Posts Tagged ‘Renewable Energy’
Catching the Wind: New report examines the impact of local vs. non-local hiring practices on construction of Minnesota wind farms
A new report published by North Star Policy Institute finds that hundreds of new family-supporting jobs and tens of millions of dollars in economic activity are at stake for Southern Minnesota communities based on imminent hiring decisions by wind energy companies and whether new projects are built by local or non-local workers. Minnesota’s wind energy economy…
Read MoreHoly Biomass, Batman!
Have you ever wondered where your garbage goes when it gets picked up from the curb? It might return to your home through the powerlines. Minnesotans burn wood chips, livestock waste, garbage, landfill gas, and more for electricity and heat. This diverse industry impacts every corner of the state in some shape or form—and controversy…
Read MoreHow Wind Benefits Minnesotans
Minnesota has been a leader in wind energy generation in the United States over the last two decades. Minnesotans adopted the technology relatively early. In 2017 Minnesota produced the 8th-most in the nation in net generation from wind energy. The wind energy industry provides thousands of good jobs to Minnesotans, cheaper electricity to millions of…
Read MoreEnergy Myth: Renewables Cost More
Many folks, here in Minnesota and elsewhere, falsely believe that renewable energy simply costs more than fossil and nuclear energy. Perhaps these folks only remember when solar panels best adorned satellites and not homes. Perhaps the modest subsidies for wind and solar convince some that these technologies cannot stand on their own (nevermind the long-running…
Read MoreCharging Up: the Need for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure in Minnesota
Electric cars are on the way, and not just for your granola-munching neighbor. Traditional car manufacturers have begun to bet on them. Volvo, for instance, will sell only electric or hybrid cars by next year. General Motors plans to go electric. Ford has turned on its blinker toward the same electric offramp. Not only Elon…
Read MoreWhat Can Batteries Do for You?
The United States just surpassed an important milestone, and you might not have noticed. The country’s electric grid can now store over a billion watts for one hour (1 GWh) with batteries for later use. By the end of 2018, analysts predict that capacity to double. Some even predict 50 times that within the next ten…
Read MoreTime to Raise the Renewable Portfolio Standard?
Minnesota’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)—sometimes called a Renewable Energy Standard (RES)—was last updated in 2007. Most utilities have met it ahead of schedule. All but twelve states have some sort of RPS, twenty-nine of which are mandatory. Is it time for an update in Minnesota? What’s feasible? The details and progress In 2007 lawmakers codified…
Read MoreMinneapolis Proposal for 100% Renewable Energy Leads the Way for Minnesota
As with many things, Minnesota already does well in renewable energy, even as it strives to do better. Two years ago we reported that the state was officially on track to meet its Renewable Portfolio (RPS) goal of 25% renewable by 2025. The state agency that monitors utility compliance with two-year-old data confirms that we…
Read MoreThe Room that Controls your Electric Sockets
The Room that Controls your Electric Sockets Did you know that a giant room in a nondescript building in Eagan, MN controls your electric sockets? Reminiscent of a scene from Dr. Strangelove, a full wall of brightly colored lines and blips and bits represents the sale and flow of electricity from Manitoba to Louisiana. Welcome…
Read MoreMinnesota's Growing Clean Energy Economy
According to the latest Clean Jobs Midwest survey, Minnesota’s clean energy economy is substantial. We have over 54,000 clean jobs across the state, and jobs in this sector are projected to grow 4.4 percent in the next year. Clean Jobs Midwest writes: 87% of the workforce are involved in energy efficiency, and 77% of the…
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