Gov. Dayton Signs Solar Energy Standard

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota's investor-owned utilities will be required to get 1.5 percent of their power from solar energy by 2020 under legislation signed by Gov. Mark Dayton.

The solar energy standard also sets a statewide goal of reaching 10 percent by 2030.

The proposal was championed by the Minnesota Clean Energy and Jobs campaign. The coalition says the law takes Minnesota farther down the road to a clean, renewable energy future by making solar energy cheaper and more accessible for consumers, while creating well-paying, permanent jobs across the state.

Now the group is calling for raising Minnesota's renewable energy standard to 40 percent by 2030. The state's current standard requires utilities to get 25 percent of their electricity from renewable sources including wind, solar and biomass by 2025.

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