The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Biofuels released its recommendations to Governor Tim Walz on November 2, 2020, which include a recommendation that Minnesota move forward with a clean fuels policy that “builds on the vision, principles, and considerations of the white paper A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest (2020) from the Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy Initiative and on the vision and principles of the Governor’s Council on Biofuels.” The Initiative’s white paper was the result of analysis and discussion among a broad stakeholder group facilitated by the Great Plains Institute. Continue reading »
GPI Earns Charity Navigator’s Highest Rating for the Sixth Consecutive Year
December 4, 2020 in News & Press Author: Gail Nosek
GPI’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the sixth consecutive time that GPI has earned this top distinction. Only 11 percent of the nonprofits Charity Navigator evaluates have received at least six consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that GPI outperforms most other nonprofits in America. Continue reading »
Rolf Nordstrom Accepted into Forbes Business Council
December 3, 2020 in News & Press Author: Gail Nosek
Great Plains Institute President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom has been accepted into the Forbes Business Council, an invitation-only community and the foremost growth and networking organization for successful business owners and leaders worldwide. Continue reading »
Lame Duck Holds Window for Bipartisan Energy Bill
December 2, 2020 in Carbon Management, Transportation & Fuels Authors: Brad Crabtree, Brendan Jordan
Congress has a window of opportunity during the lame duck session to pass the most significant energy legislation in over a decade—legislation that would advance American energy innovation, drive deployment of low- and zero-carbon technology and infrastructure, increase jobs, and reduce emissions across the economy. Bipartisan energy legislation, which passed in the House and is under consideration in the Senate, can put the US on a path to economic recovery and long-term emissions reductions. Continue reading »
Renewable Natural Gas in a Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy
November 20, 2020 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Hannah Haas
As part of the Great Plains Institute’s work to develop a Midwestern clean fuels policy, we are hosting webinars that focus on clean fuels on the market today and how those industries could benefit from a regional policy. In the first two webinars, GPI looked at the role of electric vehicles in a potential clean fuels policy. The third webinar in the series covered how a clean fuels policy can support the development of renewable natural gas (RNG) projects in the Midwest. Continue reading »
Consumer Reports Study Finds Electric Vehicle Maintenance Costs Are 50% Less Than Gas-Powered Cars
November 16, 2020 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Rebecca Heisel
A new study by Consumer Reports equips consumers with data showing the relatively lower cost of electric vehicle (EV) maintenance and overall ownership when compared to comparable gas-powered vehicles. Consumer Reports recently released a study analyzing EV ownership costs, including a chapter on their lifetime maintenance costs. The study looks at both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and helps answer frequently asked questions about EV maintenance and other costs.
National Regulatory Utility Commissioners Urge Federal Action on Carbon Capture
November 13, 2020 in Carbon Management Author: Patrice Lahlum
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) reaffirmed their support for deployment of carbon capture technologies during their annual meeting this week. NARUC also recently collaborated with the Western Interstate Energy Board to host a six-part webinar series on carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Continue reading »
Bioeconomy Coalition and Natural Resources Research Institute Event to Highlight Biochar Opportunities in Minnesota
November 10, 2020 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn Bocklund
The Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota, facilitated by the Great Plains Institute, and the Natural Resources Research Institute are partnering to raise the profile of biochar in Minnesota. At its upcoming member meeting on November 23, 12:00-2:00 p.m. central, the Bioeconomy Coalition will feature a “Biochar in Minnesota Roundtable” with a panel of experts to talk about the opportunities and limitations of commercializing biochar in Minnesota. Continue reading »
Electric Vehicles in a Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy
November 10, 2020 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Hannah Haas
As part of the Great Plains Institute’s work to develop a Midwestern clean fuels policy, we are hosting webinars that focus on clean fuels on the market today and how those industries could benefit from a regional policy. The first two webinars, available to watch below, brought together leading experts to discuss electricity for electric vehicles (EVs) and how a clean fuels policy could drive transportation electrification in the Midwest. Our speakers covered existing clean fuels policies, how the EV industry has benefited from those policies, and how a Midwestern policy would support adoption of EVs for different use cases. Continue reading »
Analysis Shows State-Level Economic and Jobs Benefits of Carbon Capture
October 30, 2020 in Carbon Management Author: Patrice Lahlum
A new state-level analysis shows that retrofitting existing facilities with carbon capture and deploying carbon dioxide (CO2) transport infrastructure can deliver jobs and economic benefits while reducing emissions across industries. The Great Plains Institute recently commissioned Rhodium Group to conduct an independent, state-by-state analysis exploring the economic benefits of carbon capture deployment opportunities in the US. GPI identified the facilities examined in this analysis as carbon capture retrofit projects with near- to medium-term feasibility. Continue reading »
