Minnesota led the nation in establishing laws that help put our state on the path to a clean energy future. In 2007, the Next Generation Energy Act passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Pawlenty. It included the 25% by 2025 Renewable Energy Standard (primarily wind). This propelled Minnesota forward in installation of clean, sustainable energy, which protects our land, air, water and public health. However, since 2007 other states have passed stronger policies that have pushed them into leadership roles in renewable energy development, especially solar energy.
Now is the time for Minnesota to assume the leadership role again in renewable energy and reduce our energy dependency on fossil fuels like coal and oil. That’s why MEP has joined with the Solar Works for Minnesota Coalition to support a 10 percent solar standard that will produce more renewable energy, generate good-paying jobs and help keep our air clean.
In today’s uncertain global political and economic environments, it is vitally important to Minnesota voters that the U.S move away from drilling and digging and shift towards clean, renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. Each year Minnesota imports more than $20 billion dollars in polluting energy from other states that harms our environment and our economy. While Minnesota does not have any coal, natural gas or oil, we do have an abundance of renewable energy resources that have been left untapped. It is time we move forward with the clean energy future that allows our homes, businesses and communities to take advantage of solar energy.
To achieve a clean, renewable energy future for our state, Minnesota voters want to see changes. Nearly three-quarters of Minnesotans support a requirement that 10 percent of the state’s electricity come from solar power.* With more solar power, we can take the next step to a cleaner energy economy, continuing our transition away from coal and gas.
We support a Solar Energy Standard (SES) – a policy that will ensure Minnesota gets 10 percent of its electricity from solar by the year 2030. The policy needs to include a rational approach that will allow solar energy to flourish in our state, including:
• a reliable funding mechanism for solar system owners with a simple contract that pays out over a period of time; and
• a firm solar standard with benchmarks that creates certainty for the solar industry, creating good jobs and reducing our dependency on coal and oil.
Passing an SES will produce the following results:
• create thousands of good jobs in the state’s solar industry;
• put solar on thousands of Minnesota rooftops, from residential to small businesses to big businesses; and
• provide millions of dollars in energy savings and billions of dollars in economic activity.
By investing in solar in Minnesota today, our children and grandchildren will enjoy more and better jobs, cleaner air and stable, cheaper electrical rates.
It’s clear: solar energy works for Minnesota.
Learn more about this solar campaign at Solar Works for Minnesota.