FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2024
Minnesota Solar and Energy Storage Trade Association Celebrates 15 Year Anniversary
St. Paul, MN— July 15, 2024 marks the official 15 year anniversary of the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA.) Founded in 2009, MnSEIA was created to bring Minnesota’s solar energy business leaders together and act as a unified voice for the industry. At MnSEIA’s inception, Minnesota had less than 3 megawatts of installed solar. Fifteen years later, the industry has transformed into a powerhouse supporting over 5,000 Minnesota jobs, strong local businesses, and nearly 2 gigawatts of solar.
MnSEIA is incredibly proud of its accomplishments over the past 15 years. The association's success can be attributed to its members; who drive our policy efforts, fund the association, as well as our original founders, Board of Directors, advocacy partners, and the bipartisan lawmakers who have supported initiatives that have established Minnesota as a national leader in clean energy deployment. To commemorate this important anniversary, MnSEIA has compiled a list of 15 milestones celebrated over the past 15 years:
Milestone #1: In 2013, MnSEIA helped pass first-in-the-nation, bipartisan Community Solar Garden legislation that put Minnesota on track to become the nation’s leader for many years. Minnesota’s CSG program has become a model for other states as they craft their own legislation. MnSEIA also led negotiations for years to modernize the program, leading to new market opportunities and a “jumpstart” to the program in 2023.
Milestone #2: MnSEIA played an instrumental role in 2013 in establishing the Value of Solar (VOS,) a first-of-its-kind tool to determine the actual value solar provides to the grid and appropriate compensation for solar users.
Milestone #3: In 2014, MnSEIA lobbied for the creation of the popular Solar*Rewards incentive program that has helped thousands of Minnesota homeowners go solar. MnSEIA has worked to keep the program funded every biennial and helped pass a historic 10-year extension to the program in 2024, providing business certainty to the residential solar market.
Milestone #4: MnSEIA became an official state affiliate of the national SEIA in 2019 and has grown to become one of the largest state SEIA chapters in the country.
Milestone #5: In 2020, MnSEIA set diversity, equity, and inclusion goals for its Board of Directors. Two years later, MnSEIA reached its Board diversity goal where half of our Board members are from an underrepresented group in the industry.
Milestone #6: MnSEIA lobbied for the creation of the popular Solar for Schools program in 2021 and its continued funding in 2023. A years-long, bipartisan effort, MnSEIA will continue to advocate for the program, which brings huge cost savings to school districts across the state.
Milestone #7: MnSEIA officially added energy storage to its mission statement in 2021, representing the association’s commitment to shaping and supporting the storage industry in Minnesota.
Milestone #8: In 2023, MnSEIA grew to five full-time staff members to serve a growing membership, number of events, and year-round policy and regulatory work.
Milestone #9: MnSEIA’s Gateway to Solar Conference celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023, with nearly 600 attendees from 290 companies, marking its largest event yet.
Milestone #10: 2023 was a record-breaking year for MnSEIA’s regulatory efforts. The association was involved in 18 regulatory matters to ensure solar and storage policies are correctly implemented and upheld.
Milestone #11: MnSEIA led the legislative effort to pass a new Distributed Solar Energy Standard (DSES) in 2023 that created a new market in Minnesota for distributed solar.
Milestone #12: After years of advocacy, Minnesota lawmakers passed legislation in 2023 to prevent Homeowners Associations from banning solar on single-family homes. A huge win for the 1 in 4 Minnesotans who live in an HOA, MnSEIA was proud to work on this effort with our partners.
Milestone #13: MnSEIA was invited to join Governor Walz’s inaugural trade mission to Australia in 2023 as part of the first-ever “clean technology” track. MnSEIA represented its membership in meetings with government, business, and indigenous leaders while taking home “lessons learned.”
Milestone #14: In 2024, MnSEIA founded a “Young Professionals in Clean Energy” group to foster the growth of the next-generation workforce in Minnesota's solar and energy storage industry, supporting job seekers and expanding the state's energy workforce.
Milestone #15: MnSEIA’s membership grows to a record-breaking 170 member organizations in 2024. The most diverse member force yet, members represent all sectors of the solar + storage industry, including: developers and installers, manufacturers, distributors, engineering and law firms, vegetation management companies, panel recycling businesses, cooperative utilities, labor unions, state agencies, non-profits, and much more.
To celebrate this milestone, MnSEIA is hosting an anniversary party at the St. Paul Saints Game on August 20th. The event is open to all and will be a fun night to reflect, celebrate, and connect with Minnesota’s clean energy industry. Learn more and register here.
MnSEIA extends a heartfelt thank you to our member force of over 170 organizations, our Board of Directors, and staff for tirelessly working to promote and protect Minnesota’s solar and energy storage industry. Our work would not be possible without you. We are also enormously grateful for our founders and the leaders who shaped the association over the years.
MnSEIA is excited and optimistic for what’s ahead in the next 15 years; both for the association and Minnesota’s solar and storage industry future.
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About MnSEIA:
MnSEIA is a member-driven 501(c)(6) nonprofit that promotes and protects Minnesota’s solar and storage industries. We advocate in the state legislative and regulatory arenas in a unified and actionable way to move solar + storage forward. Find out more at www.mnseia.org.
Media Contact:
Abbi Morgan, Director of Business Development & Communications
amorgan@mnseia.org