This Minnesota legislative bill seeks to modify the current definitions and standards related to carbon-free energy as described in the Minnesota Statutes. Specifically, the modifications pertain to the type of technologies considered carbon-free. Under this bill, carbon-free energy includes technologies that produce electricity without releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Additionally, it expands the definition to include technologies that generate at least 50% of a utility’s annual retail electricity from burning wood chips, which are either byproducts from timber operations not intended for energy or discarded wood products.

The bill also lists technologies that qualify as eligible energy sources, such as solar, wind, small and operational large hydroelectric, hydrogen, and biomass. Biomass energy can come from landfill gas, anaerobic digester systems, and organic components of wastewater but excludes energy from incinerating wastewater sludge for electricity.

Further definitions include clarifying what constitutes an electric utility and defining 'environmental justice areas'. Environmental justice areas are specified as places where a significant portion of the population is nonwhite, low-income, has limited English proficiency, or is located within Indian country.

Overall, the bill seeks to amend energy-related definitions to accommodate broader and more inclusive criteria for carbon-free and renewable energy sources, thereby potentially influencing the state’s environmental and energy policies.