New report shows Minnesota has met 25 percent renewable energy goal
ST. PAUL, MN – A new report
released today by Bloomberg New Energy Finance shows that 25 percent of Minnesota’s energy now comes from renewable sources, meeting Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard seven years ahead of schedule. Last year, Governor Mark Dayton’s Administration and a group of bipartisan lawmakers called for
an increase in Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard from the current standard of 25 percent by 2025, to 50 percent by 2030. When Governor Dayton took office in 2011, just 17.2 percent of energy in Minnesota came from renewable sources.
The following is a statement from Governor Dayton on today’s report.
“Minnesota has made tremendous progress to support clean energy and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions that threaten our health and our environment. I urge the Legislature to adopt the ‘50 by 30’ Renewable Energy Standard, which legislators from both parties have championed. We must do even more to ensure our children and grandchildren inherit a better future, and a stronger clean energy economy.”
In addition to the study released today, other recent studies have shown that Minnesota’s clean energy industry employs
over 57,000 workers, and solar energy jobs alone
grew by 48 percent between 2016 and 2017.
