Q&A on Performance-Based Regulation with Energy Innovation’s Sonia Aggarwal

March 30, 2016 in News & Press Author: Jennifer Christensen

Industry and Projects

In Minnesota, GPI convenes a stakeholder effort called the e21 Initiative that recommends, in part, shifting toward a more performance-based regulatory approach to determine how electric utilities in the state are compensated.

Recently, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission discussed performance-based regulation (commonly referred to as PBR) with expert Sonia Aggarwal, Director of Strategy at Energy Innovation. Ms. Aggarwal and the commissioners had an interesting discussion (see summary here) that raised key issues about how a PBR approach would work and its implications. Continue reading »

GPI Serves as Capitol Pathways Host

March 19, 2016 in News & Press Author: Amanda Bilek

A problem that is often raised during Minnesota public policy discussions is that state government is not truly representative of Minnesota’s population, especially as the makeup of the state is rapidly changing. The Great Plains Institute (GPI) is serving as a host organization for a new public policy internship program that aims to begin to address this challenge. The Capitol Pathways internship program is organized by the Citizens League and places college students of color in nonprofits, government agencies, and lobbying firms during the Minnesota legislative session. Continue reading »

Press Release: Diverse Coalition Hails Introduction of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Incentive Bill

February 25, 2016 in News & Press

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Federal legislation to spur commercial deployment of technologies to capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial facilities for use in enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) was introduced today by US Representative Mike Conaway with 18 co-sponsors from both political parties. The National Enhanced Oil Recovery Initiative (NEORI) and Coal Utilization Resource Council (CURC) are hailing introduction of the bill. Continue reading »

Labor, Environmental Coalition Urges Congress to Support Upcoming Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Incentive Bill

February 5, 2016 in News & Press

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Industry, labor, and environmental groups today called on Members of Congress to support legislation to be introduced by Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) to make permanent the existing federal carbon capture and storage incentive known as Section 45Q. The incentive is designed to spur commercial deployment of technologies to capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial facilities for use in enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR), while permanently and safely storing that CO2 underground. Continue reading »

Letter of Support for Permanent Extension of CO2 Storage Tax Credit

February 3, 2016 in Carbon Management, News & Press

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February 3, 2016

The Honorable Kevin Brady
The Honorable Sander Levin
U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Brady and Ranking Member Levin:

On behalf of the undersigned member companies and organizations, we request that Congress include a permanent extension of the Section 45Q Tax Credit for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in a technical corrections act or other appropriate legislation. Section 45Q provides a per ton tax credit for the storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) through the use of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and is the most important benefit in the tax code for incentivizing carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) at power plants and industrial facilities. Continue reading »

Press Release: Industry, Labor, Environmental Coalition Urges Congress to Support Upcoming Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Incentive Bill

February 3, 2016 in Carbon Management, News & Press

Press Release GraphicIndustry, labor, and environmental groups today called on Members of Congress to support legislation to be introduced by Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) to make permanent the existing federal carbon capture and storage incentive known as Section 45Q. The incentive is designed to spur commercial deployment of technologies to capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial facilities for use in enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR), while permanently and safely storing that CO2 underground. Continue reading »

MPSC Comments to EPA 1-21-16

January 21, 2016 in News & Press

The Midcontinent Power Sector Collaborative (formerly Midwestern Power Sector
Collaborative) is a diverse stakeholder group formed in 2012 to engage EPA and states on the
regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in the Midcontinent region.
Participants include state officials, investor-owned utilities, generation and transmission
cooperatives, merchant generators, public power producers and environmental organizations
from the Midcontinent region or with a significant presence in the region. Continue reading »

Minnesota ENERGY STAR® Challenge Announces Community Partners

December 7, 2015 in News & Press

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Minnesota ENERGY STAR Challenge is excited to announce the selection of its community partners: the cities of Hutchinson and Woodbury. Each of these communities has demonstrated leadership in energy and sustainability initiatives and marks the beginning of lasting partnerships that will deepen efforts to increase building energy efficiency. Continue reading »

111d Workshop Highlights Now Available

July 8, 2015 in News & Press Author: Doug Scott

More than 400 people from the Midcontinent region and around the country took part in a recent workshop – Midcontinent States Regional Workshop: Implementation Options for EPA’s Clean Power Plan – hosted by the Great Plains Institute and the Bipartisan Policy Center, June 5, 2015, in Detroit, Michigan. Continue reading »