A new analysis by the Great Plains Institute shows the challenges as well as the vast untapped opportunities for Minnesota’s forestry industry. Full press release is below. Continue reading »
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We send our deepest thanks and appreciation to all those on the front lines of addressing the devastating COVID-19 pandemic and our thoughts are with all those affected as this crisis impacts our families, friends, colleagues, and people around the globe. As those on the front lines of this crisis work with such strength, resolve, and self-sacrifice, those of us working on the climate challenge have the obligation to continue our work toward a better world on the other side of this tragedy. Continue reading »
Great Plains Institute Earns Highest Possible Recognition from GuideStar
April 6, 2020 in News & Press Author: Deborah Karasov
We are pleased to announce that the Great Plains Institute (GPI) has achieved the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar! Continue reading »
Solar and Wind in Wisconsin: A Local Government Guide for Siting Utility-Scale Projects
April 2, 2020 in Communities, Energy Systems, Reports & Whitepapers Authors: Jenna Greene, Jessi Wyatt
The Great Plains Institute is engaging local governments across the Upper Midwest on long-term planning for renewable energy. As part of this effort, we developed a guide to provide communities in Wisconsin with an overview of long-term utility- and community-scale solar and wind development—systems sized one megawatt (MW) or greater. Continue reading »
Repowering and Decommissioning: What Happens in Communities When Solar and Wind Projects End?
April 1, 2020 in Communities, Energy Systems Author: Jessi Wyatt
Midwestern communities have experienced a dramatic increase in the buildout of solar and wind systems in the last decade, continuing an upward trend in renewable energy projects that began in the early- and mid-2000s. As many of these initial projects reach the end of their lifespan, communities will see the local impacts of repowering and decommissioning—the decisions made at the end of a project’s life. Learning about the full lifespan of projects can help communities planning new projects attain the long-term benefits of renewable energy while reducing potential conflicts. Continue reading »
Energy, environmental, labor, and policy leaders recently hosted the Minnesota Carbon Capture Forum to inform and educate a diverse audience about the economic and environmental opportunities for the technology in the state. Below you will find audio of the event as well as other resources on how Minnesota and other US states can capitalize on this decades-tested technology. Continue reading »
Solar and Wind in Minnesota: A Local Government Guide for Siting Utility-Scale Projects
March 23, 2020 in Communities, Energy Systems, Reports & Whitepapers Authors: Jenna Greene, Jessi Wyatt
The Great Plains Institute is engaging local governments across the Upper Midwest on long-term planning for renewable energy. As part of this effort, we developed a guide to provide communities in Minnesota with an overview of long-term utility- and community-scale solar and wind development—systems sized one megawatt (MW) or greater. Continue reading »
Hybrid Resources in the MISO Electricity Market: An Emerging Opportunity
March 12, 2020 in Energy Systems Authors: Maggie Kristian, Matt Prorok
Electricity markets, the federal government, and state governments across the country are working on how to address hybrid resources, which are a combination of multiple generation technologies and/or storage devices that work together to provide energy, capacity, and other grid services. This post focuses on hybrid resources in the MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator) market and describes their unique attributes and value to the grid, which can help inform how market rules incorporate them. Continue reading »
Carbon Capture Ready: Data and Tools Available for US States
March 10, 2020 in Carbon Management, News & Press Author: Patrice Lahlum
The newly launched Carbon Capture Ready website (CarbonCaptureReady.org) serves as a resource for a growing network of state leaders, industries, labor, and NGOs to realize the potential for carbon capture to transform economies and ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. Continue reading »
Solar and Wind in Iowa: A Local Government Guide for Siting Utility-Scale Projects
March 9, 2020 in Communities, Energy Systems, Reports & Whitepapers Authors: Jenna Greene, Jessi Wyatt
The Great Plains Institute is engaging local governments across the Upper Midwest on long-term planning for renewable energy. As part of this effort, we developed a guide to provide communities in Iowa with an overview of long-term utility- and community-scale solar and wind development—systems sized one megawatt (MW) or greater. Continue reading »
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