The Hydrogen Economy Collaborative (HEC) is a network of state agencies, researchers, environmental nonprofit organizations, and industry professionals working to advance the role of low-carbon hydrogen in the clean energy transition. GPI facilitates the HEC as a platform to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing on policy, technology, and market developments to advance low-carbon hydrogen adoption. Continue reading »
The Big Lake agrivoltaics project in Minnesota, led by US Solar in partnership with The Food Group, NREL, Connexus Energy, and GPI, demonstrates how renewable energy can coexist with sustainable agriculture to benefit communities.
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Rapid development of distributed (small-scale) and large-scale solar energy projects is essential to accelerating the transition to net-zero carbon emissions in a way that delivers equitable, broad benefits to communities. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and others have demonstrated there are ample suitable lands to achieve ambitious large-scale solar deployment goals, enough to power millions of homes annually. Continue reading »
Legislation passed in Minnesota earlier this year to incentivize a new solar permitting tool called “SolarAPP+” that offers direct financial benefits to homeowners, local governments, and Minnesota’s growing solar industry. Continue reading »
A new report by GPI staff for the national SolSmart program, Expanding Solar Access to Underserved Communities Through SolSmart, focuses on centering solar equity as a key principle of solar programs and policies. Centering solar equity will not only make solar energy more accessible but also distribute meaningful benefits to disadvantaged communities. Continue reading »
As the world’s energy landscape evolves, clean hydrogen emerges as a promising solution for achieving clean, net-zero carbon energy. Hydrogen transportation has also emerged as a key challenge to address in the energy space. A new issue brief from a work group of the Hydrogen Economy Collaborative (HEC), convened by GPI, focuses on these challenges and highlights opportunities to address them. Continue reading »
La Crescent is the first city in Minnesota and the fourth municipality nationwide to achieve SolSmart Platinum designation. To achieve Platinum, La Crescent took action to increase solar readiness in their community and adopted an automated solar permitting platform. Continue reading »
Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) will play a critical role in clean energy deployment, yet much is unknown at the local level about how to site these facilities. GPI recently rolled out a framework for local governments and community planners in an article published in the American Planning Association’s Zoning Practice. Continue reading »
The annual Environmental Initiative Awards were recently announced, with the Energy and Climate award going to the Food Group’s Solar Farmland Access – Emerging Farmers project, which seeks to increase land access for emerging, BIPOC, and immigrant farmers by utilizing spaces under and around solar farms. Continue reading »
Land use issues surrounding solar energy and agriculture have the potential to create conflict and slow permitting processes—or they can be an opportunity for designing projects to deliver broad benefits for communities and achieve energy and climate goals. Continue reading »
