Tag Archives: Minnesota

Magnificent Minnesota: Study Says 70% Renewables By 2050 Within Reach

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Most solar observers who look at the Midwest and identify what state leads that group of states almost inevitably settle on Minnesota as the far-and-away leader.

(Here’s the obligatory note suggesting that Illinois is hot on Minnesota’s tail and that it had better keep moving forward if it wants to remain the name on everyone’s lips when it comes to a Midwestern solar leader).

But the Land of 10,000 Lakes (which is actually closer to 15,000, but who’s counting?) is well known for its progressive solar policy, particularly when it comes to community solar, where its reputation doesn’t just make it stand out in the Midwest but in the entire country.

And it benefits too from having a utility that, after long and involved battles, decided to join the Solar Revolution instead of fighting it. Xcel is now not only on board with solar development but in some cases is leading the charge (though it still isn’t an enthusiastic supporter of rooftop solar, preferring instead the utility-scale and community solar farms that it has control over).

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Now there’s even strong support for the expansion of solar power and other forms of renewable energy in the state as the latest study for the state’s Department of Commerce suggests that the state could get up to 70% of its electricity by 2050 without destroying the state’s economy.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune has the details:

The deployment of more solar and wind generation would be no more costly than new natural gas power, a cheap source of electricity, according to the study done for the state Department of Commerce. Enough solar generation could be added cost-effectively by 2030 to meet Minnesota’s ambitious solar-power goals.

So that’s great news for solar advocates in the state, some of whom have been pushing for a much more aggressive renewable portfolio standard for the past couple of years. Could this latest study add fuel to that fire and get it passed? Could Minnesota boldly join states like California and Hawaii and go all-in on 100% renewables?

OK, maybe that last is a pipe dream for now, but the new study should buoy hope that Minnesota can stay on the Midwest’s leading edge when it comes to solar development, at least for the foreseable future.

More:

Study says Minnesota can economically reach renewable energy goals by 2050

Organic Valley Launches Community Solar Projects In Six Communities

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

It’s nice to see companies start putting their money where their mouth is.

Organic Valley, America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and a leading organic brand, today announced details of the first-of-its-kind community solar partnership launched last year. The project enables Organic Valley to share the benefits of solar energy with its rural neighbors and become the largest food company in the world to be 100 percent renewably powered.

In October 2017, the company ambitiously committed to achieve 100 percent renewable power at its corporate facilities. Since pioneering this new model of community solar development, Organic Valley has unlocked solar beyond its needs.

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In the spirit of cooperation, 13 communities across the Midwest will also benefit from this partnership, including six in Organic Valley’s project portfolio. Beyond the company’s 12.3 megawatt (MWdc) project portfolio, an additional 19 MWdc will be constructed, resulting in over 31 MWdc of new solar in the region, including a 33 percent increase in the state of Wisconsin. Partners for the remaining renewable energy credits will be announced later this year.

The six communities within Organic Valley’s portfolio that will benefit directly from the community solar partnership include Arcadia, Cashton, La Farge, Merrillan, and Viola in Wisconsin; and St. Charles in Minnesota. When the projects begin generating power next year, the Arcadia array, sized at 6.78 MW, will be the largest solar array in the state of Wisconsin.

Every member of these communities will benefit from stable and low electricity rates and the environmental benefits of renewable power for decades to come. Nearly 10,000 residents in these communities will soon have access to the power of the sun.

“Organic Valley is a farmer-owned cooperative with deep roots in the rural Midwest, so it makes sense that we would work together to create new sources of energy right here at home that can be shared by all,” said George Siemon, CEO and a founding farmer of Organic Valley. “We are committed to achieving 100 percent renewable electricity for our cooperative, but also sharing the bounty of solar electricity with rural communities where we live and work.”

Minnesota Forges New Rules For Easier Clean-Energy Interconnection

Minnesota

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) decided last week to make significant changes to its interconnection procedures in an effort to make it easier for clean-energy customers to connect to the grid.

Despite its reputation as being the Midwestern leader in community solar development, outdated interconnection rules had slowed the progress of community solar garden growth and caused frustration among solar advocates within the state.

With the help of he Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), Fresh Energy and the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), the MPUC has adopted more straightforward rules and procedures that should speed up interconnection for clean-energy customers.

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Among the new rules adoptedwere

  • the standardization of interconnection rules based on a 2014 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission model, making the learning curve for customers less steep;
  • a two-tier screen process for mid-sized process, which eliminates the need for all projects to undergo the full (and sometimes costly full study process). The fast track follows the FERC SGIP model but contain a few Minnesota specific modifications;
  • a simplified application and review process for small rooftop solar projects less than 20 kW.
  • new rules that include energy storage systems in the definition of eligible projects, creating a more clear process for energy storage customers to connect their projects to the grid.
  • new rules allow that allow interconnection customers to request a pre-application report from their utility, which allows customers to get a sense early in the process – before they make a large investment of time and money – whether a given project is likely to integrate into the grid at that location, without triggering major upgrades.
  • a new requirement that required utilities with more than 40 applications a year to publish a public interconnection queue that enables customers to track the progress of interconnection projects.

    • With these improvements adopted, the PUC will turn its attention to updating the technical standards document to include smart inverter settings, the requirements for energy storage, and the other deferred issues noted above.

    The groups involved in shaping the new rules say there is still considerable work to be done to figure out exact processes and streamlining some of the rules, but the initial decision provides a good framework from which to start the fine-tuning.

    “With this interconnection standard, Minnesota has laid the groundwork for our transition to clean energy, and will help drive the Minnesota market forward by bringing certainty and transparency,” adds Laura Hannah, senior policy associate at Fresh Energy, an independent nonprofit that provides in-depth policy analysis on energy issues across Minnesota. “The utilities will be much more prepared for increasing volumes of applications and modern technologies.”