Minnesota

Minnesota Power solar projects in Duluth, Brainerd online by year end

Published

2 years ago

October 20, 2022

Minnesota Power solar projects in Duluth, Brainerd online by year end

DULUTH — Two new photo voltaic initiatives in northern Minnesota will start offering energy to the grid by the top of the yr, and a 3rd will come on-line within the spring.

Gary Meader / Duluth Information Tribune

As soon as all are operational, Minnesota Energy’s three initiatives will produce a mixed 20 megawatts — sufficient photo voltaic vitality to energy roughly 4,000 properties.

The Duluth-based utility firm on Wednesday held a celebration marking the completion of its 1.6-megawatt venture on an 8.5-acre lot leased from the town of Duluth on the intersection of Jean Duluth and Riley roads.

Just like the Duluth location, a bigger 15-megawatt photo voltaic venture at Minnesota Energy’s Sylvan Hydro Station close to Brainerd will likely be operational by the top of the yr.

The ultimate venture, a 5.6-megawatt photo voltaic venture at its Laskin Vitality Heart in Hoyt Lakes, will likely be completed this spring.

The three initiatives, costing a mixed $40 million,

had been sped up throughout summer season 2020

after Minnesota regulators urged utilities to leap begin renewable vitality initiatives to assist with the state’s COVID-19 financial restoration.

And it largely relied on native labor and supplies. All 3,770 photo voltaic panels used on the Duluth website had been

manufactured at Heliene, Inc. in Mountain Iron.

Woman speaking. — Minnesota Energy Venture Supervisor Carrie Ryan talks in the course of the ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday on the utility’s Jean Duluth photo voltaic venture website.

“That is most likely essentially the most economically native venture Minnesota Energy has ever undertaken, which was supposed from the early planning phases,” stated Minnesota Energy Venture Supervisor Carrie Ryan.

Lucas Franco, analysis supervisor on the Laborers’ Worldwide Union of North America, in Minnesota and North Dakota, stated the three initiatives created virtually 40 “household sustaining development jobs for native employees.”

“All three of Minnesota Energy’s photo voltaic initiatives, together with this one, used virtually solely native laborers, vastly growing the optimistic financial affect. Native employees spend three to 4 occasions extra domestically than non-local employees,” Franco stated.

“It is also in sharp distinction to what we have seen on different renewable vitality initiatives by different corporations, particularly in southern Minnesota, that haven’t relied on native employees. So it is actually a giant deal.”

And it will get Minnesota Energy nearer to its renewable vitality objectives, stated Bethany Owen, chair, president and CEO of Allete, Minnesota Energy’s guardian firm.

“… It is an necessary step in direction of our reaching our imaginative and prescient of offering 100% free vitality by 2050,” Owen stated.

Solar panels. — The solar shines between photovoltaic cells in one of many 3,770 photo voltaic panels in Minnesota Energy’s Jean Duluth photo voltaic farm Wednesday. The panels had been manufactured in Mountain Iron.

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Minnesota

Minnesota Democratic Party Chair Ken Martin launches a bid to lead the DNC

Published

6 hours ago

November 19, 2024

Press Room

Minnesota Democratic Party Chair Ken Martin launches a bid to lead the DNC

Minnesota Democratic Party Chair Ken Martin has formally announced his bid to lead the Democratic National Committee, as the party attempts to piece itself together following a stinging defeat against Donald Trump.

“If you’re looking for a creature of D.C., that’s not me. But I do know how the DNC works and how it isn’t working,” Martin said in a video posted to social media Tuesday morning, adding, “We need to reconnect our ideas — which we know are popular in red, blue and purple states across this country — back to our party and to our candidates.”

Martin, a DNC vice chair and leader of the Association of State Democratic Committees, has gained early traction with some delegates, according to interviews with several state DNC members. He joins Martin O’Malley, former presidential candidate who announced Monday he would run for the post.

Martin is a big backer of the DNC acting as an umbrella organization that strengthens state parties across the board.

“That’s certainly not the only thing that the DNC does, but it’s one of probably the most important partnerships that the DNC has is with its state party chairs, vice chairs, executive directors, who are on the ground running these programs,” Martin said in an interview last week. He calls it the 57-state strategy, including all 50 states and territories, as well as Washington, D.C., and Democrats abroad. “Whoever the next DNC chair is really has to, I believe, have a fierce commitment to making sure that they support the 57-state party strategy itself.”

Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb is among those backing Martin, saying in an earlier interview that she was interested in seeking the ASDC chair post that Martin now holds.

Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler is also interested in a run.

“Ben is seriously considering a run,” a person with knowledge of Wikler’s thinking told NBC News on Monday.

Also, Rahm Emanuel — who is serving as the U.S. ambassador to Japan and was previously the mayor of Chicago, a congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama — has floated interest in the role, according to three people, and has done some outreach to DNC members, according to one person familiar with the matter.

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