Hunt Utilities Group looks for new sources of sustainable energy

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Hunt Utilities Group co-founder Paul Hunt constructs a calorimeter Thursday, January 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. A calorimeter measures energy in the form of heat. Hunt says it makes sense for HUG to build their own calorimeters due to issues of accuracy and economics. (Derek Montgomery for MPR) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Hunt Utilities Group co-founder Paul Hunt constructs a calorimeter Thursday, January 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. A calorimeter measures energy in the form of heat. Here, the calorimeter lights up as electricity passes through it. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Hunt Utilities Group co-founder Paul Hunt constructs a calorimeter Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. A calorimeter measures energy in the form of heat. Here, the calorimeter lights up as electricity passes through it. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Cold fusion test cells inside a Hunt Utilities Group research building Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 in Pine River, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Hunt Utilities Group co-founder Paul Hunt holds a stainless steel tube that will be a part of future cold fusion experiments Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Many of the rooms inside the Hunt Utilities Group's main building feature elaborate artwork as seen here Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 in Pine River, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Many of the rooms inside the Hunt Utilities Group's main building feature elaborate artwork as seen here Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 in Pine River, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — The Hunt Utilities Group's main building is a straw-bale construction with walls constructed from adobe. HUG co-founder Paul Hunt says the straw-bale construction and adobe walls further the campus' theme of sustainable living and environmental stewardship. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — The outside walls of the Hunt Utilities Group's main building is a work of art as seen Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Hunt Utilities Group co-founders Paul and Lynn Hunt live in this ultra-efficient home as seen Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Inside the home and research facility of Hunt Utilities Group co-founders Paul and Lynn Hunt are these double-paned windows. In fact, every window in their house is like this. Paul Hunt says the two-pane system dramatically reduces heat loss compared to a one-pane system. On this day, Jan. 24, 2013, there was no frost visible on either of the windows despite below-zero temperatures on the HUG campus. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — Many of the rooms inside the home of Hunt Utilities Group co-founders Paul and Lynn Hunt feature twin-wall polycarbonate as seen here Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. The twin-wall polycarbonate leaks just enough light into the adjacent room, which means that there is little need to turn on another light and leads to less power consumption. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn — Hunt Utilities Group Research and Development manager Ryan Hunt explains the results of ongoing cold fusion experiments Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 on the HUG campus in Pine River, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo

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PINE RIVER, Minn. — The Hunt Utilities Group in Pine River, Minn. devotes much of its time, effort and research into sustainable and efficient living methods. (Derek Montgomery for MPR News) link to this photo