On November 23, 2020, the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota (BCM) and Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) co-hosted a biochar roundtable to discuss opportunities and limitations of commercializing biochar in Minnesota. The roundtable included a series of expert presentations and a group discussion facilitated by Brendan Jordan, vice president of Transportation and Fuels at the Great Plains Institute, which facilitates the Coalition. Continue reading »
Gathering input from a wide-ranging group of stakeholders, the Great Plains Institute (GPI) has been working to develop and implement clean fuels policies (CFPs) in Midwestern states. A CFP is a technology-neutral, performance-based policy that reduces the use of high-carbon transportation fuels while providing incentives to deploy lower-carbon alternatives such as electricity, hydrogen, and biofuels. GPI has been hosting a webinar series, with each webinar focused on a different low-carbon fuel, as part of our work to educate more stakeholders about the benefits of a CFP.
The year 2020 was challenging—we worked hard to stay apart, embraced wearing masks everywhere we went, and rediscovered the outdoors. It was a year of immense pain, and we said goodbye to deeply loved friends and family. Restaurants, movie theaters, and other businesses endured trying economic times, or closed altogether, amidst a pandemic that shut down life as we once knew it. As we reflect on the past year, we’re also recognizing where progress was still able to occur, particularly on transportation electrification in Minnesota, which can deliver economic and environmental benefits for the state.
As part of the Great Plains Institute’s work to develop a Midwestern clean fuels policy, we are hosting webinars that focus on clean fuels in the market today and how those industries could benefit from a regional policy. In the first three webinars, GPI looked at the role of electric vehicles (in two webinars) and renewable natural gas in a potential Midwestern clean fuels policy. The fourth webinar in the series discussed how a Midwestern clean fuels policy can support the ethanol industry across the supply chain in the region.
The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Biofuels released its recommendations to Governor Tim Walz on November 2, 2020, which include a recommendation that Minnesota move forward with a clean fuels policy that “builds on the vision, principles, and considerations of the white paper A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest (2020) from the Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy Initiative and on the vision and principles of the Governor’s Council on Biofuels.” The Initiative’s white paper was the result of analysis and discussion among a broad stakeholder group facilitated by the Great Plains Institute. Continue reading »
Congress has a window of opportunity during the lame duck session to pass the most significant energy legislation in over a decade—legislation that would advance American energy innovation, drive deployment of low- and zero-carbon technology and infrastructure, increase jobs, and reduce emissions across the economy. Bipartisan energy legislation, which passed in the House and is under consideration in the Senate, can put the US on a path to economic recovery and long-term emissions reductions. Continue reading »
As part of the Great Plains Institute’s work to develop a Midwestern clean fuels policy, we are hosting webinars that focus on clean fuels on the market today and how those industries could benefit from a regional policy. In the first two webinars, GPI looked at the role of electric vehicles in a potential clean fuels policy. The third webinar in the series covered how a clean fuels policy can support the development of renewable natural gas (RNG) projects in the Midwest. Continue reading »
A new study by Consumer Reports equips consumers with data showing the relatively lower cost of electric vehicle (EV) maintenance and overall ownership when compared to comparable gas-powered vehicles. Consumer Reports recently released a study analyzing EV ownership costs, including a chapter on their lifetime maintenance costs. The study looks at both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and helps answer frequently asked questions about EV maintenance and other costs.
The Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota, facilitated by the Great Plains Institute, and the Natural Resources Research Institute are partnering to raise the profile of biochar in Minnesota. At its upcoming member meeting on November 23, 12:00-2:00 p.m. central, the Bioeconomy Coalition will feature a “Biochar in Minnesota Roundtable” with a panel of experts to talk about the opportunities and limitations of commercializing biochar in Minnesota. Continue reading »
As part of the Great Plains Institute’s work to develop a Midwestern clean fuels policy, we are hosting webinars that focus on clean fuels on the market today and how those industries could benefit from a regional policy. The first two webinars, available to watch below, brought together leading experts to discuss electricity for electric vehicles (EVs) and how a clean fuels policy could drive transportation electrification in the Midwest. Our speakers covered existing clean fuels policies, how the EV industry has benefited from those policies, and how a Midwestern policy would support adoption of EVs for different use cases. Continue reading »
