Breakthrough Technologies Institute - Fuel Cells 2000

Minnesota has voluntary renewable energy goals (Renewable Portfolio Standard-type
legislation) without enforcement provisions. The legislature passed a non-binding goal
of 1% in 2005, increasing each year to 10% in 2015. No mechanism was established to
require compliance towards the RPS goal, and the goal now operates on the good faith
efforts of the investor-owned electric utilities, generation and transmission cooperatives,
and municipal power agencies. Eligible energy technologies under the objective include
electricity generated from the following renewable energy sources:
• Solar; wind; hydroelectric with a capacity of less than 60 MW;
• Hydrogen, provided that after January 1, 2010, the hydrogen must be
generated from listed renewable resources; or
• Biomass, which includes an energy recovery facility used to capture the heat
value of mixed municipal solid waste or refuse-derived fuel from mixed
municipal solid waste as a primary fuel.
In 2003, the legislature amended the statute to require the Commission to supervise and
facilitate these good faith efforts. Among other things, the 2003 amendments authorized
the Commission to establish a program of tradable credits for electricity generated by
eligible technologies; it also provided guidelines for any tradable credits system the
Commission might establish.
In January 2006, a technical committee issued its final report providing a blueprint for a
Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System and recommending that a multi-state
Governance Committee be formed to complete development of the system.
Contact:
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
121 7th Place E., Suite 350
Saint Paul, MN 55101-2147
Phone: (800) 657-3782 or (651) 296-7124
Fax: (651) 297-7073
E-mail: consumer.puc@state.mn.us
Web: www.puc.state.mn.us/electric/index.htm
Interconnection Standards
http://www.puc.state.mn.us/docs/orders/04-0131.pdf
In 2004, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued an order establishing
interconnection standards for the operation of distributed generation systems. The
interconnection guidelines apply to all utilities in the state, not just investor-owned. The
PUC has also created simplified interconnection procedures and standard application
forms.
In the order establishing the Standards, the PUC adopted language requiring utilities to
compensate customers producing electricity from renewable distributed generation at
the utility’s avoided cost of meeting its “green power” obligation (Minnesota’s “renewable
energy objective” directs each of Minnesota’s investor-owned electric utilities, generation
and transmission cooperatives, and municipal power agencies to make good faith efforts
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