Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to amend the definition of "carbon-free" technology within the Minnesota energy statutes, thereby impacting how electricity generation technologies are classified based on their carbon emissions.

Main Provisions

• Redefinition of Carbon-free Technology: The bill updates the definition of carbon-free technology to include those that generate electricity without emitting carbon dioxide. Specifically, it allows technologies that utilize wood chips derived from the byproducts of timber harvesting or discarded wood products, provided these account for at least 50% of a utility's annual retail electricity sales.

• Eligible Energy Technologies: The bill outlines what constitutes eligible energy technology, including solar, wind, hydroelectric power (with certain capacity constraints), hydrogen from renewable resources, and biomass. The biomass category is elaborated to include landfill gas, anaerobic digester systems, and organic components from wastewater but excludes incineration of wastewater sludge.

• Electric Utilities Defined: The term "electric utility" is defined to include entities such as public utilities, cooperative electric associations, municipal power agencies, power districts, and other municipal utilities not part of certain entities.

• Environmental Justice Areas: Criteria defining environmental justice areas in Minnesota are specified, including racial demographics, income levels, language proficiency, and areas located within Indian country.

Significant Changes

• Inclusion of Biomass as Carbon-free: By allowing wood combustion, under specified conditions, to be considered carbon-free, the bill provides a pathway for certain biomass resources to be utilized more extensively in meeting renewable energy standards.

Relevant Terms

carbon dioxide, renewable energy, biomass, solar, wind, hydroelectric, wood chips, timber harvesting, electric utility, environmental justice, retail electricity sales, nonwhite population, federal poverty level, limited English proficiency, Indian country.