Star Tribune | Walker Orenstein, May 29 CLEAR LAKE, MINN. — Sheep clambered out of a trailer, rushed down a ramp and spilled into a field of knee-high grass covered by rows of solar panels. Some leaped as they exited, joining the chorus of bleats and laughter from the humans watching. The animals deployed ThursdayContinueContinue reading “Xcel lets loose a small army of hungry sheep to keep its solar farm in order”
Tag Archives: Minnesota
Minnesota Leads Clean Energy Transition With Permitting Reforms
inkl | August 25 Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently signed legislation aimed at accelerating the state’s transition to clean energy by reforming outdated permitting laws. The move comes as Minnesota strives to achieve its goal of sourcing 100% of its power from renewables. The new law eliminates the need for developers to demonstrate the necessity ofContinueContinue reading “Minnesota Leads Clean Energy Transition With Permitting Reforms”
Tractors, barns and solar panels: Renewables help reshape MN ag land use
Public News Service | Mike Moen, September 5 Minnesota has plenty of prime farmland, with some of it being converted in the transition to clean energy sources such as solar. The movement has sparked conversations about future land use in ag-heavy areas. The Clean Grid Alliance said Minnesota has 17 million acres of farmland considered “prime.” EvenContinueContinue reading “Tractors, barns and solar panels: Renewables help reshape MN ag land use”
Fillmore County, Louise Solar Projects to Bring Significant Economic Impact, Jobs to Area
Fillmore County Journal | Axel Gumbel, July 8 Two new, large solar fields in Fillmore and Mower counties are expected to make a $30 million economic impact in southeastern Minnesota, including more than $4 million in tax revenue for local townships and counties, as well as the creation of 300 new construction jobs. The twoContinueContinue reading “Fillmore County, Louise Solar Projects to Bring Significant Economic Impact, Jobs to Area”
Clean Energy Is Driving ‘a New Era in American Manufacturing’ Across the Midwest
Inside Climate News | Kristoffer Tigue, May 17 Midwestern states have received about $30 billion in capital investments from the private sector since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. The Midwest is emerging as a major manufacturing hub for the clean energy transition as federal incentives and falling prices for renewables spurContinueContinue reading “Clean Energy Is Driving ‘a New Era in American Manufacturing’ Across the Midwest”
Dodge County Wind Project gets state approval, expected to create 400 construction jobs
KIMT 3 News | Mike Bunge, May 3 ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Dodge County Wind Project has been approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. The project, developed by NextEra Energy Resources, will consist of 72 turbines. Most of the turbines will be in western Dodge County, with some in Steele County. The 27ContinueContinue reading “Dodge County Wind Project gets state approval, expected to create 400 construction jobs”
In some MN counties, wind turbines are taxpayers, too
Public News Service | Mike Moen, May 6 Minnesota is coming off another windy month of April. Those strong wind gusts may have translated into some extra cash for counties with wind turbines dotting the landscape. Minnesota has a wind and solar energy production tax, which allows jurisdictions where these systems are located to collect revenueContinueContinue reading “In some MN counties, wind turbines are taxpayers, too”
Report finds Minnesota outpacing the country in carbon-free electricity
MPR News | Dan Kraker, April 30 For the fourth straight year, Minnesota produced more than half its electricity from carbon-free sources in 2023, helping lead to a 10 percent annual drop in climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector. Those are two of the main findings from the 2024 Minnesota Energy Factsheet released Tuesday byContinueContinue reading “Report finds Minnesota outpacing the country in carbon-free electricity”
Letter: Fern-Roth Solar Park project south of Alexandria will help rectify past actions
Echo Press | Nathan Dull, March 28 To the editor: I am writing to you today to express the Minnesota Land and Liberty Coalition’s support of the proposed Fern-Roth Solar Park located just south of Alexandria. This project will help rectify past actions by the government that adversely affected the participating landowners. The property ownersContinueContinue reading “Letter: Fern-Roth Solar Park project south of Alexandria will help rectify past actions”
Two transmission lines in North Dakota part of new federal grid investment
Bismarck Tribune | Joey Harris October 19 Two transmission lines in North Dakota will receive millions in federal investment as part of a broad effort to improve the U.S. electric grid. The projects are part of the $3.5 billion federal Energy Department’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program which will fund 58 projects across the U.S.ContinueContinue reading “Two transmission lines in North Dakota part of new federal grid investment”