Dive Summary:
- Xcel Energy has set a record for wind generation in the upper Midwest; the company generated 1,713 MW on February 17.
- Minnesota's Next Generation Act requires that Xcel generate 30 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020; the record set by the company accounts for about 33 percent of its customers in that region.
- In 2012, Xcel's wind farms produced about 12 percent of the energy used by its upper Midwest customers, which puts it ahead of the schedule set by the Next Generation Act.
From the article:
Xcel used wind farms to produce around 12 percent of the energy used by its upper Midwest customers in 2012. That percentage puts the company ahead of the milestones established by Minnesota’s Next Generation Energy Act, which requires that Xcel Energy generates 30 percent of its energy from renewable sources, of which 25 percent must be from wind power sources, by 2020.
That standard is more aggressive than the level set for other Minnesota utilities, according to a statement from Xcel. ...