The Great Plains Institute is a proud partner in a new initiative, the Sustainable Growth Coalition, a partnership of more than 25 businesses and organizations harnessing their expertise to advance the next frontier of corporate sustainability – the circular economy. Continue reading »
Electric Vehicles are Coming, and Minnesota Needs to Get Ready
April 26, 2016 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
In a year of divided government and low expectations for achieving big policy wins in Minnesota, we have the opportunity to move forward with a piece of energy policy that is broadly supported. Drive Electric Minnesota is advocating for a policy (SF 2405/HF3513) that would enable the state’s largest regulated utilities to begin planning for the arrival of mass-market electric vehicles. Continue reading »
Why the Iron Range Can Be the Best Place in the World for the Bioeconomy
April 21, 2016 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
Last week, I had the pleasure to present at MPR’s “Minnesota’s Iron Range Ideas for the Future.” Fluctuations in economic cycles are not new and with each iteration of hard times comes an opportunity to innovate and move forward. I’m the lead facilitator of the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota and I would like to share with you an opportunity for building a brand new industry in the Iron Range: sustainable biobased products from wood. Continue reading »
Why the Iron Range Can Be the Best Place in the World for the Bioeconomy
April 21, 2016 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
Last week, I had the pleasure to present at MPR’s “Minnesota’s Iron Range Ideas for the Future.” Fluctuations in economic cycles are not new and with each iteration of hard times comes an opportunity to innovate and move forward. I’m the lead facilitator of the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota and I would like to share with you an opportunity for building a brand new industry in the Iron Range: sustainable biobased products from wood. Continue reading »
Minnesota’s Battery Electric Vehicle Sales Beat the Odds in 2015
February 12, 2016 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
Low gasoline prices create challenges for many strategies – whether it’s advanced biofuels, lower carbon oil produced using CO2 enhanced oil recovery, biobased chemicals, or electric vehicles. Continue reading »
Recently, I had the opportunity expand my education in the whole range of technologies that are currently being investigated by scientists around the world to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
The appropriately named “Oxford Greenhouse Gas Removal Conference,” hosted by Tim Kruger at the Oxford Martin School, was devoted to assessing the state of the science for carbon removal technologies and developing strategies for making progress in deploying them. Continue reading »
2015 Minnesota Legislative Session Recap: Bioeconomy Edition
July 6, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Authors: Amanda Bilek, Brendan Jordan
It took the regular session, plus a one-day special session, but the Minnesota legislature has completed its work for 2015. The legislature convened in early January with a $1.9 billion projected budget surplus and had the task of setting a two-year state budget. Continue reading »
Update: MN Plug-in Vehicle Rebate Program Advances
May 6, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
A bill to create a new state rebate program for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) continues to advance in the Minnesota legislature. The PEV rebate provision was included in Representative Pat Garofalo’s omnibus energy and jobs bill (HF 843) that passed on the House floor on April 22. The bill would offer up $2,500 for anyone purchasing a new PEV.
Continue reading »
Bills in play would help electrify Minnesota’s transportation system
April 14, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
Gasoline prices may have decreased recently, but what if you could pay less than $1.00 per gallon for fuel? Never change your oil? Improve your fuel efficiency 3 or 4 fold? Have zero tailpipe emissions? And help make it easier for your utility to integrate renewable electricity into the system? Continue reading »
What’s the deal? Environmental and Bioindustry Agreement on Bioeconomy Bill
April 1, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Authors: Amanda Bilek, Brendan Jordan
As has already been reported here and here, a major deal has been struck that brings the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota and the Minnesota Environmental Partnership together in support of an amended version of the Bioeconomy bill in Minnesota. The agreement cleared a path in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee, where it had been stalled. The bill (HF 536/ SF 517) was amended on agreed-upon terms in House and Senate committees – the text of the Senate amendment is here. The text of the agreement is here. Continue reading »
