Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Minnesota will have to dramatically increase its 2015 solar capacity — by a factor of 171 — to reach a goal it set in 2013 to generate 10 percent of electricity from solar by 2030. 


Officials say integrating solar onto the existing grid will take some planning. The U.S. Department of Energy has stepped in with $2 million to help ease the transition to more solar power. 

Minnesota requires large utilities to produce 1.5 percent of their electricity from solar by 2020, and Xcel Energy says it expects at least 8 percent of its portfolio will come from solar by 2030. 


Solar energy production is growing fast in Minnesota. Xcel Energy opened the largest single solar facility in the Midwest this week near North Branch.

Massive new solar plot marks big changes in rural Minnesota


Minnesota was the only Midwestern state to receive the Department of Energy grant, which provides technical and analytical assistance to states in meeting their renewable energy goals, according to a news release Thursday from the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

Elizabeth Dunbar

Author

The U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative aims to help states meet renewable energy targets.

Solar panels stretch across Eichten's solar farm.

Minnesota receives $2 million federal grant to boost solar energy

Go Deeper.

Like this?