Minnesota Governor Pushes Clean Energy Initiatives

Minnesoata Governor Tim Pawlenty unveiled energy initiatives last week that promote the use of small, local renewable energy technologies, focus on clean energy research and development, and create the Minnesota Office of Energy Security and the Carbon Market Planning Authority.

The initiatives, set out in a combination of executive orders and legislative proposals, include four components: the creation of the Clean Energy Technology Collaborative; the Minnesota Local Renewable Energy Initiative; the establishment of the Minnesota Office of Energy Security; and creation of the Carbon Market Planning Authority.

• Pawlenty appointed 15 members to create the Clean Energy Technology Collaborative. According to the governor’s office, they will be responsible for developing a clean energy technology roadmap that will provide research and development vision needed, in part, to help the state achieve its renewable energy goal of 25% of the state’s energy by 2025
• The Minnesota Local Renewable Energy Initiative would assist residents in energizing their homes, farms and businesses with small-scale renewable energy resources. This proposal will be submitted to the legislature in the 2008 session.
• Commerce Department Deputy Commissioner Edward Garvey will be the director of the Office of Energy Security and will coordinate energy and climate issues throughout the administration.
• The proposed Carbon Market Planning Authority would study and plan the potential for a carbon-market exchange and the need for financing strategies to encourage the creation and viability of a carbon-credit market.