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 »
Electric Vehicles Provide Large GHG Reductions in Minnesota
April 12, 2016 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Dane McFarlane
Recent analysis done by the Great Plains Institute (GPI) has found that electric vehicles in Minnesota provide a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of at least 61% in most cases (Xcel Energy electric mix) and 95% in many cases (for vehicle charging on renewable energy subscription programs). Continue reading »
The 5 Things You Need to Know to Increase Electric Vehicle Sales 10X
April 11, 2016 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amira Hamdon
A TEN TIMES increase in monthly sales of Nissan Leafs?! 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 »
Growing a Vibrant Northern MN Bioeconomy
January 8, 2016 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda Bilek
Northern Minnesota has several elements – a strong natural resource base, existing supply chain infrastructure, history of industrial manufacturing – in place to help develop a robust bioeconomy cluster, but there is much more work to do to fully capture available opportunities. Continue reading »
Biogas Integration for Cellulosic Ethanol Production
November 23, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda BilekAs cellulosic ethanol production facilities have come online, anaerobic digesters have been co-located at the plants to recover biogas from soluble residues inherent in the ethanol production process. These soluble residues contain a source of energy that can be recovered using anaerobic digestion, and the captured biogas can help meet process energy needs. Continue reading »
National Drive Electric Week Kick-off a HUGE Success
September 16, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amira HamdonNational Drive Electric Week, September 12-20th, 2015, was dedicated to educating and celebrating all things electric vehicle (EV)!
This nationwide celebration came on the heels of Nissan announcing the 107 mile EPA fuel economy range of the 2016 Nissan Leaf, and the new Tesla P90D is receiving rave reviews among auto enthusiasts. These EVs are gaining the traction they deserve. Continue reading »
A Win-Win for Electric Vehicles: Zero Emission Charging Challenge
July 27, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amira Hamdon
Over 3,000 Minnesotans have begun to experience the benefits of electric vehicles – including lower operating costs, zero tailpipe emissions, and a fun driving experience. Many Minnesotans are also challenging themselves to further lower the carbon footprint of EVs by powering them with 100% renewable power. Continue reading »
Successful biomass-based projects, including biogas projects, require several project pieces to come together and hold, with some adjustments over the operational life of a project. Some of those pieces include project financing, public policy, feedstock supply, logistics, infrastructure, permitting and end-use markets. Continue reading »
2015 Minnesota Legislative Session Recap: Bioeconomy Edition
July 6, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Authors: Amanda Bilek, Brendan JordanIt 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 »
