbon reduction
through beneficial electrification.
Energy Equity
This focus area aims to decrease energy burden and increase access to resources for the City’s
most vulnerable residents. Rather than siloing this work into a single focus area, it is an over-
arching intention for all work in this plan.
Renewable Energy
The purpose of this focus area is to increase access to wind and solar energy for residents,
businesses and municipal buildings while increasing Hopkins’ resilience.
EV Infrastructure
This focus area will promote chargers, electrical upgrades and other infrastructure to increase
charging availability for a variety of electric vehicles, including micromobility.
Energy Efficiency
This focus area encompasses all measures to improve the energy efficiency of existing
residential and commercial buildings, including single-family homes, multi-family buildings and
businesses.
Sustainable Development
Maximizing energy efficiency, renewable energy and electrification opportunities, this focus
area’s strategies benefit the future buildings of Hopkins.
Community-Wide Goals
The Energy Action Team set goals during the planning process by deciding which metrics were
important to the community, reviewing the energy baseline data to discuss ambition level and
feasibility, and constructing a timeline to achieve these goals. Goals are measured against the
2020–2022 baseline period, so the goals are framed in terms of additional savings above and
beyond a projected business-as-usual scenario.
Community-Wide Goal
Hopkins will avoid an additional 40% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by
2028 compared to business as usual, saving the community $1.9 million in the
process.
As a stretch goal, the plan aims to avoid an additional 95% of greenhouse gas
emissions by 2028, saving the community a total of $3.5 million.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 21
The impact of the community-wide goal will help Hopkins reduce an additional 2,008 MTCO2e
by the end of 2028 compared to business as usual. These energy-related greenhouse gas
emissions reductions are from electricity and natural gas use. The figure includes the
greenhouse gas emissions avoided from both energy efficiency and renewable energy program
participation, and grid decarbonization by the utility (but notably not reduced emissions from the
transportation sector). Hopkins’ greenhouse gas avoidance is equivalent to removing 447
passenger vehicles from the road for a year.20
Energy Action Plan Impact
The energy action plan will impact many facets of Hopkins’ energy future: increased utility
program participation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, changes in utility bills and energy
savings. Table 9 summarizes the plan impact on these different sectors. Note that
“participations” track each time a customer uses a program. For example, one customer who
joins a renewable energy subscription program and has an energy efficiency audit of their home
would count both as a participant in the efficiency program and a participant in the renewable
energy program. For a full look at how these projections are made, see Appendix 2: Baseline
Energy Analysis and Appendix 4: Methodology for Measuring Success.
Table 9: Plan Impact Scenarios, 2024–2028
20 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator,
https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Business
as Usual,
2024–2028
Goal
Scenario,
2024–2028
Stretch Goal
Scenario,
2024–2028
Participations, Energy Efficiency 3,900 5,300 10,000
Participations, Renewable Energy 460 560 610
Greenhouse Gas Avoided, Energy
Efficiency
3,900
MTCO2e
5,700
MTCO2e
10,600
MTCO2e
Greenhouse Gas Reduced,
Renewable Energy
1,300
MTCO2e
1,500
MTCO2e 1,600 MTCO2e
Money Saved, Energy Efficiency $1.3 million $1.9 million $3.5 million
Electricity Saved, Energy
Efficiency
12 million
kWh
17 million
kWh 28 million kWh
Natural Gas Saved, Energy
Efficiency
350,000
therms
500,000
therms 700,000 therms
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 22
To visualize the greenhouse gas emission reductions from the plan, Figure 10 shows the
emissions avoided through business as usual (orange), meeting the goal (dark blue) and
meeting the stretch goal (light blue). The business-as-usual scenario shows what would happen
if Hopkins participated in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs at the same levels
as past years. The team designed the main goal to be reasonable to reach (hence the narrow
dark-blue band), with a stretch goal that is more aspirational and represents a large jump in
energy savings and emissions reductions.
Figure 10: Cumulative Avoided Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Along with reducing emissions, the plan would result in savings on utility bills. Figure 11 shows
the savings for Hopkins residents, businesses, and the City under the business-as-usual, goal
and stretch goal scenarios. These savings are the result of energy efficiency measures only
(renewable energy measures do not necessarily result in dollar savings).
5,196
7,204
12,211
-
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
2024 2025 2026 2027 2028Avoided Emissions (MTCO2e)Cumulative Avoided Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Business as Usual Goal Scenario Stretch Goal Scenario
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 23
Figure 11: Total Dollar Savings from energy efficiency
For a full discussion of how Partners in Energy makes these projections, see Appendix 4:
Methodology for Measuring Success.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 24
HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET THERE
The following section outlines our implementation work plan, including focus areas, strategies
and tactics to achieve Hopkins’ goals. These initiatives will be led by the City of Hopkins and
supported by Partners in Energy, Xcel Energy, the Energy Action Team and other City of
Hopkins staff. Each focus area has background information, multiple strategies, and specific
tactics describing the actions the plan prescribes. For a more detailed work plan with a timeline
and responsibilities, see Appendix 1: Implementation Work Plan.
Umbrella Strategies: Energy Equity and Information Access
Strategy 1: Energy Equity
The actions within this Energy Action Plan will be implemented with inclusion and equity at the
forefront, to ensure this plan benefits all Hopkins’ community members. The plan will
accomplish this by ensuring intentional engagement with, and support for, Hopkins’ most
marginalized community members. This section will connect equity to each strategy.
Strategy 2: Energy Information Access
The Energy Action Team identified a core need for the Hopkins community to have better
access to information about energy efficiency and renewable energy. To meet this need, the
City will provide accessible energy information (on Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy,
Sustainable Building and Electric Vehicle infrastructure) and resources through various
communication methods, public conversations and web-based resource information hubs to
meet the needs of community members.
Focus Area: Energy Efficiency
The Energy Action Team identified energy efficiency as a core way for the Hopkins community
to lessen its environmental impact while managing energy costs. Residents, businesses and the
City itself can all access tools and strategies to accomplish the same amount of work while
using less energy, providing both sustainability and financial benefits. The City also has a part to
play: the team envisions the City leading by example to take action on energy. Strategies in this
focus area concern existing buildings, while the Sustainable Development focus area includes
strategies for future buildings.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 25
Strategy 3: Explore implementing energy efficiency measures in City of Hopkins
facilities.
The Energy Action Team believes that the City of Hopkins should lead by example and show its
community ways to take energy action. This strategy opens the door for the City to save energy
while inspiring other community members to do the same.
Tactics
3A: Conduct energy audits in municipal buildings.
3B: Deliver findings and recommendations from the audits to City Council as appropriate.
Strategy 4: Create an energy efficiency outreach campaign to residents outlining
opportunities and resources to save energy, with ample attention to renters.
While many programs exist for Hopkins residents to use energy more efficiently, the Energy
Action Team determined that these programs are not very well known. This strategy aims to
raise awareness of these opportunities and tailor energy efficiency opportunities to community
members. Hopkins has a high proportion of renters, so we wanted this strategy to encompass
multi-family buildings and renters as well as single-family residences and homeowners.
Tactics
4A: Develop an engagement plan and calendar outlining messages for various audiences,
platforms, and time of year messaging and cadence.
4B: Design and create fliers and messaging highlighting renter-friendly energy efficiency
programs.
4C: Work with multi-family building owners/managers to distribute energy efficiency kits.
4D: Promote an energy tip of the week on social media and relevant City communications.
4E: Promote energy assessments as a first step to improving energy efficiency.
4F: Continue City buy-downs for home energy assessments.
4G: Explore a City buy-down of audit programs for small, midsize and large businesses.
Strategy 5: Develop an outreach plan to businesses (including large industry) on energy
efficiency best practices, resources and programs.
Ensuring that businesses in the community are made aware of the energy and dollar savings
available to them through energy efficiency programs, this strategy aims to reach businesses of
all sizes in Hopkins with programs that suit each of their needs and challenges.
Tactics
5A: Present energy efficiency opportunities at local business meetings and events.
5B: Feature case studies of energy actions by businesses in City communications.
5C: Host a tour of businesses that have implemented energy efficiency measures
successfully.
5D: Develop a packet to distribute to building owners that communicates energy savings
benefits and opportunities.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 26
5E: Promote energy audits for all Hopkins buildings and businesses through City and Hopkins
Business and Civic Association communications and by exploring incentives, requirements or
connecting program resources.
5F: Explore the creation of a City-lead sustainable business recognition program
Strategy 6: Continue to grow and promote the Hopkins' Climate Solutions Fund.
The energy action team celebrated the existing work that Hopkins is doing to make our city
greener, so the team wanted to recognize and amplify the Hopkins’ Climate Solutions Fund
(HCSF). The HCSF offers incentives to residents and businesses to accelerate our transition to
cleaner and more efficient energy. Continuing the work of this program is an opportunity for the
City to move toward both its climate and energy goals.
Tactics
6A: Explore additional funds and grants available to grow the HCSF program.
6B: Engage the community in opportunities to improve the program as it is implemented.
6C: Engage contractors and trade groups with the program.
Strategy 7: Incentivize energy and sustainability home retrofits including weatherization,
renewable energy and electrification projects.
This strategy connects residents with existing programs and incentives to take energy action in
their homes. It recognizes that making homes more energy efficient, switching to renewable
energy and switching from fossil fuel to electric energy are interlocking ways to avoid household
greenhouse gas emissions.
Tactics
7A: Continue to include community/home needs as a core element of Hopkins Climate
Solutions Fund.
7B: Connect homeowners and contractors to resources and information for small-scale
projects in homes through City communications and partnerships.
7C: Commit City staff to stay current on regulatory changes and seek funding opportunities
for residential improvements.
Focus Area: Sustainable Development
Significant new construction projects are underway in Hopkins, with more in the pipeline. The
Energy Action Team wanted to ensure that new construction projects considered energy
efficiency and renewable energy as they were designed and built, resulting in the creation of this
Sustainable Development focus area. Since many of these projects will be rental housing, this is
an area where the plan can reach Hopkins’ significant renter population. For example, increased
energy efficiency in a multi-family building could result in lower energy costs for tenants.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 27
Strategy 8: Connect large developers to sustainable development programs and
educational opportunities.
Large building developments represent opportunities for large energy savings. This strategy
aims to make large developers aware of programs that can reduce the energy use of their
buildings, connect them with renewable energy and potentially lower the operating costs of their
projects.
Tactics
8A: Host informational event with local developers on opportunities to incorporate sustainable
practices.
8B: Leverage City permitting processes and internal and external City relationships to share
messaging with local developers.
Strategy 9: Develop a sustainable building policy for the city.
By establishing an overall framework for building efficiency and energy use in Hopkins, a
sustainable building policy could significantly impact the Hopkins community’s energy use. This
strategy recognizes and supports the work Hopkins continues to do to develop and implement
that policy framework.
Tactics
9A: Consult with other cities with sustainable building policies to gain insight on processes,
best practices and challenges.
9B: Develop parameters of the potential policy around what buildings will be included and
what targets and compliance could look like — present this to stakeholders for feedback.
9C: Account for needs and challenges of renters.
Focus Area: Renewable Energy
As part of its commitment to avoid greenhouse gas emissions, the Energy Action Team wanted
to increase the availability of renewable energy to the Hopkins community. Table 10 shows that
some Hopkins residents and businesses already access renewable energy through utility
subscription program and on-site solar, but there are significant opportunities to increase
participation in these programs.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 28
Table 10: Renewable Energy Program Use in Hopkins, 2020–2022
Strategy 10: Explore feasibility of converting City of Hopkins operations to renewable
energy.
Hopkins can lead by example by reviewing the possibility of running its own facilities with
renewable energy. This strategy doesn’t commit the City to using 100% renewables, only to
consider the programs and changes it would need to implement to do so.
Tactics
10A: Review solar programs available for municipal premises.
10B: Consult solar suitability resources.
10C: Review budgetary and other considerations.
10D: Present to Council when appropriate.
Strategy 11: Launch a renewable energy program outreach campaign to residents using
City and partner organization communications, with particular attention to renters.
Residents in Hopkins can access renewable energy through subscription programs and on-site
infrastructure, often for less cost and inconvenience than they would expect. The Energy Action
Team wants to make sure residents can make informed choices about renewable energy and
will leverage connections to community organizations to promote these programs. Renters are
highlighted in this strategy to balance the usual narrow focus on homeowners.
Tactics
11A: Promote subscription programs to renters, multi-family building tenants and other
community members who may not have access to on-site renewable energy options.
11B: Use mapping to identify outreach opportunities.
11C: Promote on-site renewable options to homeowners and new home buyers.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 29
Strategy 12: Develop a packet for businesses that features renewable energy
information, resources and programs.
Businesses have a unique set of challenges in accessing renewable energy, but also a unique
set of opportunities. This strategy aims to standardize an easy-to-circulate set of programs that
could help them switch to renewables.
Tactics
12A: Distribute packet of information to building owners, businesses, other City departments
and partner organizations that work in industry spaces.
Strategy 13: Explore hosting a large municipal solar array for community
use/subscription.
As part of its leadership on renewable energy, Hopkins can explore creating a solar installation
specifically for its residents and businesses to use. This strategy will consider the financing
model and site for a potential installation and will build on lessons learned in other cities that
host such arrays.
Tactics
13A: Consider the use of community solar gardens in open parking lots, multi-family buildings
and the landfill.
13B: Consult with other communities who host municipal solar gardens to gain lessons
learned and best practices for implementation to present to City Council for consideration.
Focus Area: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
The Energy Action Team identified electric vehicles as an opportunity to move away from fossil
fuels and reduce Hopkins’ greenhouse gas emissions. The team wanted to promote EV cars
and trucks as well as micro-mobility EVs like e-bikes, e-scooters and electric golfcarts, along
with the charging infrastructure that will support these modes of transit. The team pointed out
that Hopkins’ relative density and existing bike paths make it a good fit for micro-mobility EVs.
Strategy 14: Provide EV charging educational materials and resource guides to large
multi-family building owners/managers.
The Energy Action Team identified a gap in EV charging infrastructure for renters in multi-family
buildings. These renters often can’t access charging at home. This strategy addresses this gap
by sharing information about charging programs with multi-family building owners and
managers.
Tactics
14A: Develop a packet of information aimed at property owners that lays out best practices,
benefits, and guides users to resources for EV charging.
14B: Develop building and owner list for mail, email and direct call outreach. Map existing
relationships or contacts with other City departments or community partners.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 30
Strategy 15: Host an e-bike, e-scooter and EV test drive event.
While EVs are becoming more common, many Hopkins community members still don’t have
any direct experience with them. This strategy will connect EV users with individuals who are
curious about using them for their business or for general use.
Tactics
15A: Partner with EV Ride and Drive organizers, dealerships and utility programs.
15B: Create local EV ambassadors from resident enthusiasts. Feature resident stories in
outreach.
Strategy 16: Create city-wide plan for EV infrastructure (including non-car EVs).
Hopkins can demonstrate its leadership in sustainability by creating a comprehensive plan to
address EV charging infrastructure. Many resources exist to support this work. Including non-
car EVs like e-bikes, e-scooters and electric golf carts will make the plan suitable to the widest
variety of residents.
Tactics
16A: Develop EV micro-mobility opportunities and partnerships.
16B: Continue to work with EV Smart Cities to develop EV Plan.
16C: Connect micro-mobility to existing safe streets initiatives.
16D: Collect community input and feedback on plan contents.
16E: Explore fleet electrification options for City vehicles.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 31
HOW WE STAY ON COURSE
This Energy Action Plan is a living
document. Goals and strategies will be
assessed and refined as needed based on
data and community staff capacity.
Data and Reporting
Partners in Energy will provide biannual
progress reports with metrics of success and
overall progress toward goals for Xcel
Energy rebates and programs. These
reports will be available publicly and shared
with both the community and Energy Action
Team.
If available, ad hoc participation reports for
specific Xcel Energy programs (e.g., Home
Energy Squad) can be provided to measure success of campaigns and to determine if the plan
needs to adjust course.
Project Management and Tracking
Partners in Energy will host regular project management check-in calls with the City Lead to
ensure the plan stays on course to achieve its strategies. If necessary, an implementation
check-in meeting with the Energy Action Team can be convened to assess progress toward
goals and discuss strategy refinement.
Energy Action Team Commitment
Implementing the strategies outlined in this plan will require leadership and collaboration among
the City of Hopkins, members of the Energy Action Team, community representatives and Xcel
Energy.
Figure 12. Actions and Tracking
Energy Action Plan Implementation
Measurement & Reporting
Strategy Development & Refinement
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 32
City of Hopkins
The City of Hopkins will provide a primary point of contact for implementation and will assign
members to attend regular project management check-ins. The City commits to leveraging
existing communication channels and community connections to promote the Energy Action
Plan. In addition, the City of Hopkins will lead strategies specific to City-owned buildings.
Energy Action Team
The Energy Action Team formed to create this plan will support implementation by serving as
community connectors to their networks, promoting Hopkins’ energy vision, encouraging
participation in programs and outreach campaigns, and sharing success stories. When relevant,
members will serve as partners and leaders in strategies targeting residents and businesses.
Energy Action Team members may be invited to project management calls or other check-in
meetings to ensure strategies are implemented successfully.
Xcel Energy
In addition to data reporting, project management and implementation tracking, Xcel Energy
commits to supporting the first 18 months of implementation, including marketing and
communications support and program expertise. Xcel Energy will also provide a dedicated
community facilitator to serve as a primary point of contact. Partners in Energy digital resources,
including webinars, community portal and community events, will be available to the Hopkins
team. After the first 18 months of implementation, Xcel Energy will continue to provide ad hoc
support and data to the Hopkins team.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 33
APPENDIX 1: IMPLEMENTATION WORK PLAN
This appendix gives additional details for each strategy, including the implementation team, tasks, timeline and goals. This appendix
will serve as a work plan for the City of Hopkins, the Energy Action Team and Partners in Energy.
Core Strategies: Energy Equity and Information Access
Strategy Tactic Lead Support Q2
’24
Q3
’24
Q4
’24
Q1
’25
Q2
’25
Q3
’25
Strategy 1: The actions within
this Energy Action Plan will be
implemented with inclusion and
equity at the forefront, to ensure
this plan benefits all community
members. The plan will
accomplish this by ensuring
intentional engagement with, and
support for, Hopkins’ most
marginalized community
members.
PiE City
Strategy 2: The City will provide
accessible energy information
(on energy efficiency, renewable
energy, sustainable building and
electric vehicle infrastructure)
and resources through varying
communication methods, public
conversations and web-based
resource information hubs to
meet the needs of community
members.
PiE City
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 34
Focus Area: Energy Efficiency
Strategy Tactic Lead Support Q2
’24
Q3
’24
Q4
’24
Q1
’25
Q2
’25
Q3
’25
Strategy 3: Explore implementing
energy efficiency measures in City
of Hopkins facilities.
3A: Conduct energy audits in municipal buildings. PiE City
3B: Deliver findings and recommendations from the
audits to City Council as appropriate. City PiE
Strategy 4: Create an energy
efficiency outreach campaign to
residents outlining opportunities
and resources to save energy, with
ample attention to renters.
4A: Develop an engagement plan and calendar
outlining messages for various audiences,
platforms, and time of year messaging and
cadence.
PiE City
4B: Design and create fliers and messaging
highlighting renter-friendly energy efficiency
programs.
PiE City
4C: Work with multi-family building
owners/managers to distribute energy efficiency
kits.
PiE City
4D: Promote an energy tip of the week on social
media and relevant City communications. PiE City
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 35
4E: Promote energy assessments as a first step to
increasing energy efficiency. PiE City
4F: Continue City buy-downs for home energy
assessments. PiE City
4G: Explore a City buy-down of audit programs for
small, midsize and large businesses. PiE City
Strategy 5: Develop an outreach
plan to businesses (including large
industry) on energy efficiency best
practices, resources and
programs.
5A: Present energy efficiency opportunities at local
business meetings and events.
PiE City
5B: Feature case studies of energy actions by
businesses in City communications. PiE City
5C: Host a tour of businesses that have
implemented energy efficiency measures
successfully.
PiE City
5D: Develop a packet to distribute to building
owners that communicates energy savings benefits
and opportunities.
PiE City
5E: Promote energy audits for all Hopkins buildings
and businesses through City and Hopkins Business
and Civic Association communications and by
exploring incentive, requirements or connecting
program resources.
PiE City
5F: Explore the creation of a City-led sustainable
business recognition program. City PiE
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 36
Strategy 6: Continue to grow and
promote the Hopkins' Climate
Solutions Fund.
6A: Explore additional funds and grants available to
grow the HCSF program. City PiE
6B: Engage the community in opportunities for
improving the program as it is implemented. City PiE
6C: Engage contractors and trade groups in the
program. City PiE
Strategy 7: Incentivize energy and
sustainability home retrofits
including weatherization,
renewable energy and
electrification projects.
7A: Continue to include community/home needs as
a core element of Hopkins Climate Solutions Fund
City PiE
7B: Connect homeowners and contractors to
resources and information for small-scale projects in
homes through City communications and
partnerships.
PiE City
7C: Commit City staff to staying current on
regulatory changes and seeking funding
opportunities for residential improvements.
City PiE
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 37
Focus Area: Sustainable Development
Strategy Tactic Lead Support Q2
’24
Q3
’24
Q4
’24
Q1
’25
Q2
’25
Q3
’25
Strategy 8: Connect large
developers to sustainable
development programs and
educational opportunities.
8A: Host informational event with local developers
on opportunities to incorporate sustainable
practices.
City PiE
8B: Leverage City permitting processes and
internal and external City relationships to share
messaging with local developers.
PiE City
Strategy 9: Develop a City
sustainable building policy.
9A: Consult other cities with sustainable building
policies to gain insight on processes, best
practices and challenges.
City PiE
9B: Develop parameters for the potential policy
around what buildings will be included and what
targets and compliance could look like to get
feedback from stakeholders.
City PiE
9C: Account for needs and challenges of renters. PiE City
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 38
Focus Area: Renewable Energy
Strategy Tactic Lead Support Q2
’24
Q3
’24
Q4
’24
Q1
’25
Q2
’25
Q3
’25
Strategy 10: Explore feasibility of
converting City of Hopkins
operations to renewable energy.
10A: Review solar programs available for
municipal premises. PiE City
10B: Consult solar suitability resources. PiE City
10C: Review budgetary and other considerations. City PiE
10D: Present to Council when appropriate. City PiE
Strategy 11: Launch a renewable
energy program outreach
campaign to residents using City
and partner organization
communications, with particular
attention to renters.
11A: Promote subscription programs to renters,
multi-family building tenants and other community
members who may not have access to on-site
renewable energy options. PiE City
11B: Use mapping to identify outreach
opportunities. PiE City
11C: Promote on-site renewable options to
homeowners and new home buyers. PiE City
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 39
Strategy 12: Explore hosting a
large municipal solar array for
community use/subscription.
12A: Consider the use of community solar gardens
in open parking lots, multi-family buildings, and the
landfill. City PiE
12B: Consult with other communities who host
municipal solar gardens to gain lessons learned
and best practices for implementation to present to
City Council for consideration.
PiE City
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 40
Focus Area: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Strategy Tactic Lead Support Q2
’24
Q3
’24
Q4
’24
Q1
’25
Q2
’25
Q3
’25
Strategy 13: Provide EV charging
educational materials and resource
guides to large multi-family building
owners/managers.
13A: Develop a packet of information aimed at
property owners that lays out best practices
and benefits, and guides users to resources for
EV charging.
City PiE
13B: Develop building and owner list for mail,
email and direct call outreach. Map existing
relationships or contacts with other City
departments or community.
City PiE
Strategy 14: Host an e-bike, e-
scooter and EV test drive event.
14A: Partner with EV Ride and Drive
organizers, dealerships and utility programs. City PiE
14B: Create local EV ambassadors from
resident enthusiasts. Feature resident stories
in outreach.
PiE City
Strategy 15: Create city-wide plan for
EV infrastructure (including non-car
EVs).
15A: Develop EV micro-mobility opportunities
and partnerships. City PiE
15B: Continue to work with EV Smart Cities to
develop EV Plan. City PiE
15C: Connect micro-mobility to existing safe
streets initiatives. City PiE
15D: Get community input and feedback on EV
plan contents. City PiE
15E: Explore fleet electrification options for City
vehicles. PiE City
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 41
APPENDIX 2: BASELINE ENERGY ANALYSIS
Data was provided by Xcel Energy for all Hopkins premises for 2020–2022. Xcel Energy
provides electric and natural gas service to the community. This data helped the Energy Action
Team understand Hopkins’ energy use and opportunities for energy conservation and
renewable energy. Data included in this section establishes a baseline against which progress
toward goals will be compared in the future.
Electricity and Natural Gas Premises
Most Hopkins premises are residential. Of the 9,694 distinct premises in Hopkins in 2022, 89%
(8,581) are residential, 10% (1,007) are commercial and industrial and the remaining 1% are
municipal (74).
Table 11. Premise counts by sector, 2020–202221
Sector 2020 2021 2022 Average
Residential 8,567 8,564 8,613 8,581
Commercial & Industrial 1,010 1,007 1,007 1,008
Municipal 67 67 67 67
Total 9,644 9,638 9,687 9,656
21 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 42
Electricity and Natural Gas Consumption and Trends by Sector
On average, the Hopkins community consumes 171 million kWh of electricity and 9.6 million
therms of natural gas across all sectors per year. Total energy consumption increased by 7.5%
over the baseline period, which can be attributed to a large increase of 11.2% in natural gas
consumption and a more modest increase in electric consumption.
Table 12. Annual energy consumption by sector and fuel type, 2020–202222
Fuel Type Sector 2020 2021 2022 Average
Electricity
(kWh)
Residential 48,297,701 48,970,894 47,487,215 48,251,937
Commercial & Industrial 121,670,129 111,330,535 125,774,939 119,591,868
Municipal 3,773,328 3,463,026 3,590,747 3,609,034
Total 173,741,158 163,764,455 176,852,901 171,452,838
Natural Gas
(therm)
Residential 3,405,721 3,238,190 3,754,360 3,466,090
Commercial & Industrial 5,768,356 5,617,107 6,439,539 5,941,667
Municipal 144,359 136,210 164,193 148,254
Total 9,318,436 8,991,507 10,358,092 9,556,012
Total
(MMBtu)
Residential 505,364 490,908 537,462 511,245
Commercial & Industrial 991,974 941,570 1,073,098 1,002,214
Municipal 27,310 25,437 28,671 27,139
Total 1,524,648 1,457,915 1,639,231 1,540,598
Total energy consumption during the baseline period varied in each sector consistent with
variation in weather. Hotter summers (those with more cooling degree days) and colder winters
(those with more heating degree days) had higher energy consumption. For example, of the
three years considered, Hopkins’ natural gas consumption was at its highest level in 2022 which
was also the coldest year with the most heating degree days.
Table 13. Cooling degree and heating degree days, 2020–202223
2020 2021 2022
Cooling Degree Days 950 1,184 1,049
Heating Degree Days 7,128 6,678 7,812
22 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022
23 National Centers for Environmental Information, Local Climatological Data
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 43
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Trends
Hopkins’ overall greenhouse gas emissions increased from 2020–2022, growing by over 7%. To
calculate Hopkins’ energy-related emissions, preliminary and certified emissions factors from
Xcel Energy’s Upper Midwest Fuel Mix and a standard emissions factor for natural gas
emissions were used. As Xcel Energy completes third-party verification, the emissions factors
used during the planning process to estimate greenhouse gas emissions (Table 15) may
change slightly.
Table 14. Energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in MTCO2e, 2020–202224
Fuel Type Sector 2020 2021 2022 Average
Electricity Residential 13,188 14,016 13,183 13,462
Commercial & Industrial 33,224 31,865 34,915 33,335
Municipal 1,030 991 997 1,006
Total 47,443 46,873 49,095 47,803
Natural Gas
Residential 18,075 17,185 19,925 18,395
Commercial & Industrial 30,613 29,811 34,175 31,533
Municipal 766 723 871 787
Total 49,454 47,719 54,971 50,715
Total Residential 31,263 31,202 33,107 31,857
Commercial & Industrial 63,837 61,676 69,091 64,868
Municipal 1,796 1,714 1,868 1,793
Total 96,897 94,591 104,066 98,518
Table 15. Emissions factors used to calculate energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, 2020–202225
Fuel Type 2020 2021 2022
Electricity Emissions Factor (lbs/MWh) 602 631 612
Natural Gas Emissions Factor (MTCO2e/Dth) 0.05307 0.05307 0.05307
Energy Costs
In total, Hopkins premises spent an estimated annual average of $27.9 million on fuel costs
during the baseline period. Hopkins commercial and industrial premises made up over 60% of
that spending ($17.2 million or 62%), while residential premises made up 36% ($10.1 million). A
small fraction of the spending was from municipal premises. Residential premises spent an
24 Xcel Energy, 2020–2022
25 Xcel Energy 2022. Carbon Dioxide Emission Intensities.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 44
annual average of $1,179 per premise on fuel costs. Commercial premises spent much more
per premise on energy with an annual average of $17,089 per premise.
Fuel Type Sector 2020 2021 2022 Average
Average
Annual Cost
Per Premise
Electricity Residential $6,258,314 $6,368,825 $6,909,596 $6,512,245 $759
Commercial &
Industrial $11,723,590 $11,860,379 $15,415,979 $12,999,983 $12,897
Municipal $430,460 $430,764 $510,792 $457,339 $6,180
Total $18,412,364 $18,659,968 $22,836,367 $19,969,566 -
Natural Gas
Residential $2,882,709 $3,295,770 $4,642,698 $3,607,059 $764
Commercial &
Industrial $3,120,490 $3,822,375 $5,735,119 $4,225,995 $5,583
Municipal $91,105 $109,148 $160,275 $120,176 $6,009
Total $6,094,304 $7,227,293 $10,538,092 $7,953,230 -
Total Residential $9,141,023 $9,664,595 $11,552,294 $10,119,304 $1,523
Commercial &
Industrial $14,844,080 $15,682,754 $21,151,098 $17,225,977 $18,479
Municipal $521,565 $539,912 $671,067 $577,515 $12,189
Total $24,506,668 $25,887,261 $33,374,459 $27,922,796 -
Energy Burden
Energy burden is the percentage of income that residents spend on energy. Hopkins residents
who own their homes and make 30% or less of the median area income spend up to 16% of
their income on energy costs. Notably, energy burden is higher across every income group for
homeowners rather than renters.
Table 16. Energy burden by unit occupancy and median income26
Energy Burden
Percent of Area Median Income Own Rent
0–30% 16% 7%
30–60% 5% 3%
60–80% 3% 1%
26 Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 45
80-100% 3% 1%
100% + 1% 1%
Program Participation and Savings
Hopkins already has a significant number of participants in energy efficiency programs from
Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy, resulting in energy savings for residents and commercial
premises. Participation in residential programs saved an average of 104,660 kWh and 29,748
therms each year during the baseline period. While fewer commercial premises participate, their
participation results in larger savings per premise. In total, participation in commercial programs
saved an annual average of 2,215,254 kWh and 40,997 therms over the baseline period.
To avoid double counting jointly offered utility programs, only the participant counts from Xcel
Energy reports are included for those programs.
Table 17. Annual Xcel Energy residential sector efficiency program participation and savings, 2020–2022
Residential Sector
Program
2020 2021 2022
Count Savings
(kWh)
Count Savings
(kWh)
Count Savings
(kWh)
Efficient New Home
Construction
2 2,727 0 0 1 1,424
Home Energy Audit 0 - 6 - 19 -
Home Energy Savings
Program
4 2,864 6 1,996 4 2,132
Home Energy Squad 14 21,258 10 11,527 19 12,808
Insulation Rebate 0 0 0 0 1 176
Low-Income Home Energy
Squad
2 1,367 0 0 1 88
Multi-Family Energy
Savings Program
0 0 0 0 27 5,608
Refrigerator Recycling 32 24,113 30 23,462 26 25,778
Residential HVAC 197 92,273 148 53,164 118 26,683
Residential Saver's Switch 128 266 141 149 89 103
Smart Thermostat 2 266 61 2,470 71 1,278
Total 381 145,134 402 92,768 376 76,078
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 46
Table 18. Annual Xcel Energy commercial/industrial sector efficiency program participation and savings,
2020–2022
Commercial/Industrial
Sector Program
2020 2021 2022
Count Savings
(kWh)
Count Savings
(kWh)
Count Savings
(kWh)
Custom Efficiency 1 9,986 0 0 0 0
Efficiency Controls 1 513,976 0 0 0 0
Electric Rate Savings 0 0 6 -59,118 4 477
Energy Design Assistance 1 279,072 0 0 0 0
Fluid System Optimization 3 130,681 0 0 1 10,372
HVAC+R Efficiency 11 181,065 8 207,579 18 242,686
Lighting Efficiency 16 211,332 20 1,271,410 31 2,581,072
Multi-Family Building
Efficiency
14 3,578 7 190,107 18 190,226
Peak Partner Rewards 0 - 6 - 4 -
Recommissioning 0 0 1 8,833 0 0
Saver's Switch for
Business
3 6 11 53 4 13
Small Business Lighting 17 236,895 23 248,274 15 187,187
Turn Key Services 0 - 1 - 1 -
Total 67 1,566,591 83 1,867,138 96 3,212,033
Table 19. Participation and natural gas savings for select CenterPoint Energy efficiency programs by
sector, 2020–2022.
Sector 2020 2021 2022 Count Savings
(therms)
Count Savings
(therms)
Count Savings
(therms)
Residential 350 31,459 224 27,825 175 28,665
Income-Qualified 8 935 2 42 7 318
Commercial and Industrial 76 48,553 52 31,388 55 43,049
Total 434 80,947 278 59,256 237 72,032
Renewable Energy Support
There is support for renewable energy in Hopkins with 526 residential premises and 50
commercial and industrial premises subscribing to Xcel Energy renewable programs. These
premises receive a total of 1.9 million kWh and 6.2 million kWh of their electricity from
renewable sources, respectively. While the commercial and industrial sector has fewer
subscribers to renewable programs, these customers subscribe a larger amount. Additionally,
30 residential premises and 12 commercial premises have on-site solar generation.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 47
Table 20. Participation in Xcel Energy renewable energy offerings Residential Commercial & Industrial
Windsource® & Renewable*Connect®
Subscriber Count 454 5
Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 1,438,066 61,488
Community Solar Gardens - Solar*Rewards®
Community Subscriber Count 72 45
Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 525,831 6,163,925
Total Xcel Energy Subscription Renewable
Energy Support Subscriber Count 526 50
Total Annual Electricity Subscribed (kWh) 1,963,897 6,225,413
Percent of Sector Electricity Use27 4.1% 4.8%
Table 21. Participation in Xcel Energy on-site solar offerings in 202228
On-site Solar - Solar*Rewards®
and Net-Metering Residential
Commercial & Industrial
Participant Count 30 12
Total Electricity Capacity (kW) 229 692
27 The percent reported here is provided to give a sense of the total size of renewable energy
subscriptions compared to overall electricity use. Because Xcel Energy owns the renewable energy
credits (REC) for community solar garden subscriptions, the City is not able to claim this portion of
renewable energy generation.
28 Xcel Energy Community Energy Report for Hopkins, 2022
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 48
APPENDIX 3: COMMUNITY ENERGY MAPS
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 49
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 50
APPENDIX 4: METHODOLOGY FOR MEASURING
SUCCESS
As part of implementation support, Partners in Energy will provide biannual progress reports for
Xcel Energy participation and savings data for Hopkins. All goals will be measured against
Hopkins’ three-year baseline of 2020–2022 data unless otherwise noted.
The following section outlines how to measure various aspects of the goals outlined in this
Energy Action Plan, including details of which programs and activities may be included and any
assumptions used to measure the goals.
Community-Wide Goal
• Hopkins will avoid an additional 40% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions over
baseline by 2028, saving the community $1.9 million in the process.
• As a stretch goal, the plan aims to avoid an additional 95% of greenhouse gas emissions
over baseline by 2028, saving the community $3.5 million in the process.
Assumptions
This goal assumes that Xcel Energy’s and CenterPoint Energy’s demand side management
program participation will continue business as usual (BAU) for the duration of the goal period.
This goal assumes a BAU savings scenario based on the three-year baseline. The community-
wide goal will be measured comparing cumulative greenhouse gas emissions, estimated dollars
saved and MMBtu equivalencies for electricity and natural gas savings for all sectors between
early 2024 and 2028 against the estimated BAU value for the same time period. This goal
includes current and future Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy efficiency programs and
measures the first-year savings data provided by the utilities.
The community-wide goal assumes an annual participation increase in Xcel Energy’s energy
efficiency programs due to the impact of the Energy Action Plan and additional resources from
Xcel Energy, the City of Hopkins and the community. An increase in program participation may
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 51
lead to increased annual energy savings, through which Hopkins community members can
avoid energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
How to Measure
Energy Savings
The community-wide goal will be measured by comparing cumulative electricity and natural gas
savings over 2024–2028 for all sectors against projected BAU savings during the same period.
This goal includes all Xcel Energy and select CenterPoint Energy demand side management
programs available to every sector and measures the first-year savings data provided by the
utilities. Table 22 outlines the assumptions for energy savings in Hopkins.
Table 22. Hopkins target energy savings through 2028
Energy Efficiency Savings 2028 BAU
Scenario
2028 Goal
Scenario
2028 Stretch
Goal Scenario
Xcel Energy DSM program
participation, all sectors
2,342 2,963 5,213
CenterPoint Energy DSM program
participation, all sectors
1,582 2,373 4,745
kWh savings 11,599,570 16,582,058 28,088,231
Therm savings 353,725 530,588 707,451
MMBtu savings 74,950 109,637 127,004
To avoid double counting jointly offered utility programs, only the participant counts from Xcel
Energy reports will be included for those programs.
Avoided Energy Costs
Avoided energy costs are estimated using per kWh (electricity) and per therm (natural gas)
rates, specific to fuel type and sector. These rates are applied to energy savings realized
through energy efficiency program participation.
Table 23. Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy utility rates, 2021
Energy Cost Rate per kWh Rate per therm
Residential premise rate $0.113 $.091
Commercial/Industrial premise rate $0.087 $.06119
Using these residential and commercial and industrial energy rates, total cost avoidance is
calculated from projected energy savings in Hopkins. These estimates include savings from
both Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy programs.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 52
Table 24. Hopkins energy savings targets through 2028
Energy Cost
Avoidance by Utility 2028 BAU Scenario 2028 Goal
Scenario
2028
Stretch
Goal
Scenario
Xcel Energy Residential $59,133 $81,209 $174,877
Commercial/Industrial $963,635 $1,380,116 $2,530,997
CenterPoint Energy Residential $135,355 $203,033 $433,138
Commercial/Industrial $125,434 $188,150 $401,388
Total All sectors $1,283,557 $1,852,508 $3,540,399
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided
Projected greenhouse gas emissions avoided include cumulative emissions avoided from
participation in Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy programs, as well as cumulative emissions
avoided with renewable energy programs where the customers retain the Renewable Energy
Credits. To estimate avoided greenhouse gas emissions, projected emissions factors were
applied to the electricity and natural gas first-year savings estimates, as well as renewable
electricity generated, for both the BAU and goal scenarios.
Table 25. Hopkins target greenhouse gas emissions avoided through 2028
Estimated Emissions Avoided by
Program (MTCO2e)
2028 BAU
Scenario
2028 Goal
Scenario
2028 Stretch
Goal Scenario
DSM programs 3,878 5,718 10,634
Renewable energy 1,318 1,486 1,577
Total MTCO2e avoided 5,196 7,204 12,211
Preliminary and certified emissions factors were obtained for Xcel Energy’s Upper Midwest Fuel
Mix for electricity, while greenhouse gas emissions per therm were determined using an
equivalency from the Environmental Protection Agency,29 representing natural gas burned as
fuel.
Focus Area Goals
Energy Efficiency
2028 Targets
This goal will be measured by comparing actual program participation against the BAU
scenario. Progress will be measured from April 2024 through December 2028. Total
29 Greenhouse Gases Equivalencies Calculator - Calculations and References.
https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gases-equivalencies-calculator-calculations-and-references
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 53
participation targets are based on current Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy programs. For
programs jointly offered by the utilities, participation counts will be included from Xcel Energy to
avoid double counting. If new programs are offered by Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy,
these programs will be included in this calculation at the discretion of the Hopkins team and
Partners in Energy facilitators.
Sector targets for program participation in Xcel Energy program offerings are included in the
Table 26.
Table 26. Xcel Energy program participation targets through 2028
Xcel Energy Efficiency
Program Participation
2028 BAU
Scenario
2028 Goal
Scenario
2028 Stretch
Goal Scenario
Residential participants 1,932 2,408 4,248
Commercial and industrial
participants 410 555 964
Sector targets for program participation in CenterPoint Energy offerings are included in Table
27.
Table 27. CenterPoint Energy program participation targets through 2028
CenterPoint Energy
Efficiency Program
Participation
2028 BAU
Scenario
2028 Goal
Scenario
2028 Stretch
Goal Scenario
Residential participants 1,277 1,915 3,830
Commercial and industrial
participants 305 458 915
Sustainable Development
To measure success in the Sustainable Development focus area, the City of Hopkins aims to
inform five developers of sustainable development program opportunities, reach 200 Hopkins
residents and/or businesses with campaigns for home retrofits, and pass a sustainable building
policy well before 2028.
Renewable Energy
2028 Targets
As of their 2022 baseline, Hopkins had 454 residential and 5 commercial and industrial
subscribers to Xcel Energy’s renewable energy subscription program.
This focus area aims to engage a total of 554 residents and 10 businesses in Xcel Energy’s
renewable energy subscription program offerings by 2028. In the 2028 goal scenario, the 10
business subscribers would subscribe at least 50% of their electricity needs to the renewable
energy subscription program. In the 2028 stretch goal scenario, the aim is to have a total of 604
residential subscribers and 10 business subscribers who subscribe 100% of their annual
electricity consumption to the program.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 54
Table 28. Xcel Energy renewable energy program participation targets through 2028
Renewable Energy Subscribers 2028 BAU
Scenario 2028 Goal Scenario 2028 Stretch Goal
Scenario
Residential 454 554 604
Commercial and industrial 5 10 (at 50% of kWh
subscribed)
10 (at 100% of kWh
subscribed)
Total 459 564 614
The program included in this goal currently includes Renewable*Connect Flex, where the
subscriber retains the Renewable Energy Credit (REC).
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
This focus area will be considered a success if the City of Hopkins can host two EV test drive
events, connect with ten multi-family building owners/managers and adopt a city-wide plan
forEV infrastructure before 2028.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 55
APPENDIX 5: XCEL ENERGY’S PARTNERS IN
ENERGY PLANNING PROCESS
About Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy
Xcel Energy is an electric and natural gas utility that provides the energy that powers millions of
homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Each community Xcel
Energy serves has its own unique priorities and vision for its energy future. The energy
landscape is dynamically changing with communities leading the way in setting energy and
sustainability goals. To continue to innovatively support their communities, Xcel Energy
launched Partners in Energy in the summer of 2014 as a collaborative resource with tailored
services to complement each community’s vision. The program offerings include support to
develop an energy action plan or electric vehicle plan, tools to help implement the plan and
deliver results, and resources designed to help each community stay informed and achieve their
outlined goals.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 56
Partners in Energy Process for Success Resources from Xcel Energy for Implementation
Plan Development Process
The content of this plan is derived from a series of planning workshops held in the community
with a planning team committed to representing local energy priorities and implementing plan
strategies. Along with community members and City staff, the workshops were attended by Xcel
Energy and CenterPoint energy representatives. The workshops took place from May 2023
through October 2023.
Project Management
Communication Assistance and Resources
Tracking and Measurement
Celebration and Recognition of Successes
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 57
Figure 13: Hopkins Energy Action Team members with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy
representatives and a Partners in Energy facilitator
Workshop 1
May 18, 2023
The Energy Action Team learned about Partners in Energy and got acquainted with other team
members. Energy data from Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy were shared to help the team
understand Hopkins’ baseline energy use. After brainstorming what the future of energy action
could look like in Hopkins, the team considered a vision for the Energy Action Plan.
Figure 14: Team members gather to connect and learn about Hopkins' energy use
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 58
Workshop 2:
June 29, 2023
The Energy Action Team received answers to their follow-up questions from the data presented
in Workshop 1 and discussed focus areas they would like to pursue in Hopkins. They learned
about utility programs for residents and businesses and how historic participation in these
programs could help model their goals. They learned about the different elements of goal setting
and continued to discuss the vision and focus areas.
Figure 15: Team members brainstorm focus areas as a Partners in Energy facilitator guides the
discussion
Figure 16: A team member votes on how best to express Hopkins' energy goals
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 59
Workshop 3
August 10, 2023
The Energy Action Team finalized the elements of the goal, noting the metrics, timeline,
ambition and approach, and had a final discussion of the vision statement. They defined the
language and priorities of the focus areas. Team members then had a wide-ranging brainstorm
about the strategies they would like to see in the plan.
Figure 17: Strategy brainstorm for one focus area
Workshop 4
September 21, 2023
The Energy Action Team reviewed data models of different goal scenarios and decided to
include both a standard and stretch goal in the plan. Team members completed a guided
activity to identify community assets and communication resources that could support energy
initiatives in Hopkins, then considered the barriers and benefits for specific strategies to help
finalize the action steps included in the plan.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 60
Figure 18: Team members review potential strategies in small groups
Workshop 5
October 26, 2023
The goal language and metrics were presented and finalized. The Energy Action Team
reviewed the draft strategies for each focus area, adjusting and giving feedback to finalize them.
They reviewed the components of the Energy Action Plan that they had created and completed
small-group activity to celebrate their successes in the planning process and brainstorm how
best to launch the plan in the community.
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 61
Figure 19: Team members consider how the community will receive the plan
Hopkins Energy Action Plan 62
APPENDIX 6: IMPLEMENTATION MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING