Renewable Energy

Minnesota is among the nation’s top producers of renewable energy and environmental technology – and we are setting the pace for the nation in the race to cut fossil fuel consumption and reduce our carbon footprint.

In fact, state law requires that renewable energy sources like wind energy must generate at least 25 percent of Minnesota’s electricity by 2025.

Harnessing the Wind
Minnesota ranks third nationwide in wind energy production, generating enough power for nearly 300,000 homes per year. Xcel Energy is the nation’s largest purchaser of wind energy.

Our reputation as a state serious about wind-power development has made Minnesota the home of choice for some very serious players in the wind-power industry:

• Suzlon produces rotor blades
• Columbia Gear Corp. manufactures gears
• Remmele Engineering machines castings
• Mortenson and DH Blattner are North America’s largest wind farm contractors
• Wind Logics is the nation’s largest modeler of wind currents

Renewable Fuels and Fuel Cells

• Minnesota ranks fourth nationwide in ethanol production capacity, producing more than 1.1 billion gallons according to the Renewable Fuels Association.
• Companies on the cutting edge of fuel cell products include Entegris, 3M, Donaldson, ICM Plastics, Atmosphere Recovery, and Cummins.

Generating Electricity and Jobs

• Between 2000 and 2006, employment in renewable electric power generation (excluding hydro) more than doubled. The renewable energy sector generates more jobs than the fossil fuel-based energy sector per megawatt, according to the University of California, Berkeley, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory 2006 report.
• Minnesota is a center of water technology firms Pentair, FilmTec, GE Water & Process Technologies (formerly Osmonics), and others with more than $3 billion in sales.

Innovative Research, Products and Services

• The University of Minnesota, in partnership with Xcel Energy and other Minnesota stakeholders, is working on a demonstration project where wind power produces hydrogen, which in turn produces anhydrous ammonia, an agricultural fertilizer.
• 3M’s ACCR (Aluminum Conductor Composite Reinforced) cable provides greater transmission line capacity.
• Siemen’s Energy Management and Automation provides transmission and distribution innovations.
• Duluth port ranks 2nd as most active for wind turbine shipments.
• Anderson Trucking Services has 200 trucks dedicated to the wind industry.

Making a Cleaner and Greener World

• Minnesota exported almost $1.5 billion of environmental technology goods worldwide in 2007 – a growth rate of 86 percent since 2002 – and we rank 9th among the states in export value change during the period.
• Between 2002 and 2007, the strongest growing segments (by percentage change) in environmental technology exports for Minnesota were heat and energy management (up 461 percent); other recycling systems (up 223 percent) and air pollution control (up 135 percent).