Majority of electricity in Minnesota comes from zero-carbon generation, report says

A new report on Minnesota energy says the majority of the state’s electricity in 2022 came from zero-carbon generation sources.

The report, from Clean Energy Economy Minnesota (CEEM) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) found that zero-carbon power represented 55 percent of the state’s electricity last year, surpassing the national average by 14 percent. According to the report, 2022 was the third year zero-carbon power was the majority of the state’s electricity.

“This year’s Factsheet demonstrates how Minnesota has locked in the transition to a clean energy economy,” Gregg Mast, executive director of Clean Energy Economy MN, said. “With our goal of reaching 100,000 clean energy jobs this decade on our way to 100 percent clean energy by 2040, I am confident that we will continue to grow the industry and lead the way towards a more equitable and sustainable future for all Minnesotans.”

The report also found that nearly one-third of the state’s generation came from renewable technologies, an increase from the 10.6TWh generated in 2012. The report said that renewable generation has risen by 75 percent to 18.6TWh generated last year.

“National Grid Renewables continues to invest in the state of MN with ~2,000 MWs in utility scale wind and solar developments here. We are proud to say that our projects are bringing economic growth to greater MN communities,” said Tena Monson, senior director of development operations at National Grid Renewables. “We are also committed to working towards an interconnection solution to ensure that utility scale renewable projects are part of the solution to reach carbon-free electricity by 2040.”

The 2023 Minnesota Energy Factsheet found that the state had reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent compared to 2005 levels, including a seven percent decline in 2022. Additionally, the state’s energy productivity increased in 2022, despite supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and workforce issues, the report said.

“Despite the many challenges of the past year, Minnesota’s economy is now locked in on clean, sustainable growth that will reduce emissions and create good-paying jobs,” said Lisa Jacobson, BCSE president. “Minnesota is a national leader on clean energy and energy efficiency deployment, driven by ambitious investments from both the public and private sectors. The course is set for the state’s profound clean energy transition.”