Getting to Green: Minnesota's energy future

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Minnesota officials have set an ambitious goal for the state to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

Getting there will require generating our electricity from clean sources such as wind and solar, and electrifying vehicles, homes, office buildings, factories and farms that currently rely on fossil fuels.

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future is a MPR News series digging deep into stories of the clean energy transition — and the opportunities and obstacles to reach that milestone.

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Tax credits soon disappearing for home energy upgrades
Some people are rushing to put up solar panels before a federal tax break expires. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about how to use the tax credits for home energy improvements, including solar, insulation and heat pumps.
The stakes in Minnesota if U.S. landmark finding on the environment goes away
President Donald Trump’s administration has said it wants to repeal a landmark environmental finding that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.
What's ahead for electric vehicles?
Have you thought about buying an electric vehicle? Do you drive one? MPR News host Angela Davis talks about how cuts to EV funding could affect the future of electric cars and how we get around.  
‘Big beautiful bill’ won’t kill clean energy in Minnesota, but will make it more costly
President Trump’s massive budget bill eliminates tax credits and incentives for small and large-scale solar and wind projects in Minnesota, and is projected to increase electricity bills across the state.
Data centers face new regulations, some worry they fall short of protecting water, residents
The largest “hyperscale” data centers can consume millions of gallons of water a year, and use as much electricity as an entire large city. Some environmental and citizen groups who pushed for tougher rules don’t think the bill goes far enough to protect the state’s water supply and consumers.
Minnesota's clean energy industry fretting about possible rollback of tax credits
The clean energy tax credits have been used to defray the cost to build new solar and wind projects, help consumers install rooftop solar or weatherize their homes and encourage companies to invest in clean energy manufacturing. President Trump has called those policies a “green new scam.”
Hundreds of sheep helping keep prairie plants in check at Xcel’s Sherco solar project
Xcel Energy is managing vegetation at its Sherco Solar project by using sheep to graze beneath the solar panels. It’s an example of agrivoltaics, a growing practice of pairing renewable energy with agriculture that provides mutual benefits.