The 2007 Legislative Session is underway at record-breaking pace. The Senate introduced seven priority bills on the first day of session:

1. property tax relief,
2. restoring state education aid,
3. universal health care,
4. transportation package for the future,
5. renewable energy standards (my bill),
6. dedicated funding for the clean water, habitat protection, parks and the arts, and
7. all day kindergarten/early childhood education.

Senator Ellen Anderson with other members of the renewable energy study tour

In December I was privileged to travel to Washington DC and Germany, along with 10 other U.S. state and local officials, for a renewable energy study tour. I want to share some of the highlights of the trip with you.

We met with various experts in D.C., including former Senator Tom Daschle. In Germany we visited two cities, Cologne and Freiburg. We learned that U.S. per capita energy use is twice as high as Germany’s per capita use. We studied the German policies that have led to reduced CO2 production and made Germany a world leader in renewable energy. To encourage the use of biofuels, German gas taxes automatically go up 3 eurocents per year, while biofuels are exempted from the fuel tax (also known as an “energy independence tax”). In order to expand biofuel production beyond corn-based ethanol, Germany ties sustainability standards to biofuel subsidies.

Wind turbines in Freiburg, Germany. The city wants to build houses that don’t need energy.

We also learned that Germany leads the world in wind energy. Of 60,000 megawatts (MW) wind capacity worldwide, Germany produces 18,100 megawatts. Minnesota has 5 times the wind resources of Germany but only 800 MW of wind energy. Several of Germany’s northern states are at 31-34% wind now. Utilities have to buy renewable energy produced by anyone, and the law sets the price, called a “Feed In Tariff.” They also have Renewable Energy Portfolio (RPS) standards. The European Union RPS requires 21% renewable energy by 2010, and Germany requires 12.5%. Germany is well ahead of schedule and will meet their goal by next year. German experts believe these policies led to doubling of renewable energy from 1995-2005, with 170,000 jobs now in renewable energy and 16 billion euros of investment.

The German policies on renewable energy have revolutionized the solar energy industry. At schools, teachers finance solar panels as an investment and receive a financial return based upon the energy savings. Manufacturing plants are springing up to produce all kinds of new photovoltaic applications, like roof shingles and window glass. The industry leaders believe that someday, in the near future, solar products will be incorporated into standard building products like bricks so that solar energy sources will be completely integrated into new construction.

The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has companies that make gears, generators, and electrical management systems for wind electricity. I encouraged them to come to Minnesota to build new factories!

Freiburg is a beautiful university town where 5% of the residents are employed in renewable energy. We climbed to the roof of the town soccer stadium, which hosts hundreds of solar panels owned by a cooperative of local residents. The Freiburg city planner told us his vision for the future—build houses that don’t need energy! We also toured one of his beautiful family-friendly housing developments.

As I said in a recent press conference, the stars are aligned for passage of a comprehensive clean energy plan for Minnesota this year. It gives me great hope to be able to lead the charge to eliminate Minnesota’s contribution to global warming, bring green sustainable jobs and investment to our state, and begin to build a better world to leave for our children!

Please stay in touch with me.

— Sen. Ellen Anderson
February, 2007