In the News
A Minnesota winter is coming. So are higher heating costs.
October 22, 2021 Sahan Journal Andrew Hazzard Minnesotans will spend more on heating bills this winter, experts and government officials say, but there is also more funding available to help low-income households cover costs. A rise in global natural gas prices combined with market hangovers from a deep-freeze in Texas earlier this year means that…
Minnesota Power moving to rates that vary by time of day
July 15, 2021 Star Tribune Brooks Johnson DULUTH – Minnesota Power is poised to be the first utility in the state to fully switch to “time of day” electricity rates for residential customers, meaning power is more expensive during certain hours and discounted when it is more readily available. The move is prompted by an…
Updated Minnesota conservation program aims to close ‘pre-weatherization’ gap
July 9, 2021 Energy News Network Frank Jossi Efficiency upgrades can be a financial boost for low-income homeowners, but asbestos, mold and other issues sometimes found in older homes can keep those improvements financially out of reach, even with incentives. A new Minnesota law aims to bridge that gap. The state’s existing Conservation Improvement Program…
Minnesota’s new ECO Act will help ease the burdens of energy costs on low-income families, including many people of color
May 28, 2021 Sahan Journal Andrew Hazzard A rare bipartisan bill aims to help Minnesota lower emissions while offering significant savings for low-income families, including many people of color. Governor Tim Walz signed the Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Act into law May 25. The bill modernizes the state’s Conservation Improvement Program, a long-term energy-…
2021 MN Legislature: ECO Act passes thanks to hard work, collaboration
May 20, 2021 Center for Energy and Environment Mike Bull Minnesota’s regular legislative session ended on May 18 with the biggest clean energy win since 2013, strengthening our most successful energy policy in state history. After six years of hard work and deep bipartisan collaboration, the Energy Conservation and Optimization Act (known as “ECO”) was…