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In what will go down in history as one of the most tumultuous times in our state’s economic history, the 2020 legislative session started and ended in very different places. COVID-19 changed conversations about many different aspects of daily life, including work at the Capitol. The state of Minnesota started the 2020 legislative session with over a $1 billion surplus, but recent forecast numbers have shown the immediate impact of job losses and business closures have resulted in a $2.4 billion deficit. 

May 18 marks the final day of the 2020 Legislative Session. We continue to speak with state legislators as they prioritize their work.  Leaders have outlined three priorities for the remainder of session: COVID-19 response, state bonding, and matters where both parties have strong agreement on bills already moving at the Capitol.

While many of us are immersed in all things covid-19, there are good news stories sprinkled in every day too. We rounded up a collection of clean energy-related stories to inform, delight and inspire. 

The Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Act was heard in energy committees in both the Senate and House on Thursday, April 23. We are happy to report that the bill was passed out of these committees. The bill had strong support, and the bill authors called out the support of clean energy groups.

I am Tiffanie Connelly and am joining the CEEM team as the Social Media and Marketing Specialist.

New information being released in the 2020 Minnesota Energy Factsheet about Minnesota’s clean energy transition could help inform decision-making about the state’s economic recovery. The Factsheet was put together with our partners at the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and BloombergNEF.

The Minnesota Legislature narrowed its focus and priorities for the remainder of session in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers recessed on March 17 and will not meet again until April 14, with the exception to reconvene for COVID-related actions.

While there is much uncertainty at this time due to the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, there are also a large number of informational resources and assistance programs being put forward. We will be using this page to share information relevant to our business members and colleagues. Please reach out to our team if we can be of further assistance or if you have suggestions on resources we should add to this page.

Since March is Women’s History Month, Clean Energy Economy MN is taking the opportunity to highlight some of the talented women working in our industry. We asked several women what they most enjoy about their work in clean energy, check out their responses.

Some 200 clean energy supporters filled the Minnesota Capitol this week for Clean Energy Business Day on March 4.

The first weeks of March will be a busy time for clean energy discussions in St. Paul. March marks the beginning of legislative deadlines. Every year the leadership in the House and Senate establish deadlines for committee action on bills. Committee deadlines winnow the list of topics to be dealt with in a given legislative year. Here are three trends to watch as we head toward deadlines.

The 2020 legislative session is officially underway! The early weeks continue to be a busy time for clean energy discussions in St. Paul. Here are three trends to watch as we head toward the end of February.

The Center for Energy and Environment is working with partner organizations like Clean Energy Economy Minnesota and others on two significant clean energy initiatives, that together offer the opportunity for the most significant bipartisan action on clean energy since the Next Generation Energy Act in 2007.  Those two initiatives are Clean Energy First and Energy Conservation and Optimization. Both initiatives are the result of extensive stakeholder negotiation, and Governor Walz has proposed both as clean energy initiatives for the 2020 session.

While lithium-ion batteries get much of the attention when it comes to talk about energy storage, a  recent forum by Clean Energy Economy MN on the topic, shed light on other alternatives. In this piece we touch on some of the different reasons why energy storage can be a smart solution for building owners, and why policy plays a big part in the conversation. 

Clean energy is everyone’s party, hear how Minnesotans' attitudes on climate and clean energy are shifting. We'll tell you how climate change is showing up in new and different ways at the legislature plus why we think energy efficiency is having a moment this year! 

This year we saw more people across the political spectrum discussing clean energy issues and climate change than ever before. The business community is doubling down on clean energy investments, and citizens are speaking up and taking action. There’s a lot to celebrate about 2019 and the cultural shift it’s brought to the clean energy conversation. Here are some of the highlights from the last year. 

Deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Minnesota and across the U.S. shows no signs of slowing. In an effort to head off potential problems seen with other kinds of electronic waste (like stockpiling and improper disposal), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has begun researching and collecting input on how PV panel disposal should be handled.

The electrical grid that serves most Minnesotans’ homes was built in the early 1900’s. It was constructed when renewable energy technologies were just a wisp of a dream. But our rapidly changing energy transformation has changed a whole lot more than just how we power our homes and businesses. It’s going to take a transformation in how we plan for the systems that distribute that power. 

Since 2009, the cost of wind energy has fallen 69 percent, and solar prices have fallen 88 percent. And, according to a Bloomberg article, the price of storage has dropped 85 percent from 2010 – 2018. The low cost and high demand should be the ingredients for a perfect storm of development, fueling terrific job growth and economic development for rural communities. Instead, we are facing a shortage of transmission infrastructure that can deliver new low-cost, clean, renewable energy and are missing a great opportunity to advance the renewable energy economy in the Midwest.

Energy nerds unite! You may know what an IDP is, but does your spouse? How about your best friend? We invite others into the energy insiders’ conversation with a little briefer on 8 energy and utility-related acronyms everyone should know this fall.