"A new report released by the Minnesota Commerce Department lays the technical groundwork for ramping up one of the nation’s highest state renewable energy mandates from 30 to 40 percent by 2030.
One technicality left out of the $750,000 study underwritten by Minnesota utility ratepayers?
Who pays for what in a potentially massive upgrade of high voltage transmission lines from the Dakotas to Indiana.“The results indicate that Minnesota’s renewable energy standard is clearly on track and that the capacity for adding additional wind and solar up to 40% by 2030 can be reliably accommodated by the electric power system,” according to a Minnesota Commerce Department news release.
A search of the 178-page report shows the authors never mention ratepayers, leaving unanswered whether spending nearly $400 million to upgrade the grid would be a good investment for Minnesota consumers and employers.
“It doesn’t say it would be cost effective to upgrade the system to accommodate 40 percent renewables. It doesn’t say it would be a good idea,” said Bill Glahn, an independent energy analyst for Piedmont Consulting and a former Pawlenty administration energy official.
“It just said that given enough time and money, it’s technically feasible.
I could have told you that.”"
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