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Xcel Energy awarded St. Thomas with a six-foot wind turbine Thursday for being the biggest user of green energy generated by the company’s Windsource program.

Students and faculty gathered on the John P. Monahan Plaza to listen to Xcel Energy’s regional vice president Laura McCarten present the award. The university also won the College and University Green Power Challenge in the MIAC and was presented a plaque from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Director of Media Relations Jim Winterer said this award represents another step toward the university’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2035.

“It’s helping us to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, and it’s a big project. But in 2008, our President, Father Dease, signed a commitment to do that … you can’t do it overnight… but this is like one more step for that goal,” Winterer said.

Winterer said this is not only an achievement for the university, but for the St. Thomas community.

“I think that everyone that has studied here or worked here and it can be a very positive thing. We took a lead here, and I think we’re a good example of community,” Winterer said.