Energy Transition

What’s up with heat pumps?

Heat pumps have been having a “moment” lately—and rightfully so. Avoiding the worst impacts of climate change means transitioning our entire economy, starting here in Minnesota, to be carbon-neutral by 2050. That requires a dramatic change in the energy that powers our homes, businesses, and workplaces, shifting away from burning fossil fuels towards using zero- and low-carbon alternatives. Heat pumps can help us make that transition.

What’s up with electric vehicles and batteries?

Electric vehicle batteries, both their materials and production, are being vigorously debated and analyzed by news media and lawmakers alike. To make sense of it all, we decided to wade in and pull out what you need to know.

13 years in the rearview: The making of Clean Cars Minnesota

Every day, Minnesotans drive more than 123 million miles—the distance from Earth to the sun, and halfway back again. These miles add up to a massive amount of greenhouse gas emissions, making cars and trucks the number one source of climate pollution for the transportation sector in our state. While Minnesota is working to curb the number of vehicle miles traveled by increasing investments in electrification and in public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure, more must be done to reduce the emissions from vehicles on the road. That’s where clean car standards come into play.

What’s next for fossil gas in Minnesota? New report outlines decarbonization pathways and recommendations

For nearly two years, a broad mix of stakeholders—from natural gas and electric utilities to natural gas consumers to workforce advocates to clean energy advocates and implementers—has been convening to discuss methods for decarbonizing Minnesota’s natural gas end uses, with final recommendations published in the report “Decarbonizing Minnesota’s Natural Gas End Uses.”