Bloomington, Ind. (December 21, 2020)—As more Indiana utility companies, businesses, and property owners seek to take advantage of the benefits of renewable energy, local governments in Indiana are looking to make informed decisions about solar and wind energy proposals and future development.
Great Plains Institute convened the first CO2NNECT Virtual event on December 14, which highlighted the recently released and first-of-its-kind analysis from Rhodium Group that focused on the potential job growth and economic impact of carbon capture deployment in the near- to medium-term to help meet midcentury decarbonization goals. The event included an analytical presentation by Rhodium Group followed by a reaction panel discussion moderated by former US Senator Heidi Heitkamp. Continue reading »
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 »
GPI’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the sixth consecutive time that GPI has earned this top distinction. Only 11 percent of the nonprofits Charity Navigator evaluates have received at least six consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that GPI outperforms most other nonprofits in America. Continue reading »
Great Plains Institute President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom has been accepted into the Forbes Business Council, an invitation-only community and the foremost growth and networking organization for successful business owners and leaders worldwide. 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 National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) reaffirmed their support for deployment of carbon capture technologies during their annual meeting this week. NARUC also recently collaborated with the Western Interstate Energy Board to host a six-part webinar series on carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Continue reading »
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 »
