News updates
Be in the KnowRise Up news updates feature content curated in conjunction with the Rise Up policy partners. Content is intended to highlight key Midwest clean energy programs, policy updates, and important action alerts.
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Get People Moving – Featuring Robert Blake
What can American's energy future look like with the country's 573 Tribal Nations taking a leadership role in renewable energy? We sat down with Robert Blake to find out. Robert Blake is a tribal...
Wisconsin Action Alert: Support Community Solar
From our partners at RENEW Wisconsin: There are 10,000 local solar energy businesses across the country that provide good jobs for 250,000 Americans. With further growth, the solar industry is...
Midwest Electric Vehicle Progress: Indiana, Missouri, and Illinois
Indiana: The Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Program Committee (committee) approved $5.535 million in funding to the Indiana Utility Group to install at least 61 DC Fast electric...
Dubuque Pilot Project Would Install Solar Panels on Homes of Low-Income Residents
City of Dubuque leaders are proposing a program to help low- to moderate-income residents install solar panels on their homes. Dubuque City Council members at their Tuesday, July 6, meeting...
In Woody Wisconsin, Biomass is Key to Energy Future and Economy, but also Raises Concerns
From our partners at Energy News Network: Solar farms are sprouting up across Wisconsin and the state’s wind resources are slowly growing as Gov. Tony Evers has committed the state to reach 100%...
Back in the Game – Featuring Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes
What happens when a state task force spends the better part of a year developing policy recommendations focused on mitigating and adapting to climate change? We sat down with Wisconsin Lieutenant...
Minnesota House and Senate Negotiated Commerce and Energy Bill
From our partners at MnSEIA: MnSEIA is very excited to announce that $31 million for solar has been included in the joint House and Senate Commerce and Energy Omnibus bill. This result is a huge win...
Illinois Rally for a Fossil Free Future
From our partners at the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC): Big news!! Next week, Illinois legislators will be back in Springfield to vote on a historic clean energy bill! Join the Illinois Clean...
10 Energy Policy Takeaways from Indiana’s Busy Legislative Session
From our partners at Energy News Network: Indiana lawmakers rebooted a state energy task force with a new focus on electric vehicles and distributed energy, and also created a new tool to help...
Think Like a Planet – Featuring Lawrence University’s Marcia Bjornerud
What can a deeper appreciation of the Earth’s physical structure and natural processes lend to our understanding of the problems we face currently? We asked Marcia Bjornerud, a professor of...
Iowa Legislature Fails to Extend Solar Tax Credits in 2021 Legislative Session
From Our Partner at the Winneshiek Energy District: The Iowa Legislature failed to extend Iowa’s solar tax credits during the 2021 session. The immediate impact is an expiration of the Iowa credit...
Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Act Signed into Minnesota Law by Governor Tim Walz
FROM OUR PARTNERS AT FRESH ENERGY After a multi-year stakeholder process, rigorous debate at the Minnesota legislature, and final negotiations in conference committee, the Energy Conservation and...
Minnesotans: MnDOT is Looking for YOUR Input to Inform Their EV Plans for the State
Minnesota EV Strategic Plan Much has changed in the electric vehicle (EV) landscape in the last two years with more automakers making large commitments to eliminate gasoline vehicles in the future,...
Illinois’ Crowded Clean Energy Battle: Governor Pritzker Proposes New Legislation
After months of declining to endorse any specific plan to both get Illinois on a path to 100% renewable energy and crack down on public utilities’ power in Springfield, Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday...
Midwest Cities Increasingly Linking Tax-Increment Financing to Sustainability Requirements
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a financing option that uses expected future gains in state or municipal property taxes from a development or redevelopment project to finance improvements that will...
Understanding The Future of the US Electric Grid
Rise Up partner, Winneshiek Energy District in Iowa have a monthly Energy Breakfast (sometimes lunch) webinar series. While we encourage you to explore all the entire series, their April webinar...
The Future is Now: Creating a 21st Century Energy Policy in Wisconsin
On March 31st, Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) Executive Director, Nick Hylla sat down with Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) as part of a 90-minute panel discussion on opportunities for...
Community Solar as a Model in Minnesota
Timothy DenHerder-Thomas with Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF) joined Rise Up Partner, Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) out of Minnesota, to talk about his journey working on climate and clean...
Join Illinois’ Virtual Lobby Day April 26th in Support of CEJA, Lead Service Line Replacement and Environmental Justice Bills.
Illinois legislators are getting back to work so it's time for Illinoisans to make their voices heard. You'll be joined by other advocates lobbying not only for the Clean Energy Jobs Act-- which...
Wisconsin Budget Bill Listening Sessions: Voice Support of the Bill’s Clean Energy Proposals
Wisconsin Governor Evers included 28 clean energy provisions in his proposed 2021-23 Budget Bill. Among them are recommendations to expand Focus on Energy, invest in the clean energy workforce, and...
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The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is a non-profit organization with the mission to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration.