The sustainability of biomass supplies for energy and fuel production has been a topic of ongoing discussion for decades. The completion and commissioning of commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities in 2014 is giving this discussion a renewed sense of urgency. 2014 was the year that cellulosic ethanol moved from something that was five years away to reality due to the commissioning of commercial-scale facilities. Continue reading »
This report is written primarily for Minnesota’s electric utility regulators, policymakers,
organizations representing ratepayers, and others who have a stake in the direction of
Minnesota’s future energy system, and includes specific recommendations for statutory
changes and regulatory action. Continue reading »
For this final blog post in our series on Demand Response (DR), GPI would like to present a map about demand response potential and utilization in the US. Continue reading »
News Release: MPSC Submits Comments on Power Plant Rule and Brings Message to EPA and Administration
December 15, 2014 in News & Press
(WASHINGTON, DC) – A diverse group of Midwestern states and electricity sector stakeholders has submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking to shape the Agency’s impending rules aimed at reducing carbon emissions from existing power plants. The group—the Midwestern Power Sector Collaborative—heads to Washington on December 16th to meet with top officials at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the EPA to discuss their comments. Continue reading »
Demand Response in a Resource Constrained World
December 13, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers Author: Dane McFarlane
The third fact sheet in GPI’s series about demand response (DR) in the Midwest is titled Demand Response in a Resource Constrained World. Continue reading »
GreenStep Cities Workshop: Cities and Community Solar
December 12, 2014 in Communities Author: Patrick Mathwig
Community solar has been THE hot energy issue in Minnesota this year. In 2013, the Minnesota Legislature passed legislation that required Xcel Energy, Minnesota’s largest investor owned utility, to administer a community solar gardens (CSG) program, and enabled other utilities to administer them as well. Xcel’s Solar*Rewards Community program officially opened on Friday, December 12th, 2014. Minnesota currently has 14 megawatts of solar, but with the mandate of 1.5% solar by 2020, Minnesota’s solar capacity will increase greatly: by 2020, Minnesota is expected to have 400 megawatts of solar capacity. Continue reading »
Environmental Sector Feedback on MISO Market Metrics Review
December 12, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers
The Environmental Sector appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback for MISO’s markets and operational metrics review. Organizations in the Environmental Sector rely on data from MISO’s monthly operations reports to track fuel mix, wind production, and demand response utilization in the MISO region. Continue reading »
Differences in Demand Response Markets
December 10, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers Author: Dane McFarlane
The fourth fact sheet in GPI’s series about demand response (DR) in the Midwest is titled Differences in Demand Response Markets. Continue reading »
GreenStep Cities workshop: Bike, Ped and Transit Options
December 9, 2014 in Communities Author: Patrick Mathwig
November’s GreenStep Cities workshop was all about transportation, with a focus on Complete Streets. The GreenStep Transportation best practices (BPs) and actions are designed to help cities build their streets and cities in a way that better matches their citizen’s needs. Continue reading »
When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule in July expanding cellulosic fuel pathways to include renewable compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) derived from various sources of biogas, a surge of cellulosic fuel credits from biogas was widely anticipated. After two months of reporting, the speculation was correct. August and September saw record volumes of cellulosic Renewable Information Numbers (RINs). These high volumes were not generated from liquid fuels like ethanol or renewable gasoline, but from renewable CNG and LNG. 