At long last: A big moment for clean energy legislation in Minnesota

2021年6月25日
中东欧3

在2021年立法会议之前, Minnesota had not passed significant clean energy legislation in almost a decade. 然而, Minnesota just completed its most successful clean energy legislative session since 2007, thanks to bipartisan leadership from Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan; state senators Dave Senjem (R-Rochester), 杰森·拉里克(R-Pine City), and Nick Frentz (D-Mankato); and state representatives Zack Stephenson (D-Coon Rapids), 杰米·朗(明尼阿波利斯民主党), 帕蒂·阿库姆(明尼苏达大学民主党), 在许多其他方面.

在全国唯一分裂的州立法机构, these policymakers demonstrated bipartisan wisdom and cooperation to pass a flurry of significant initiatives that will benefit all Minnesotans now and in the future.

两党清洁能源的成功始于 节能与优化法; passed in May at the end of the regular 2021 legislative session. 6月22日, during a special session called by Governor Tim Walz to finalize the state operating budget, Minnesota lawmakers passed the Commerce and Energy Omnibus Finance and Policy bill — carrying forward a slew of clean energy initiatives that fittingly reflect Minnesota's broad support for clean energy policies that serve a greater good. 在一起, these provisions make the 2021 Minnesota session the most productive session for climate and clean energy since passage of Governor Tim Pawlenty’s Next Generation Energy Act in 2007 — which also passed on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis that year.

创新的举措

除了五月通过的ECO法案, the list of clean energy provisions enacted this session includes:

1. 明尼苏达高效技术加速器. This legislation authorizes 明尼苏达州商务部 to approve the establishment of an energy efficiency market transformation program, 如果该程序符合指定的标准, 在重要的利益相关者参与之后. This proposal is based on a very successful program run by the 西北能效联盟 (NEEA)考试. 这在中西部地区还是头一遭, the program will launch with the active participation of Minnesota's five largest investor-owned natural gas and electric utilities.

CEE developed this proposal with insights and suggestions from NEEA, 明尼苏达州商务部, 清洁能源经济明尼苏达州, 明尼苏达州商会, Xcel能源, 中心能量, 明尼苏达州的权力, 水獭尾动力, 和其他人.

2. 天然气创新法案(NGIA). NGIA allows natural gas utilities to file plans to begin to decarbonize their natural gas service through additional efficiency, 电气化, 地区能源, 可再生天然气, 绿色氢. It also directs utilities to work to reduce their throughput of methane-based fuels and requires the state's Public Utilities Commission to consider regulatory and legislative options to decarbonize natural gas service.

CEE的Audrey Partridge和Rabi Vandergon撰写了一篇文章 report showing that natural gas service is the fastest growing contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Without legislative guidance such as those listed in NGIA, Minnesota would be unable to meet the state's total 2050 emissions reduction goal. 我们非常感谢中心点能源公司的合作, 新能源, and the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) of Minnesota and North Dakota for helping to pass this forward-thinking legislation.

3. State Buildings Energy Conservation Revolving Loan Program. This initiative establishes a new revolving loan program to finance energy conservation improvements in state buildings; loans are to be paid back through the energy cost savings created by the conservation improvements. 这个伟大的想法得到了安妮·亨特的支持, Director of Enterprise Sustainability at the Minnesota Department of Administration.

4. 能源转型办公室. This initiative creates an office in Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development to help ease the economic disruption experienced by host communities of retiring power plants, including the workers that make their living in those plants. The impetus behind this legislative initiative was a 2020 report by CEE's Audrey Partridge and Brady Steigauf titled "明尼苏达州电厂社区:一个不确定的未来."

Work on this initiative was spearheaded by Coalition of Utility Cities in close collaboration with CEE, 明尼苏达建筑行业, 保护明尼苏达州, 在过去的几年里.

明尼苏达一路顺风

除了这些清洁能源的胜利, a number of other important clean energy initiatives passed this year:

  • authorization for an 电气化 project led by Xcel能源 and St. 保罗地区能源公司
  • appropriations for solar projects at Minnesota community colleges
  • an appropriation to extend the Xcel能源's Solar Rewards program
  • 布莱特菲尔德倡议的拨款, 在封闭的垃圾填埋场进行太阳能项目试点
  • an appropriation for the North Minneapolis Regional Clean Energy Apprentice Training Center
  • an appropriation for a renewable ammonia/hydrogen demonstration project at the University of Minnesota, 莫里斯

还有很多工作要做

While celebrating our success from this legislative session, 注意这一点很重要, 即使有这些显著的胜利, the progress made this year is not yet at the scope or scale urgently needed to meet the climate crisis.

与非营利组织合作, 社区合作伙伴, 以及政府领导人, we will put our shoulders to the wheel next session on important legislative initiatives that didn't quite make it over the finish line this year. Continued collaboration with bipartisan leaders and advocates representing a variety of viewpoints is how we can, 而且必须, build on our 2021 legislative success — finding common ground to reach higher ground.

就像我们的朋友 100%的活动 tweeted after passage of the Commerce and Energy omnibus bill, “这是受欢迎的. 这是有可能的. MN可以再次领先.” 我们同意!