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 an MPR News series digging deep into stories of the clean energy transition — and the opportunities and obstacles to reach that milestone.

Have a question or story idea? Let us know with this form.

Minnesota e-bike rebates: Window set to reopen
Three weeks after high demand crashed its wobbly e-bike application website, the Minnesota Department of Revenue is getting back in the saddle. The agency said it will reopen its e-bike rebate application window at 11 a.m. on July 2.
Food waste composting is cooking in Minnesota — and helping curb climate change
Americans waste about one-third of all available food. Tossed in the trash, unused food creates the potent greenhouse gas methane as it decays in landfills.
Minnesota’s energy future
Minnesota aims to be carbon-free by 2050. Here’s a look at what needs to happen until then.
Minnesota e-bike rebates: 7 questions, answered
The Minnesota Department of Revenue will accept up to 10,000 rebate applications and review them on a first-come, first-served basis. The site, though, crashed Wednesday morning after it launched. Officials say they’re working on a fix.
St. Paul schools turn towards geothermal energy as Minnesota‘s climate shifts
School years in Minnesota can be hot and muggy on either end and freezing in the middle. A high school on the east side of St. Paul wrapped up its first year with a new heating and cooling system to combat climate change that draws energy from the ground.
Lawmakers pass reforms to cut red tape for clean energy projects
Clean energy developers and utilities have complained that the state’s permitting process is a roadblock to getting new wind and solar projects and transmission lines built. Now, reforms to streamline the projects and power lines Minnesota needs as it shifts to clean energy are in place.
New online tool allows for close-up look into Minnesota’s changing climate future
University of Minnesota researchers are launching a new online tool today that allows people to visualize how a future climate will look and feel, down to a 2.5 mile scale. The goal is to help engineers, farmers and others better plan for a climate-changed future.
Why wonky building codes could be key in reducing state’s climate impact
Building codes set minimum safety requirements for how new homes should be designed and constructed. But they can also be an important behind-the-scenes tool to fight climate change.