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GPI Applauds New Direct Pay Tracker

April 9, 2025 in Communities Author: Catherine Kemp

Direct pay, also known as elective pay, is an unsung hero for local governments and community organizations to accelerate economic investment and job creation and achieve climate and energy goals for their residents and stakeholders. Its concept is simple, and its results are clear, but now is the time to tune in if you haven’t heard about it. Continue reading »

Advocates and Manufacturers Urge Congress to Keep Climate Credits for Industrial Innovation

April 4, 2025 in Carbon Management Author: David Soll

This week, the Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3), co-convened by GPI and the World Resources Institute, sent a letter to Congress signed by multiple coalitions and trade organizations representing hundreds of companies powering a renaissance in American manufacturing. The letter urges support for two key federal programs incentivizing development, adoption, and private sector investment in technologies that spur American innovation, global competitiveness, and emissions reductions. Continue reading »

How States and Utilities Can Lead on Electric School Buses

April 1, 2025 in Transportation & Fuels Author: M. Moaz Uddin

The US school bus system, with almost half a million buses, is the country’s most extensive mass transit system, carrying over 21 million children to school daily. This post explores the opportunities that electrifying this vast fleet presents for states and electric utility companies to achieve positive health, environmental, and economic development outcomes. Continue reading »

Scaling Local Climate Action Part Two: Shaping State Decisions Through Peer Networks

March 12, 2025 in Communities Authors: Ava Thompson, Catherine Kemp

State policy and regulatory decisions can significantly impact local governments’ ability to advance climate resilience and mitigation. Often, local governments have climate or clean energy goals that far exceed their local authority to make them a reality. Therefore, supportive state policy, programs, funding, and regulatory decisions are essential. Continue reading »

Advancing Hispanic Representation in Energy: A Strategic Partnership for Equity and Opportunity

February 27, 2025 in News & Press Author: Alejandro Calderon

Solar panels with grass growing underneath

The Great Plains Institute (GPI) and Hispanics in Energy (HIE) have joined forces in a strategic partnership to expand opportunities for Hispanic Americans in the energy sector. This collaboration combines HIE’s expertise in advocacy for Hispanic inclusion with GPI’s research ability to highlight Hispanic Americans’ contributions to energy and identify ways to unlock their full potential to support progress toward a carbon-free economy. Continue reading »

Hydrogen Economy Collaborative: Reflections and Future Outlook

February 26, 2025 in Renewable Energy Author: Dreek Morgan

The Hydrogen Economy Collaborative (HEC) is a network of state agencies, researchers, environmental nonprofit organizations, and industry professionals working to advance the role of low-carbon hydrogen in the clean energy transition. GPI facilitates the HEC as a platform to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing on policy, technology, and market developments to advance low-carbon hydrogen adoption. Continue reading »

PHMSA Releases Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Enhance Safety of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines

January 22, 2025 in Carbon Management Authors: Kelley Reierson, Ryan Kammer

As of January 23, 2025, the unofficial pre-publication rules are no longer available to view online and have not been published in the Federal Register. As the rules were not finalized prior to the administration change, it is yet to be determined whether they will be published as-is or revised.

The US Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to enhance safety standards for carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines. Given the important and complementary role that carbon management technologies will play in meeting net-zero emissions targets and the expected expansion of CO2 pipeline infrastructure, this notice is a welcome development for safe and responsible deployment. Continue reading »

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