Over the past year, we’ve shared stories, news, and publications about how we’re making progress toward our mission of transforming the energy system to benefit the economy and environment. We’re energized by the progress we’ve made together with you and our many collaborators, partners, and colleagues and look forward to the year ahead.
Community-scale readiness is critical to the successful development of the Midwest’s abundant solar and wind energy resources. As utility-scale wind and solar development increases in the Midwest, communities should consider how renewable energy development aligns with local goals and values. A series of proactive actions can ensure that the way utility-scale renewables develop in a community is in line with community vision, reduces potential conflict, and optimizes co-benefits. Continue reading »
On occasion, Great Plains Institute (GPI) staff like to venture into the world of pop culture, especially when that pop culture has to do with our favorite topic—energy. Some GPI staff attended the recent film The Current War, which dives into the origins of our modern electric grid system and the inventors, investors, and engineers that made it happen. Two of our staff members shared some thoughts about that battle over who would create the modern electric grid and the critical work ahead to transform the grid for a low-carbon future.
From podcasts to the latest analysis, you can check out what we’re reading, listening to, and watching in this regular series (view previous GPI staff picks). Continue reading »
The largest solar farm proposal in the Midwest recently received approval from Wisconsin state regulators. Most of the 3,500-acre Badger Hollow Solar Farm project, which is being developed by Illinois-based Invenergy, is located on active farmland and will include up to 1.2 million solar panels on 2,200 acres of the project area. Some in the community saw the project as a staggering land use change in their community and contrary to the county’s farmland preservation plan. Significant local opposition to the project decried the use of prime agricultural land for solar production.
This case is emblematic of the dilemmas faced by the solar industry, utilities, and those working at the local, state, and federal levels to decarbonize the power sector and increase the use of local renewable energy. The Great Plains Institute is working to address these issues in ways that support solar development and agricultural protection goals. Continue reading »
Direct air capture (DAC) technology generates a mix of excitement, skepticism, and optimism as first-mover projects come online, from Iceland to the US. The technology captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from ambient air, which is then used to create products of economic value or stored geologically, thereby removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Continue reading »
At this week’s CO2NNECT 2019 conference, the Carbon Capture Coalition (which is co-convened by GPI) released its consensus “Federal Policy Blueprint” to “articulate a comprehensive and ambitious federal policy agenda that can help achieve the goal of economywide carbon capture deployment.” Continue reading »
Proper implementation of the 45Q tax credit is crucial to realizing the significant carbon emission reduction, energy and industrial production, and job creation benefits that will come from economy-wide deployment of carbon capture technology. Congress enacted the reformed and strengthened 45Q tax credit—which is for the geologic storage and beneficial use of carbon captured from industrial facilities and power plants—more than a year ago as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.
Over the last year, the Great Plains Institute (GPI) celebrated our 20th anniversary as an organization dedicated to transforming the energy system to benefit the economy and environment. As GPI staff, partners, and supporters reflect on the progress we’ve made together and look ahead to future opportunities for even greater impact in 2019 and beyond, we’re sharing a Q&A series we’ve created with our CEO and program leadership team. Continue reading »
This is a regular blog series where GPI staff share picks throughout the year of what we’re interested in right now, from podcasts to analysis (click here for our previous picks).
