Letter: It seems daunting, but MN is already over half way to carbon-free power

While the transition to cleaner energy in our country can be daunting, we would be remiss not to acknowledge the remarkable progress we have already accomplished towards mitigating the worst impacts of climate change.

I am newly encouraged by a report out this week on Minnesota’s own path to decarbonization. Data released by Clean Energy Economy Minnesota finds that our state is now powered by 55% carbon-free electricity – and a whopping 31% of that is from renewables.

I remember installing Minnesota’s very first wind farm on the Buffalo Ridge back in 1986. The wind turbines have grown bigger and taller since then. Minnesota’s sophistication when it comes to its energy mix has also changed. The economics of wind are proven – it’s now cheaper to build a wind farm than it is to maintain an existing coal plant.

Now we’re onto new frontiers – like building out small scale wind and solar projects across rural Minnesota, such as the one constructed just southwest of Detroit Lakes for Lake Region Electric Coop, and the one just west of Red Lake Falls.

These hybrid renewable projects strengthen the resiliency of the electrical grid, and they provide affordable power to local communities. Additional nice byproducts include production tax payments, leased land payments, and site maintenance jobs that flow into the coffers of the local county – strengthening small communities’ ability to maintain vital services.

Minnesota has now fully committed itself to clean energy with passage of the 100% Clean Energy by 2040 bill signed into law in February.

My hope is that in the next decade, smaller wind and solar projects will continue to become a more common sight, bringing economic development and energy sustainability as a mainstay of life in Greater Minnesota.

(Juhl is co-founder of Hybrid Renewables in Red Lake Falls)