Issue Position: Clean, Renewable, Secure Energy

Issue Position

Minnesotans are united in their desire to keep our environment healthy and clean. We know that at current rates we are pumping it into the atmosphere, global warming caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases will have dire consequences. Minnesota has no domestic source of fossil fuel energy, thus we are exporting billions of dollars every year to meet our energy needs.

Transitioning our electrical, heating and transportation energy to sources that are clean, renewable, and homegrown can in one stroke create thousand of jobs and greater prosperity for Minnesotans, slow or stop global warming, improve our environment, and give us a more secure future.

Greenhouse Gas Reduction. Make progress on the initiatives and priorities for green house gas emission reductions across all economic sectors set forth by the Minnesota Climate Action Group to fulfill our state's official goal of reducing them by 80% below 2005 levels by 2050.

Renewable Energy Standard. Maintain progress and fend off attacks on our requirement that 25% of our energy come from clean, sustainable, renewable energy by 2025.

Energy Conservation and Efficiency. Continue to maintain a strong conservation and efficiency requirements, reducing our energy demand by 1.5% per year, saving consumers, business and our utilities billions of dollars, and creating energy service jobs and spurring technical innovation.

Public buildings. Spark our small scale renewable and energy efficiency market, and save taxpayers money by building or rehabbed to the most energy efficient standards and have solar, small scale wind, geothermal or other renewable energy sources installed.

Electric Vehicles. Set the stage for electric vehicles that use clean, renewable sources of energy through public purchasing, utility readiness and energy code policies.

Smart Grid. Support advances in deployment of the "smart grid" and U of M research, to help consumer manage their energy consumption, utilities to deploy resources more cost effectively.

Biofuels. Promote the development and use of biofuels grown in Minnesota, especially those that can be produced in the most environmentally sustainable ways.

Regional Cap and Trade. In the absence of a national carbon cap and trade mission, continue with efforts to establish a carbon trading market as envisioned by the Midwestern Governor's Association.

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