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

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Minnesota schools testing electric buses find benefits and barriers
A handful of Minnesota school districts are experimenting with electric buses. Early adopters find a lot to like about the clean running, quiet vehicles — but there are key barriers to wider adoption of the technology.
Native-led EV initiative launches by distributing millions of dollars worth of vehicles to tribal communities
Native-led renewable energy program startup Electric Nation is sending millions of dollars worth of electric vehicles to two tribal communities in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Getting to Green: Shifting to electric vehicles
Electric vehicles can save money on gas and reduce carbon emissions. What are the challenges to getting more on the road? MPR News correspondents Dan Kraker and Kirsti Marohn talk with guests and listeners about EVs in their Getting to Green series about the climate crisis and Minnesota’s energy future.  
When it comes to climate warming, cow burps are no joke
Animal agriculture is the largest source of the climate-warming gas methane in Minnesota. Researchers are looking for ways to reduce methane at the source — a cow’s stomach. The science is promising, but a quick solution is unlikely.
Getting to Green: One home at a time  
A greener home reduces carbon emissions and can cut energy bills. But how do you get there? MPR News correspondents Dan Kraker and Kirsti Marohn guest host the second of three shows focused on the climate crisis and Minnesota’s energy future.  
Getting to Green in Minnesota
The climate crisis means we all need to think in new ways about how we heat our homes, get around and a whole lot more. MPR News correspondents Dan Kraker and Kirsti Marohn guest host the first of three shows focused on what the energy transition could look like in Minnesota.
As session approaches, Minnesota lawmakers plan to keep advancing shift to clean energy
Key Minnesota legislators say not to expect climate legislation as ambitious as last year in the upcoming session. In 2023, they passed a historic legislation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This year their focus will be on making sure the state’s able to achieve its clean energy goals.
Heat pumps poised to accelerate Minnesota’s green energy transition
Heat pumps are making inroads in Minnesota as a cost-effective, carbon-friendly way to heat homes and businesses, and new state and federal incentives have the industry gearing up for more growth.
Agency combats poverty one energy audit at a time
With winter fast approaching, a nonprofit called MAHUBE-OTWA is working to winterize homes throughout northwest and central Minnesota. The organization was formed in the mid-1960s as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's “War on Poverty” and is still meeting the challenge.
The battle over land use: Farm crops versus solar farms
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates the U.S. will need 10 million acres of solar panels by 2050 to meet the nation’s net zero-carbon goals. That means acreage currently used for farmland will become solar farms.