Minnesota Didn’t Learn From California’s Mistake

On Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz signed new legislation into law requiring utility companies to completely transition over to green energy by 2040.

The lack of discussion ahead of its passage has been par for the course for Minnesota Democrats who have used their narrow margins as a battering ram for moving their agenda along. So it comes as no surprise that there’s been no discussion about the consequences of similar legislation in California or how it might affect Minnesotans – whose climate is much more precarious than the sunny coastal state. 

Does anyone remember those rolling blackouts that have plagued California over the last few years? Residents were forced to adjust their air conditioners, shut off appliances, and stop charging those required electric vehicles in an attempt to keep the lights on. While Democrats in California and Minnesota tout the importance of going green, they refuse to highlight a few key details: 

• Renewable Energy is Unreliable: From ABC News: “The state's grid is powered, in part, by renewable energy, including solar power and hydropower. The solar supply decreases toward the end of the day, prompting calls to reduce energy use after 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. There can also be uncertainty with solar supply due to factors such as cloud cover and smoke from wildfires, as the state battles several blazes.” 

For a state like Minnesota that experiences shorter days in winter, immense cloud cover for a good chunk of the year, and months of snow covering everything in sight, how would solar and wind sources fare in Minnesota? Could the potential for long, dry summers also affect our reliance on hydropower? Democrats won’t say. 

• Be Prepared for Higher Costs: If you thought your utility bills were high now? They’re about to get higher thanks to Walz’s new electric grid plan. 

In December 2022, TIME Magazine reported that “Home energy prices may become even more volatile as we push further to transition to net-zero emissions. Consider California, arguably the U.S. leader in this shift. Between 2002 and 2016, California reduced coal- and oil-fired power plants by 88%—and electricity prices rose to be 50% higher than the U.S. average.” 

Cal Matters notes that Californians argued that an expedited transition to green energy would “disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities in inland and rural areas.” It’s not just Californians screaming about increased costs. Smaller and more rural power companies have made it clear to Minnesota lawmakers that transitioning so quickly would be difficult and warned that “costs to their customers will be high.” 

Just like California, Minnesota Democrats have ignored the realities of this type of legislation in favor of their agenda. Since Tim Walz and DFL lawmakers insist on following California’s lead, Minnesotans should learn from their mistakes: save up for higher energy bills and invest in a generator, they’ll need it.