MinnPost | Beth Soholt, August 13
Clean energy powers more than 8,300 jobs, but the state must continue to develop renewable generation to attract a competitive business environment.
August. The last month of summer where Minnesotans are squeezing in final cabin stays while anxiously preparing for the school year to begin. It’s one last trip down the giant slide at the State Fair and wrapping up that summer reading list.
It’s appropriate, then, that August is also the time we celebrate Clean Power Week and the role clean energy plays in ensuring a more sustainable, affordable future.
Because, for Minnesota, clean energy is more than a wind turbine you see along the highway. In our state, renewable energy powers more than 8,300 jobs and invests more than $40.8 million into agriculture families through land lease payments. Today, renewable energy accounts for 28.9% of Minnesota’s electricity generation, and I’m grateful for the goals state leadership has set to achieve 100% carbon-free energy by 2040. Clean Grid Alliance is hard at work with utilities, colleague organizations, and others to implement the law.
Why is this such a big deal? Why does it even matter? Investing in clean energy means investing in our own communities and producing home grown energy to supply the basic utilities we require to power our lives and businesses. Clean energy also means deeper investments in the agriculture community. Hosting wind, solar, or storage projects on farmland means income that isn’t vulnerable to commodity prices or ever-changing weather conditions.
And it’s an economic boon. In 2022, clean power projects invested more than $37 million in local Minnesota communities through property, state and local taxes. This doesn’t include the community benefit packages developers offer communities offering upgrades for infrastructure, resources for first responders, and crucial school system investments.
What’s more, new industries — especially technology — are looking for regions with high amounts of renewable energy generation to power developments like data centers and other economic opportunities. To attract new business and create a competitive business environment, Minnesota must continue developing renewable generation.
This year, we made tremendous strides when the Minnesota Legislature led the passage of the Minnesota Infrastructure Permitting Act, a bill that will reduce permitting times for energy transmission projects by over a year. Clean Grid Alliance joined stakeholder groups like the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and LiUNA in identifying core reforms that led to meaningful and tangible action. The act of bringing together 32 diverse voices and walking out with a single agreement is a testament to the importance of clean energy to our state and the power of partnerships.
There’s more work to be done. We must prioritize our transmission infrastructure to accommodate the new generation coming online. We cannot make our 2040 goal if the grid is not ready to accept new projects. I applaud the leadership of our utilities and public utilities commissioners for planning, supporting and constructing the needed transmission.
I am proud to be a Minnesotan, and I’m proud of the way we’re helping lead the nation into a clean energy future. It’s American Clean Power Week, so join me in celebrating our state’s accomplishments in developing the infrastructure needed for and committing to the future of clean power and Minnesotan innovation.
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