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 »
Beginning in 2019, Minnesota’s three investor-owned utilities will file resource plans that will chart a path into a time period of significant change and opportunity. With nearly all the state’s power sector CO2 emissions coming from fossil-fuel plants that are retiring or potentially retiring in the next 20 years, the state has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a transformation towards decarbonized electricity generation. Continue reading »
At the end of January, the polar vortex brought bitter cold temperatures to the Upper Midwest of the United States. Some parts of northern Minnesota hit -45°F temperatures with wind chills down to -65°F. The record-setting low temperatures and frigid wind chills posed a safety and reliability threat to the region’s people and infrastructure alike. Continue reading »
The City of St. Louis Park in Minnesota passed an ambitious Climate Action Plan in 2018 which documented the city’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Within the plan, the city also details a goal to achieve 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and supply 10 percent of building electricity consumption with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) by the same year. Continue reading »
Credible research and analysis have always been fundamental to achieving GPI’s mission of transforming the energy system to benefit the economy and environment. Yet while many know GPI as a convener and consensus-builder among diverse interests, we also have rigorous research and analysis capability in-house. Continue reading »
A recent expansion of Minneapolis’ Green Cost Share Program to solar energy projects, with a priority placed on those in Green Zones, has led to significant investments in solar projects in the city that will contribute to increased economic development and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading »
The Great Plains Institute collaborated with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on the newly released vision for the future of electric vehicles in the state.
This week we’re marking the one-year anniversary since the passage of legislation to expand and reform a critical tax credit for carbon capture and storage projects, known as 45Q. The legislation was passed through the larger budget bill on February 9, 2018, and was originally introduced as the FUTURE Act. Continue reading »
CHICAGO, IL- A diverse coalition of stakeholders has developed a first-of-its-kind road map to illustrate how electric vehicles (EVs) can cut carbon and other harmful pollution while bringing many other important benefits to the Midcontinent region. With the transportation sector representing the largest emitting sector in the U.S. economy, EVs are essential to tackling the decarbonization challenge. Continue reading »
I’m excited to welcome Jessi Wyatt to the Great Plains Institute team as an associate energy planner and analyst. In her role, Jessi will provide technical and analytical support to a variety of projects and programs with a focus on local energy and climate action planning and geospatial analysis. Jessi will also assist with carbon capture and storage modeling and with strategic mapping for policy initiatives, including transportation electrification. Continue reading »
