Xcel Energy advances use of renewable energy in Minnesota

Xcel Energy and Minneapolis’ Metropolitan Council are joining forces to ensure that the Council’s use of renewable energy for its wastewater and transit systems reaches 100% by 2040. The agreement also includes efforts to get more electric buses onto Minnesota roads.

“Minnesota has made tremendous progress to support clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, meeting our 25% renewable-energy goal seven years ahead of schedule,” said Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton. “This new partnership between the Metropolitan Council and Xcel Energy continues Minnesota’s nation-leading efforts to conserve energy, save taxpayer dollars, and support a strong, clean energy economy.”

Added Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy-Minnesota,“At Xcel Energy, we pride ourselves on reducing carbon emissions and providing customers with clean, reliable, and affordable energy. We’re also committed to working with customers, large and small, to help them use more renewables and become more energy-efficient. This partnership is another example of this commitment, and we look forward to working with the Council on a number of initiatives, including ways to use clean energy to run their wastewater systems and put more Metro Transit electric buses on the roads.”

The Metropolitan Council operates the region’s wastewater treatment and transit systems. In recent years, the Council has pursued significant investments in advancing solar and self-generation technology to recapture and utilize the heat and other biproducts of its treatment processes.

As Minnesota’s largest diesel user, the Metropolitan Council is also looking for ways to use more electric vehicles as that technology becomes more cost-competitive. The agreement between the Council and Xcel also includes creating electric bus pilot programs, which will aim to advance electric bus technology. The Metropolitan Council recently purchased its first pilot fleet of electric buses, which will serve the C Line, the bus rapid transit line currently under construction in Minneapolis.