The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will create major opportunities across the economy for investment in a wide range of energy, sustainability, and climate projects. I recently interviewed Abby Finis, senior program manager for GPI’s Communities Program, about lessons learned from how federal energy and climate funding was spent at the local level during the 2009 stimulus bill. Finis discusses what is different a decade later in terms of local government expertise and leadership on energy and climate solutions, and how that could be leveraged in the new infrastructure funding. Continue reading »
Ambitious Climate Plan Adopted in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
November 9, 2021 in Communities Author: Abby Finis
Photo Courtesy of Jessi Wyatt
Residents of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, know firsthand the urgency of addressing climate change. The city, Iowa’s second largest and located along the Cedar River, has experienced several major flooding events in recent years. Now the city is home to an ambitious plan to address climate change.
Stormwater Management in Solar Projects: Barriers and Best Practices
October 6, 2021 in Communities, Renewable Energy, Reports & Whitepapers Authors: Brian Ross, Briana Kerber
The site design of a solar project impacts whether a project will improve or negatively impact water quality. Yet solar developers regularly face inconsistent stormwater permitting requirements and standards that were not developed with solar in mind. This can lead to project delay, higher costs, and missed opportunities for environmental benefits. The Photovoltaic Stormwater Research and Testing (PV-SMaRT) project, funded by the US Department of Energy, was created to resolve these issues. Continue reading »
The True Land Footprint of Solar Energy
September 14, 2021 in Communities, Renewable Energy Authors: Jessi Wyatt, Maggie Kristian
Solar is a ubiquitous, economically-competitive energy resource across much of the United States. In communities with active solar development, there is often debate about how utility-scale solar might affect existing land uses or natural resources. GPI recently analyzed the potential land use impact of solar on agricultural communities in the continental US. Continue reading »
Photo courtesy of Jean Christoffels
Community-driven decision-making on land use is critical to the continued buildout of large-scale renewable energy. GPI recently piloted a process and design tool for communities to identify local solar development sites with multiple benefits. The pilot project involved residents of Murray County in southwest Minnesota who used community-informed geospatial analysis to help plan for solar development in the area. The project united community values like clean drinking water and agricultural preservation with future solar development. Continue reading »
Climate and Sustainability Data and Metric Tracking Tools for Communities
July 29, 2021 in Communities Authors: Abby Finis, Jessi Wyatt
Climate change is here, it is wreaking havoc, and no community is immune from its impact. Summer 2021 alone saw heavy flooding across the globe, including in the United States. Fire clouds started wildfires across Alberta, and the US and Canada saw record-breaking, debilitating heat and equally extreme drought. As communities struggle to cope, there is growing recognition that local and place-based action is essential to addressing climate change. For this reason, the Great Plains Institute is excited to share new planning tools we’ve developed to help communities in the US succeed on climate action.
Funding Available for Community-Based Clean Energy Projects Across Minnesota
July 19, 2021 in Communities Author: Diana McKeown
Every two years, the Clean Energy Resource Teams, or CERTs, issues a request for proposal (RFP) to provide seed funding to clean energy projects across Minnesota. The seed grant RFP for 2022 is now out and applications are due at 4 p.m. on October 8, 2021. The RFP details everything you need to know, including eligibility, contractual terms, materials and submission information, the timeline, review process, and the regional criteria and preferences. Continue reading »
Helping More Latinx-Owned Businesses Benefit from Utility Conservation Programs in Minnesota
June 18, 2021 in Communities Authors: Jessi Wyatt, Kristoffer Acuña
The Great Plains Institute, the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP), COPAL MN, and the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) were awarded a Conservation Applied Research and Development (CARD) grant by the Minnesota Department of Commerce in January 2021. Continue reading »
Pairing Solar with Managed EV Charging for Distribution Grid Benefit
June 4, 2021 in Communities, Renewable Energy Authors: Brian Ross, Rebecca Heisel
As utilities and regulators anticipate increased electric vehicle (EV) adoption, they’re assessing how to prepare the electric distribution grid for the additional load. Recent work by the Great Plains Institute (GPI) points to the potential distribution grid benefits of pairing solar production with managed EV charging. Using a newly updated tool from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), GPI explored this value proposition by examining EV charging scenarios alongside solar production. Continue reading »
Database of Climate Ordinances Now Available to Planners
February 8, 2021 in Communities Author: Jessi Wyatt
Planners can now explore a database of climate ordinances in the United States using a new web-based tool developed by the Great Plains Institute (GPI). GPI has been working with two divisions of the American Planning Association—the American Planning Association Sustainable Communities Division and the American Planning Association Environment, Natural Resources and Energy Division—to identify and help develop tools for planners working on climate change in their local communities. Continue reading »
