Award-Winning Holland Energy Park Celebrates Grand Opening
The grand opening marks next phase of decade-long energy journey for Holland.
Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) celebrated the grand opening of Holland Energy Park this month. The grand opening marks the next phase in the journey to sustainable, long-term energy use for Holland. Hundreds joined to take part in the ribbon cutting and the Envision® Award ceremony at Holland Energy Park.
“All of Holland has a reason to celebrate as we officially open a power plant that uniquely meets the needs of our community,” said Dave Koster, general manager HBPW. “Holland Energy Park is the product of nearly a decade of thoughtful research, careful planning and precise building. We are so proud of what Holland Energy Park and its Visitor Center mean for our city.”
Ceremony Speakers Included:
- Madhu Anderson, Deputy Director of the Michigan Agency for Energy
- Chuck Binkowski, Senior Vice President of Central Region Operations, Barton Malow
- Nancy De Boer, Mayor, City of Holland
- Barry Nicholls, Senior Vice President, Siemens USA
- John M. Stanton, President, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
- Tim Hemingway, Board President, Holland Board of Public Works
- Dan Nally, Business Services Director, Holland Board of Public Works
- Dave Koster, General Manager, Holland Board of Public Works
On October 2, attendees toured the natural gas power plant and Holland Energy Park Visitor Center, a 350 foot-long exhibit space filled with interactive exhibits and activities. The event reception included refreshments and a special collaboration brew with New Holland Brewing, Energy Park Amber. Beverages were sponsored by Boileau Communications Management and gift bags were sponsored by HDR.
Holland Energy Park
Holland Energy Park (HEP) is a critical component in the City of Holland’s long-range Community Energy Plan, a 40-year plan to become a world-class leader in energy security, affordability, sustainability and efficiency.
Holland Energy Park fulfills three core functions:
- to be a world-class resource that provides a sustainable and long-term energy source and an educational hub
- to be a destination that provides activities that connect HEP to the community;
- and also to be a gateway-enhancing eastern access into the City of Holland.
“Holland Energy Park sets the standard for municipalities all over the world,” said Dan Nally, business services director, HBPW. “It’s not only the product of Holland Energy Park that is unique, but the process that HBPW took to get here. HBPW engaged with the community and because of that, Holland has a world-class power plant that all of Michigan can be proud of.”
The $240-million Holland Energy Park features:
- a modern building design that creates an eastern gateway to the City of Holland.
- a 50% reduction in carbon emissions and the virtual elimination of solid particle pollutants.
- double the fuel efficiency of Holland’s past power generation.
- walking trails around the plant with plans to connect Windmill Island Gardens to the Macatawa Greenway trail system.
- an expansion of Holland’s innovative snowmelt system.
- the latest combined-cycle natural gas generating technology, producing up to 145 megawatts of power to meet the needs of a growing community.
- an interactive Visitor Center featuring 3780 square-feet of exhibit space.
Visitor Center
A product of collaboration with our educational community, the 351 foot-long exhibit space features interactive activities, a view into the plant and into the plant’s control room.
Arlington, VA.-based, The Design Minds designed the space, with story support from Boileau Communications Management and digital support from Boston Productions, Inc.
“The Holland Energy Park Visitor Center offers students, residents and visitors alike an opportunity to engage and learn from Holland’s energy history,” said Dave Koster, general manager, Holland Board of Public Works. “The Visitor Center is a world-class facility and we are honored to share it with our community.”
HBPW will began to accept group visit inquiries online in October and plans to offer self-guided tours beginning this winter.
