Minnesota’s industrial sector is entering a critical inflection point. Over the next decade, manufacturers, utilities, regulators, and communities will face simultaneous and sometimes competing demands — making it essential that Minnesota approaches industrial decarbonization in a coordinated fashion to enable deliberate decision-making. This preliminary report, led by 5 Lakes Energy with support from the Great Plains Institute, Fresh Energy, and the Natural Resources Research Institute, profiles Minnesota’s industrial sector, defines priority decarbonization strategies and technical approaches, profiles systemic and industry-specific barriers, presents diverse stakeholder perspectives, and suggests key next steps for Minnesota — laying the foundations and stakeholder-based framing needed to support a forthcoming, comprehensive state-level industrial decarbonization roadmap.
Download: Original version based on Minnesota’s 2022 Climate Action Framework
Download: Updated version based on Minnesota’s 2026 Climate Action Framework*
*The introduction of this report was updated in March 2026 to align with Minnesota’s 2026 Climate Action Framework, which was released after the publication of the original report.
