Prepare for less CO2-induced bad weather, everyone!: Snowy Minnesota gets a DFL-sponsored expensive mandate to increase solar power generation by more than thirtyfold; companies in DFL-leaning regions get an exemption so that their share of the extra cost burden must be paid by non-DFL-leaning regions

Minnesota’s new solar law: Looking beyond percentages | Midwest Energy News

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton on Thursday signed into law an energy bill that’s projected to give the state a more than thirtyfold increase in solar generation by the end of the decade.
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The section that’s drawn the most attention is a 1.5 percent by 2020 solar electricity standard for large utilities that is on top of the state’s existing 25 percent by 2025 renewable mandate...Not everyone is happy with the new law, however. The bill, which passed the House by a narrow margin, included protections for the state’s mining and paper industries in order to gain the support of lawmakers from northern Minnesota. Critics say those carveouts prove the bill will create a financial burden for other energy users.

Minnesota solar energy mandate closer to becoming law - TwinCities.com

Both bills exempt iron and taconite mining operations and wood products plants from any rate increase attributed to the solar energy mandate. The House would also exempt all rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. All told, nearly one-third of the state would be exempted.

The DFL-sponsored bill passed the House by a slim, 70-63 margin. Without the mining and wood products exemptions, it's likely that Iron Range lawmakers would have sided with Republicans and voted against the bill.

"It would be a game changer for taconite and paper if they had to absorb the increase for those solar mandates," said Rep. Tom Anzelc, DFL-Balsam Township, chairman of the Iron Range delegation. "These are industries that have to compete globally ...and that's the kind of cost increase that could push them out of competitiveness."