Minnesota Power has released the first in a series of RFPs as part of its plans to address environmental responsibility to further its EnergyForward strategy.
EnergyForward calls for a diversified power supply to meet customers’ needs reliably and cost-effectively in an environmentally responsible manner.
“EnergyForward is how Minnesota Power is doing its part to change the way energy is produced and used in the US. We’re generating more power from wind, water and the sun and less from coal. We’re improving existing thermal power plants to further reduce air emissions. And we’re helping customers find ways to use less energy to run their homes and businesses.”
Specifically, the EnergyForward road map to a cleaner state energy future calls for a generation mix of the following blend:
- one-third renewable energy
- one-third coal
- one-third natural gas
After approving the company’s integrated resource plan in June, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission asked the company to consider additional wind, solar photovoltaic and demand-side management alternatives as part of its ongoing resource evaluation process.
A call for up to 300 MW of wind, and utility-scale solar PV generation
In the initial Request for Proposal, Minnesota Power, a division of ALLETE Inc., is seeking power supply proposals for up to 300 megawatts of wind generation beyond the 625 megawatts of wind it has on its system, SolarServer has reported, adding the company seeks to maximize the benefits of the extended Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar energy on behalf of its customers.
Image via EnergyForward
Sources: SolarServer & Minnesota Power