FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 12, 2025

Media Contact:

Megan Holz, Director of Marketing & Engagement

mholz@mnseia.org

952-715-1419

 

MnSEIA Defends Minnesota’s Solar Industry Against Unprecedented Legislative Challenges in 2025 Session

St. Paul, MN— The 2025 Minnesota legislative session concluded on Monday, June 10, 2025. Marked by a historic power struggle, weeks of delay, and a special session to complete core business, the political landscape was turbulent, and clean energy policy was caught in the crosshairs. Despite these extraordinary challenges, the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA) successfully defended key programs and made proactive gains to advance the state’s solar and energy storage industry.

Throughout the session, MnSEIA remained a consistent and steady presence at the Capitol. With over 50 members testifying or submitting public comments, the industry mounted a strong opposition in a year largely focused on playing preventative defense. MnSEIA successfully:

  • Preserved Minnesota’s reformed Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Community Solar Garden program, stopping efforts to impose a premature and permanent sunset;

  • Protected net metering from utility-backed proposals to restructure solar customer bill credit rates;

  • Defended the Renewable Development Account (RDA) from a full repeal, securing the legislature’s prior ten-year, $50 million commitment to the Solar*Rewards program;

  • Blocked a problematic panel recycling bill that would have added per-panel fees and hindered market growth.

"This session tested the resilience and adaptability of our industry,” said Logan O’Grady, Executive Director of MnSEIA. “Despite immense pressure from those seeking to roll back Minnesota’s clean energy progress, we stood firm. Thanks to our members' active involvement and our team’s tireless advocacy, we successfully protected the policies that solar and storage need to grow."

Even in a defensive environment, MnSEIA advanced new policy priorities designed to expand market access and build Minnesota’s clean energy economy. These proactive initiatives included:

  • A statewide solar tax credit for residential and small commercial installations;

  • One-day automated permitting requirements to streamline local rooftop solar approvals;

  • A statutory definition of agrivoltaics to enable dual-use solar projects on farmland;

  • New consumer protections to ensure market integrity and limit predatory practices;

  • A solar-on-landfills program to scale successful brownfield redevelopment models;

  • A collaborative plan for solar panel recycling and decommissioning;

  • Early-stage rules to support Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) and third-party DER aggregation.

While these policies did not become law in the challenging 2025 legislative environment, they helped build relationships and frameworks for future progress. 

“In a challenging year, MnSEIA remained relentless in protecting the vital policies that underpin our industry, while still finding ways to move the needle,” said Griffin Dooling, President of MnSEIA’s Board of Directors. “From defending essential programs to advancing smart, future-focused initiatives, we showed that even modest progress matters—and is possible, even in tough political terrain.”

MnSEIA’s sustained presence at the Capitol demonstrated its critical role in shaping Minnesota’s energy future. With a focus on long-term industry stability and equitable access to clean energy, MnSEIA remains committed to working across the aisle to educate lawmakers on policies impacting the solar industry and to protect the businesses that expand access to affordable, reliable, and equitable clean energy for all Minnesotans.

For more information on MnSEIA's legislative activities and how to get involved, visit www.mnseia.org.

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About MnSEIA:

The Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA), a 501(c)6 nonprofit, promotes and protects Minnesota’s solar and energy storage industries. We harness the strength of our 170+ member companies at the state legislature, in the regulatory arena, and the courtroom. We Move MN Solar + Storage Forward in a unified and actionable way that establishes a vibrant sector of the clean energy economy. Find out more at www.mnseia.org.