On February 6, 2014 The Metropolitan Energy Policy Coalition (MEPC) hosted an all day energy summit titled, Making Connections – Energy Trends and Our Vital Local Economy. The summit brought together over 140 decision makers and other stakeholders from local government to uncover trends in the way we produce, distribute, and use energy. Continue reading »
GPI Joins Partners GRE and the Brattle Group in Presenting Innovative Approach for Compliance with EPA GHG Regulations
February 5, 2014 in News & Press
Cambridge, MA, February 5, 2014. Working with Minnesota-based Great River Energy, Brattle Group economists developed a regional market-based approach to implement EPA’s forthcoming rule under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing power generating sources (“Existing Source Rule”). The approach uses existing energy market infrastructure to achieve emission reduction targets while ensuring reliability and minimizing cost impacts. Continue reading »
Biogas Projects Can Help Establish Energy Crop Supply
January 25, 2014 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda Bilek
The U.S. biogas sector has done an outstanding job developing projects using livestock manure, landfill gas and municipal biosolids to generate clean energy. Although there is still a large amount of untapped potential to use these three feedstock sources, the use of crop residues and energy crops are completely underutilized in the U.S. biogas market. International biogas project development experience has demonstrated that the use of crop residues and energy crops are valuable feedstocks to produce increased levels of biogas and project stability.Unexpected Agreement Reached on Power Plant Regulation
January 16, 2014 in Energy Systems Authors: Brad Crabtree, Franz Litz
Acting on a directive from the President, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently developing draft federal regulations to guide states in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants under the Clean Air Act. States will use the federal guidelines to devise plans that take into consideration state-specific and regional concerns. Continue reading »
Midwestern Power Sector Collaborative: 2013 Recommendations to the EPA
December 6, 2013 in Reports & Whitepapers
Coal-based power companies, environmental organizations and state regulators achieved common ground on recommendations to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding potential regulation of carbon emissions from existing power plants in a region that generates most of its electricity from coal. These recommendations were developed by the Midwestern Power Sector Collaborative, which is convened by the Great Plains Institute, Pace Center and World Resources Institute. Continue reading »
The Future of Minnesota’s Electric Utilities: The Sequel
November 27, 2013 in Energy Systems Authors: Mike Bull, Rolf Nordstrom
Environmental Initiative’s recent policy forum on “The future of Minnesota’s Electric Utilities” drew a block-buster crowd—you would have thought they were giving away free beer. Especially for a topic as potentially dry and esoteric as the future of electric utilities, one would have expected a much smaller crowd and the deafening sound of crickets. But the meeting room overlooking the iconic Como Zoo was packed and humming with conversation. Continue reading »
America’s Power Plan is a policy roadmap for dealing with disruptive challenges in the power sector and achieving a high-renewables future. Curated by the Energy Foundation in partnership with Energy Innovation, it features a series of eight white papers. As part of the rollout for America’s Power Plan (APP), the Great Plains Institute hosted and facilitated a meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 26, 2013 to brief stakeholders on the project and gather input on how components of APP could be most effectively applied to the Midwestern region. Continue reading »
North Dakota Oil Boom: Key Challenges Facing the State
November 16, 2013 in Carbon Management Author: Brad Crabtree
This week I traveled to Houston Texas to take part in the 2012 Transatlantic Science Week – Energy Technology Workshop. I gave a presentation titled – Technical and Social Challenges when North Dakota becomes the second largest oil producing state in the USA. The Great Plains Institute is working to help build continued collaboration between the energy-rich Norway and North Dakota.Biogas a Combined Heat and Power Opportunity
November 16, 2013 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda Bilek
In previous columns, I have focused on the use of biogas as a transportation fuel, which holds enormous, untapped potential. However, my introduction to biogas energy systems was through projects that use biogas to produce electricity and then capture thermal energy from the generator for a useful purpose. This process is better known as combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration. Continue reading »
Tremendous Opportunity for Increasing CHP Uptake in Midwest
November 15, 2013 in Efficiency Author: Amanda Bilek
The heading for this blog post was the key take-away message from a meeting co-hosted by GPI and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) October 21 and 22 in Chicago, Illinois. The meeting, Catalyzing Midwestern Initiatives to Accelerate Combined Heat and Power and Waste Heat to Power aimed to bring together national and state-based non-profit organizations, equipment manufacturers, developers and industry associations and government and technical service providers to facilitate networking and align interests for advancing combined heat and power (CHP) and waste heat to power (WHP) in Midwestern states. Continue reading »
