10 Years of Minnesota’s Community Solar Program — Episode 202 of Local Energy Rules

Date: 31 Jan 2024 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Pouya Najmaie discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Minnesota’s community solar program, its many regulatory and legislative changes over the years, and how utility Xcel Energy has found a new way to try to suppress distributed generation.… Read More

Xcel’s Hosting Capacity Map Is Better, but Needs Improvement Before It’s Useful for Interconnecting Distributed Solar

Date: 8 Apr 2022 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In these comments filed to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, ILSR notes some improvements in Xcel Energy’s hosting capacity map and points to issues that require further attention.… Read More

Targeting Subscriber Inequities in Minnesota’s Community Solar Program

Date: 23 Jun 2021 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In these comments, submitted to Minnesota utility regulators, ILSR asks that the Commission extends the residential adder: a program designed to increase residential participation in community solar gardens.… Read More

In the Star Tribune: Wrong Incentives Drive Energy Decisions in Minnesota, Most States

Date: 8 Jun 2021 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In the Star Tribune, ILSR Co-Director and Director of the Energy Democracy Initiative John Farrell explains that thanks to a lack of competition, Minnesota energy companies have little incentive to invest in clean energy.… Read More

Hosting Capacity Analysis Could Simplify Grid Interconnection for Distributed Energy Resources

Date: 13 Apr 2021 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

These comments, submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on April 7, underline the value Xcel Energy’s hosting capacity analysis could have as part of the interconnection process.… Read More

Much More Rooftop Solar from an Alternative to Monopoly Utility Models

Date: 21 Mar 2021 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A new modeling approach from Vote Solar and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) might finally put distributed solar on the same footing in grid planning as the large power plants that utilities prefer.… Read More

Clean Energy Advocates Release Xcel Energy Integrated Resource Plan “Report Card”

Date: 27 Jul 2020 | posted in: Energy, Press Release | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A report card released today by clean energy advocates gave Xcel Energy high marks for retiring existing coal plants, low marks for equity, and a failing grade for their proposal to build a large gas plant in Central Minnesota.… Read More

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