The Future Fuels Act introduced in the Minnesota State Legislature during the 2021 legislative session set a goal of reducing transportation fuel carbon intensity by 20 percent by 2035 and promised to boost the state’s economy and prove a host of co-benefits. As we talked to Minnesota legislators about the proposed clean fuels policy for the state, the question always arose—what impact will this have in my community? Continue reading »
The production of renewable natural gas from anaerobic digestion presents a win-win scenario: diverting organic waste from landfills while producing a lower-carbon alternative to conventional natural gas that can be injected into existing pipelines and used as vehicle fuel. This post provides an overview of renewable natural gas from anaerobic digestion and its benefits.
Participants in the Midcontinent Transportation Electrification Collaborative (MTEC) recently submitted letters to congressional leadership, Transportation Secretary Buttigieg, and Energy Secretary Granholm regarding federal economic recovery opportunities that could create vast transportation electrification investments in the Midcontinent region. Continue reading »
Every two years, the Clean Energy Resource Teams, or CERTs, issues a request for proposal (RFP) to provide seed funding to clean energy projects across Minnesota. The seed grant RFP for 2022 is now out and applications are due at 4 p.m. on October 8, 2021. The RFP details everything you need to know, including eligibility, contractual terms, materials and submission information, the timeline, review process, and the regional criteria and preferences. Continue reading »
Natural gas is an important energy source for Minnesota’s homes and businesses. But it’s also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. So what do we do?
July 13, 2020, Minneapolis — Natural gas used in homes and businesses is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota, and has been increasing over the last 15 years. These rising emissions threaten our ability to meet state emissions reduction goals. At the same time, natural gas is an especially important fuel in our state, providing heat for most of our buildings and fueling many of our largest businesses. To better understand the complex challenges around reducing emissions from natural gas in Minnesota, the nonprofits Center for Energy and Environment and the Great Plains Institute brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including gas and electric utilities, labor representatives, and clean energy advocates. Continue reading »
New analysis shows that a Midwestern clean fuels policy (CFP) can deliver positive economic benefits while reducing carbon emissions in the region. This is the conclusion of an ICF study commissioned by the Great Plains Institute in partnership with the American Coalition for Ethanol, and with support from the Union of Concerned Scientists and the McKnight Foundation. ICF was commissioned to investigate the economic impacts of a Midwestern CFP, and used Minnesota and Iowa as representative states of the region. Legislators in Minnesota are considering the Future Fuels Act, a proposed CFP. Continue reading »
Over the last year, GPI has convened an informal group of Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) stakeholders to discuss market rule needs for hybrid resources. Through this work we’ve been able to develop and present a set of specific recommendations to MISO to define how hybrid resources will participate in its energy and capacity markets.
The Great Plains Institute, the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP), COPAL MN, and the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) were awarded a Conservation Applied Research and Development (CARD) grant by the Minnesota Department of Commerce in January 2021. Continue reading »
An equitable energy transition is a moral necessity. Implementing equitable climate solutions is not just the right thing to do; it is essential to achieving our goals. Climate change and racial inequities often are discussed as if they were separate issues. In truth, they are deeply intertwined. Continue reading »
GPI President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom wrote “Not Your Grandparents’ Infrastructure: What Businesses Should Be Thinking About” for the Forbes Business Council website where it was originally published.
“Infrastructure” is like the tofu of buzzwords — it doesn’t express much by itself. Given the transformational infrastructure investments under consideration in the U.S., it’s worth thinking about what kinds of 21st-century infrastructure we need and what they would make possible for businesses and for society as a whole. I’ll wager it’s different than you think. Continue reading »
