A recent webinar hosted by the Great Plains Institute explored the growing connection between solar energy development and water quality, often called the solar/water nexus. Interest in the webinar spanned the globe, with over 240 people registering from 38 states and 6 countries. State and local government staff made up nearly half of attendees, with the remainder representing solar developers and engineering/construction firms, energy or environmental nonprofits, local or state government officials, educational institutions, and interested community members. Continue reading »
Exploring Community Benefits Agreements for Clean Energy Permitting in Minnesota
September 2, 2026 in Renewable Energy Authors: Dreek Morgan, Val Stori
Communities in Minnesota and across the nation are learning how to engage effectively with clean energy development as more projects are proposed. Community benefits agreements (CBAs) are a tool for communities, local governments, and developers to shape how clean energy projects and infrastructure can deliver a multitude of benefits to host communities. Such agreements can help ensure that project development aligns with local goals and that projects deliver equitable benefits to the communities impacted by them. Continue reading »
State Siting Officials Collaborative Forms to Accelerate Clean Energy Deployment
June 9, 2026 in Renewable Energy Author: Brian Ross
As clean energy projects continue to expand across the United States, state governments are increasingly working on various aspects of such projects, from permitting to community engagement. Yet these officials have had limited opportunities for sharing what they’re learning and discussing strategies with their peers. A new initiative, the States Siting Officials Collaborative, brings together officials from over 20 states in a peer network to accelerate clean energy siting and permitting. Continue reading »
Building Local Capacity for Siting Clean Energy in Iowa
May 6, 2026 in Renewable Energy Author: Upasana Roy
Local governments across Iowa are facing a rapidly changing clean energy landscape. Projects are arriving faster than many communities can effectively manage, given their limited staff capacity, technical expertise, or regulatory tools. Local governments play a key role in grounding such projects in their community’s priorities. This post highlights a program that equips Iowa communities with the resources they need to plan for and benefit from clean energy projects. Continue reading »
Communities in Minnesota Earn SolSmart Silver Designations by Working as a Cohort
February 10, 2026 in Renewable Energy Author: Sydne Tursky
Minnesota communities in Hennepin County recently worked to lower energy costs and deploy cleaner, more resilient energy options by streamlining solar zoning and permitting processes. As a result of their work, they achieved Silver designation from the SolSmart program, which provided free technical assistance and recognition to communities on their path to supporting local solar projects (SolSmart is part of the broader Energy Ready program suite). Continue reading »
Report: Unlocking the Potential of Distributed Green Ammonia for a Sustainable Rural Agricultural Future
January 16, 2026 in Renewable Energy, Reports & Whitepapers Author: Val Stori
Distributed green ammonia (DGA) fertilizer, produced on-farm or within agricultural regions, offers several benefits that not only support sustainable agriculture but also provide local economic benefits and enhanced supply security. A new report prepared by the Great Plains Institute for the Hydrogen Economy Collaborative, Distributed Green Ammonia: Demonstrating Modular Systems for Sustainable Agriculture, highlights the regional economic benefits that DGA production can bring to agricultural regions. Continue reading »
PV-SuCCESS Update: Assessing Community Ecosystem Benefits of Solar Deployment
June 30, 2025 in Renewable Energy Author: Zane Franke
As large-scale solar becomes a bigger part of our landscape, it’s crucial to make informed decisions on how to best deploy it with the needs of host communities in mind. The US Department of Energy-funded PhotoVoltaics Supporting Cultural and Community EcoSystem Services (PV-SuCCESS) project aims to achieve just that. Continue reading »
Hydrogen Economy Collaborative: Reflections and Future Outlook
February 26, 2025 in Renewable Energy Author: Dreek Morgan
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 »
Big Lake Agrivoltaics Project: Integrating Solar Power with Local Farming
December 19, 2024 in Renewable Energy Authors: Dreek Morgan, Monika Vadali
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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Advancing Low-Impact Solar Development on Brownfields
October 14, 2024 in Renewable Energy Authors: Brian Ross, Dreek Morgan
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 »
