David Shaffer

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David Shaffer

Staff Writer | Business

Phone: 612-673-7090

Email: david.shaffer@startribune.com

David Shaffer is a staff writer and editor in the Star Tribune’s business section, where he reports on energy and other topics.

Xcel says it'll further limit Sherco emissions

The company says it is willing to spend $50 million on retrofits.

Updated: February 03, 2012, - 09:34 PM

Xcel Energy sees energy demand weaken

Fourth-quarter profits fell slightly shy of what analysts anticipated.

Updated: February 02, 2012, - 10:28 PM

Ethanol plant in Iowa to expand algae production

A Midwest ethanol company says it will begin building a five-acre production facility to grow algae fed by carbon dioxide emitted by its ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa.

Updated: February 02, 2012, - 05:24 PM

A cap-and-trade conundrum

The Big Stone coal-burning power plant over the border in South Dakota might have to pay $489 million more than Minnesota's Sherco for air pollution controls.

Updated: February 01, 2012, - 10:24 PM

Biomass projects burned by low natural gas prices

To reduce its natural gas use, a Benson, Minn., ethanol plant installed technology to gasify wood chips and corncobs. But the low price of natural gas makes the alternative energy uneconomical.

Updated: January 28, 2012, - 02:53 PM

Minnesota adds wind farms, yet rank falls to No. 5

Industry group's data show Illinois joining Texas, Iowa and California as the top four wind power states.

Updated: January 26, 2012, - 07:53 PM

Energy firm to put solar array near wind farms

A project near Slayton, Minn., will test whether the alternative energy sources can complement each other, increase reliability.

Updated: January 25, 2012, - 10:21 PM

Poet adds Dutch partner to cellulosic ethanol venture

The companies plan to apply their technologies at plants in Minnesota and elsewhere.

Updated: January 23, 2012, - 10:48 PM

Ikea’s rooftop solar array will be the largest in Minnesota

The Bloomington store's power output, 1.1 megawatts, will be nearly double that of Minnesota's largest existing solar-electric generator on the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Updated: January 12, 2012, - 10:24 PM