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How can microgrids keep the power on in storm-prone areas?

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The University of St. Thomas School of Engineering has one of the most unique microgrid research facilities in the United States.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Storms like Hurricane Ian can leave people in the dark for days, weeks and even months. But researchers at the University of St. Thomas are studying a new way to get the power back up and running faster.

A research facility unlike anywhere else hides underground at the School of Engineering run by Dr. Mahmoud Kabalan, assistant professor and director of the Center for Microgrid Research.

“You’re looking at a state-of-the-art facility,” said Dr. Kabalan. 

Founded in 2019, he studies microgrids at the research center. Microgrids are small, self-contained energy networks that can be run on-site. Dr. Kabalan says they’re more reliable than central or state power grids, like the one in Texas that went down during a winter storm last year, leaving millions without electricity and hundreds of people died.

“A microgrid is much more than simply a standby system or an emergency system,” Dr. Kabalan said. “A microgrid can be your home, can be a hospital, can be university campus or can be even a neighborhood.”

The bigger the facility, the higher the cost that can run into the millions of dollars.

The one on the UST campus will eventually power up to five buildings, including a new one going up across the street that will house mathematics, science and technology. The microgrid’s run by several energy sources including solar and batteries. 

“These might look like your car battery, but they’re actually five to 10 times larger,” Dr. Kabalan said. There are 40 batteries in four different cabinets spread across the facility. Each cabinet could power an average home up to 45 days.

Tesla Inc. is already selling the new technology, and its electric vehicle are able to charge these batteries. Called a “power wall,” the batteries and installation could cost about $25,000 and power a home up to 48 hours. 

Dr. Kabalan says the pay-off is using renewable resources to create a more sustainable future.

“There’s a really good justification for investing in technology like this because, again, if a hospital loses power, you’re looking at potentially loss of life, but as the technology matures and prices go down, it will become more and more like something we don’t really think about,” Dr. Kabalan said.

Dr. Kabalan was recently awarded a $5 million grant, one of the largest in the UST’s history, to further expand his work.

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Saint Paul police investigate fatal stabbing

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Police said it happened on North Dale Street.

ST PAUL, Minn — Police in Saint Paul are trying to find out what led up to a fatal stabbing in the city. 

In a post on social media Sunday night, authorities said it happened on the 300 block of N. Dale Steet. That’s just south of I-94 in the Summit-University neighborhood. 

Police have not yet provided any other details about the homicide investigation. 

This is a developing story, stick with KARE 11 for updates.



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Minnesota cities extend early voting hours

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Over 71,000 people have voted early in Anoka County, Minnesota.

ANOKA COUNTY, Minn. — Minnesota cities extended early voting hours so more people could cast their ballot early.

Anoka County Elections Director Tom Hunt said there’s a lot of excitement around this election.

“In-person absentee voting is just off the charts,” he said. “This year both parties have really been making a push to get people into vote early.”

He said the county’s city and town halls are busier than the county government center.

“We’ve seen lines like crazy at all of our city and town halls,” he said. “We just passed 71,000 absentee voters, so I think for us that’s a little over 30%,” he said.

Trevor and Michala Voss voted at Blaine City Hall.

“We wanted to come out and vote early because we both work and it’s a good day to get it done, get through the line before it gets too crazy on Tuesday and make sure our voices are heard,” Michala said. “Especially, as a pregnant woman with a daughter, it’s important for us to show that we can vote and our voices matter.”

RELATED: 2024 Voter Guide: What to know about Minnesota’s elections

They decided to bring their young daughter to show her how the election process works.

“She loved it. I thought it was really cool that she got to see it in person because she’s seen it in cartoons on her Daniel Tiger episodes and now she got to see what the process looked like in person,” Michala said.

Trevor said the show teaches kids how to vote. For example, in one episode the class had to decide if they wanted a swing or a slide, so they voted.

Now, their daughter wants to cast her own ballot.

“She sat on his lap while he voted and wanted to put her own votes in but she’s a little too young,” Michala said.

“That was a little challenging but not terrible,” Trevor said.

They both said voting early was easy and they didn’t mind the wait. They said it took about 20 minutes for them to vote.

“Nobody wants to wait especially on a weekend, those weekend days our precious but they understand, and they know how important it is and they’re absolutely willing to do it,” said Blaine City Clerk Cathy Sorensen. “It’s about a 30-to-40-minute wait. We’ve calculated yesterday at our peak we were probably processing a voter every three minutes.”

RELATED: Here’s how to see what’s on your ballot in Minnesota

Sorensen said they’ve had over 7,300 early voters come through city hall. She said they’re processing almost 1,000 ballots a day.

“Right now, we’re about 18% of our total registered voters and that’s right now and we haven’t obviously done a tally or our mailed in ballots, we haven’t finished up today and of course tomorrow which is going to be our busiest,” Sorensen said.

She said they have been so busy her election judges barely have time to take a break.

“Last two weeks they really haven’t even taken a lunch,” she said.

She said all of her election judges are committed to helping as many people vote early as they can and choose to eat when they can.

Sorensen has been the city’s clerk for a decade, and she hasn’t seen so many people vote early in an election.

“I think it just means people are taking advantage of all the different ways you can vote whether it’s on Election Day, or early, they have lots of options and that’s great and it’s how it should be,” Sorensen said.

She said she anticipates Monday being their busiest early voting day and plans to have extra staff on hand to help keep the line moving.

RELATED: How to watch KARE 11’s live coverage on Election Night 2024



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Local volunteers for both campaigns make final push

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With the election seemingly razor-thin, volunteers will continue working until the final ballot is cast.

MINNEAPOLIS — With only a few days left until Election Day, volunteers from both campaigns are doing what they can during the final push.

On Saturday, Kamala Harris supporters canvassed in north Minneapolis. They knocked on doors encouraging those who hadn’t voted yet, to do so. 

In Lakeville, Trump supporters gathered with Congressional District 2 candidates, as they geared up to reach those final voters.

“Donald Trump lost by a small margin here in Minnesota and we want that to be different this year, this time around,” said Crystal Mcdonnell. Mcdonnell canvases not only to try and sway voters to Trump but also to help them fulfill their civic duty.

“(We) offer assistance in registering to vote, give rides to fellow patriots who may not have the means to get out and vote,” Mcdonnell said.

In north Minneapolis, first-time canvasser Samirya Strong was doing her part to help her candidate win.

“We need to activate everyone who is able to vote, to vote up and down for freedom and justice and equality for all,” Strong said.

With the election seemingly razor thin, this type of leg work from both campaigns will continue until the final ballot is cast Tuesday night.

RELATED: Everything you need to know before casting your ballot



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