Energy initiatives to help North Dakota

Legislators have passed numerous energy bills this session The 13 bills make up a broad package of initiatives to maximize North Dakota s renewable energy resources It establishes a number of new incentives to encourage expansion of oil refineries and development of the state natural gas resources Last session the legislature and Governor Hoeven approved energy bills since then over one billion dollars of new renewable energy projects have been announced Legislators say this sessions energy intiatives will multiply that Rep Pam Gulleson D Rutland When you put good investment and research we don t know what the potential is for say biomass hydrogen some of those things that are right on the edge of becoming a renewable future we need to do more to understanding what we re capable of and how to produce those types of renewables Sen Dave Nething R Jamestown To some it may be a little futuristic to others its something that s way over due In the next very few years renewable energy we re all going to look back and say I m glad we did it when we did it why didn t we do it earlier That s the kind of effort being brought forth Financial assistance will be granted for devloping wind biofuels solar and other forms of energy One of the bills the legislature has passed is the 25 by 25 initiative a nationwide goal that calls for 25 percent of our nations energy to come from renewable resources by 2025