Climate change-enhanced rainfall events threaten nearly 92,000 dams across the U.S. and many are over 100 years old — including dams in Minnesota.

Climate reporter Kristoffer Tigue wrote about aging dams and the risk for extreme rainfall for Inside Climate News.

Tigue joined MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner to explain how extreme weather events pose a threat to dams in Minnesota and the Midwest.

To hear the full conversation, click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

Lakes are a part of Minnesota’s Identity.

While the thousands of lakes are cherished for their recreational accessibility across the state, some of those pristine bodies of water could — one day — help generate a vast amount of clean energy through solar power.

Matt Simon wrote about floating solar panels for Grist. Simon talked to MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner about floatovoltaics.

To hear the full conversation, click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

Last year, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law requiring the state’s electrical utilities to transition to 100 percent carbon-free energy sources by 2040.

That means replacing power sources that produce carbon dioxide such as coal and natural gas with renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydropower and biomass.

But how do you define “carbon-free” and what guidelines will be used to make sure utilities are meeting that standard? “We’re really hoping that carbon-free actually means carbon-free,” said B. Rosas, a policy manager with the advocacy group Climate Generation.

Rosas talked to Paul Huttner about the organization’s efforts.

To hear the full conversation, click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.