on July 11, 2018

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Today is Going to Be a Scorcher. What Energy Source Will Power Your Air Conditioner? (Hint, It Isn’t Wind)

Written by Isaac Orr

Today is going to be a scorcher in Minnesota, with high humidity pushing the heat index above 100 degrees in many parts of the state. The National Weather Service is advising people to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room and out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. While you’re checking on your neighbors, you may also want to check here to learn about where the electricity powering your air conditioning will be coming from today. Here’s a hint: It probably isn’t from the wind....

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on July 10, 2018

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Minnesota Plans to Retire 1,829 MW of Coal and Replace it with 7,200 MW of Wind, Solar, and Gas

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

There may not be a better way to demonstrate how expensive and ineffective Minnesota's energy policies are than to point out that utility companies plan on retiring approximately 1,800 megawatts (MW) of coal-fired power plants and replacing this capacity with 7,200 MW of wind, solar, and natural gas. In other words, utility companies believe they will need to build four times as much electricity generating capacity to replace the coal plants they are retiring. This will be incredibly expensive....

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on July 06, 2018

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Rising Electricity Prices Threaten Mining Jobs, the Iron Range

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy, Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

Minnesota needs a change in energy policy, and fast. Otherwise, large electricity consumers like iron mines will suffer the consequences....

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on April 25, 2018

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Federal Energy Subsidies Declined Since 2013, Solar and Wind Still the Big Winners

Written by Isaac Orr

in Uncategorized

The Energy Information Administration has updated its analysis of federal energy subsidies to include the fiscal year 2016 numbers. The key takeaway is that energy subsidies have fallen substantially since 2013, but solar and wind still get more subsidies than nuclear, coal, oil, or natural gas....

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on April 21, 2018

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Cheer Up, Bonnie. Things Are Getting Better

Written by Isaac Orr

in Climate, Energy, Environment

Bonnie Blodgett recently penned a pessimistic piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, but cheer up, Bonnie! Things are getting better!...

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on April 17, 2018

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American Experiment Responds to Critical Energy Post

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy, Environment, Minnesota Economy

Unfortunately, Minnesota has already picked winners and losers in the energy sector. The winners are monopoly utility companies who make a profit on every dollar they spend on infrastructure, and those with financial interests in wind and solar power. The losers are Minnesota families, businesses, and anyone else who pays an electric bill because the policies used to advocate for more renewable energy have resulted in electricity prices in Minnesota increasing faster than the national average. ...

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on April 06, 2018

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Fracking: 101 – A Video

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy, Environment

You may have heard that hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking," has made the United States the largest producer of oil and natural as in the world, but you may be wondering: "How does fracking affect the environment?"...

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on April 02, 2018

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Minnesota Mines Sand, Too

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy, Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

Minnesota is the 8th-largest sand producing state in the country, find out why it isn't higher on the list....

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