Accomplishments

Accomplishments

Advancing 15,000 MW of wind energy in the Midwest

Over the years, Clean Grid Alliance’ collaborative efforts resulted in many state- and regional-level accomplishments that benefit our members and advance our mission.

Since 2001, our most significant accomplishments include:

State Policy

  • Proactively securing  meetings with member companies and Governor’s offices to discuss policies and how they impact business growth and development, jobs, and bring benefits to local communities and the states
  • Preventing the rollback of favorable renewable energy policies at the state and local levels
  • Spearheading state legislation encouraging new transmission and fair cost recovery
  • Driving renewable portfolio standards and goals in seven states
  • Protecting and improving state tax laws
  • Defending and improving good state laws for siting wind farms

Transmission

  • Arranging meetings with C-Suite business leaders and MISO executives
  • Proactively helping to create market rules and operating practices at MISO to enhance the integration of renewables
    • Leading solar energy technical issues at MISO including solar generator interconnection, capacity credit and transmission planning.
    • Advocating for including a higher penetration of renewable energy in transmission planning studies at MISO, such as the annual MISO Transmission Expansion Plan (MTEP).
    • Advocating for increased flexibility for the integrated grid through resources such as Demand Response and Distributed Energy Resources.
    • Working to implement changes that foster the delivery of renewables and improves the overall cost-effectiveness of the wholesale energy market.
    • Successfully advocating for the MISO MVP portfolio of 17 transmission lines and equitable cost allocation
    • Building in a robust amount of wind power in the $1.7 billion CapX2020 Group I new transmission project in Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Wisconsin
    • Constructively representing the Environmental Sector on two key MISO committees, its Advisory Committee and its Planning Advisory Committee, in decisions on planning, markets and system operations issues.
    • Providing a continuous presence to ensure transmission is planned and constructed in a timely fashion to meet state Renewable Energy Standards

Rules & Law

  • Advancing renewables in key state regulatory dockets
    • Securing approval of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for the Badger-Coulee transmission line to deliver renewable energy to the state of Wisconsin and the surrounding region.
    • Prevailing in electric utility Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) cases that result in new megawatts of wind and solar projects.
    • Prevailing in nearly every FERC case, including the MISO queue reform decision in 2016
    • Supporting the procurement of increased renewables in several electric utility Integrated Resource Plans, RES implementation dockets, and MISO tariff and compliance filings.
    • Advocating for renewables in Clean Line Energy Partners transmission proceedings with utility commissions in Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.
    • Collaborating with colleague NGOs and other supporters to seek approval, site and route proposed MVP transmission lines in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Public Education

  • Engaging in rigorous media advocacy to drive and produce positive stories about renewable energy in the Midwest
    • Leveraging the business voice in advocating for the Clean Power Plan and other state-level policy initiatives
    • Promoting renewables to local, state and federal officials through wind and solar farm tours and public engagement
    • Providing clean energy businesses with media and advocacy training opportunities
    • Creating fact sheets and other resources for decision-makers and the general public to learn about the benefits of wind and solar energy
    • Correcting the myths about renewables and transmission