Minnesota put its faith in a future fueled by renewable energy Thursday as the governor signed a law requiring utilities to generate a quarter of their power from renewable sources such as wind, water and sun by 2025. Considering where Minnesota stands now - about half the power produced in the state is from coal, and only 5 percent from renewable sources - the move is the most aggressive in the country, analysts say.
"We have to break our addiction to fossil fuels," Gov. Tim Pawlenty said in signing the legislation.
The new law, which sailed through the Legislature, encourages the use of wind farms, hydroelectric power and solar energy, as well as cleaner-burning fuels.
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Under the new law, all 12 utilities and municipal power consortiums except Xcel Energy Inc. would be bound by the 25-by-2025 standard. Xcel, which delivers half of Minnesota's electricity, would have to meet a 30 percent by 2020 benchmark.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RENEWABLE_ENERGY?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US
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