The Minnesota economy is showing severe strain from fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of people are unemployed, and the Safe at Home order is keeping many businesses from opening their doors. Rural Minnesota farmers and agriculture industries are not immune to the challenges from the coronavirus.
Fortunately, southwest Minnesota has been able to diversify its economy with the infusion of wind energy, which has provided $21 million annually in state and local taxes to local governments and another $26 million in annual land lease payments to landowners. Energy efficiency has also provided financial benefits. Farmers and businesses of all sizes are constantly looking for efficiencies to lower their operating costs, such as higher efficient lighting, electrical motors for ventilation and heating systems for our grain dryers.
The Minnesota legislature has an opportunity to build on two successful polices. The Clean Energy First bill and the Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Act can help further drive economic opportunities across our state.
The ECO Act builds upon Minnesota’s nation-leading energy efficiency programs and would help customers save energy and money while supporting local jobs. Clean Energy First provides a framework for transitioning away from large power plants to more renewable energy while maximizing opportunities for high-quality construction and operation jobs. Clean Energy First also contains robust transmission planning, which is of key importance to building new wind and solar projects.
While there is no silver bullet to rebound from the pandemic, passing Clean Energy First and the ECO Act can be an important component in our recovery and would yield long-term benefits for the entire state.
