The Michigan Public Service Commission recently approved DTE Energy’s request to develop a 34 MW combined heat and power (CHP) plant on the campus of Ford Motor Company’s Research and Engineering Center.¹ This project highlights how ownership of CHP facilities can be a valuable option in a utility’s resource planning and can bring economic and environmental benefits for the utility and its customers over the long term. Due to their size, high efficiency, and grid benefits, utility-owned CHP projects likely offer a better deal to ratepayers than the construction of traditional central power stations. Continue reading »
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Why the Announcement of the World’s Largest Direct Air Capture Project is a Big Deal
June 12, 2019 in Carbon Management Author: Jennifer ChristensenDirect air capture (DAC) technology generates a mix of excitement, skepticism, and optimism as first-mover projects come online, from Iceland to the US. The technology captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from ambient air, which is then used to create products of economic value or stored geologically, thereby removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Continue reading »
Legislative Outcome on Electric Vehicles in Minnesota—Going Forward by Not Going Backward
June 11, 2019 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan JordanWe communicated a great deal about electric vehicle (EV) bills in the Minnesota legislature this year given their potential to shape the trajectory of EV adoption in the state. Some of the proposals would have increased EV adoption and infrastructure while others would have put up barriers. Minnesota’s legislature officially adjourned on May 20 and then completed its work in a short special session a few days later. So, what happened on EVs? Continue reading »
Electrifying the Family Road Trip
June 10, 2019 in Energy Systems, Transportation & Fuels Author: Gail NosekThe American Automobile Association (AAA) expects 100 million Americans and more than 50 percent of families to pack up the car for a road trip this summer (even more than last year).
In Minnesota, the popular trip ‘Up North’ to Lake Superior is the first to go fully electric with the Interstate 35 corridor now boasting enough chargers to power any electric vehicle (EV) from the Twin Cities to Duluth. Historic Highway 61, made famous by Bob Dylan’s acoustics, is also now electrified with chargers located near popular recreational and historic stops. Continue reading »
Combined Heat and Power’s (CHP) Reliability Recognized in Recent Actions by Midwestern Regulators and Utilities
June 3, 2019 in Energy Systems Author: Jamie Scripps
Recent regulatory decisions in Michigan and other Midwestern states indicate a growing recognition of combined heat and power (CHP) facilities’ demonstrated reliability. The decisions impact the rates and fees charged to CHP systems due to their potential need for standby service (i.e., backup service) and are important steps toward increased financial viability of CHP facilities in the region. As other states look to encourage CHP facilities, these recent actions can provide examples of aligning rates and fees more closely to actual CHP performance. Continue reading »
Carbon Capture Coalition Releases Federal Policy Blueprint
May 21, 2019 in Carbon Management, News & Press, Reports & Whitepapers Author: Jennifer ChristensenAt this week’s CO2NNECT 2019 conference, the Carbon Capture Coalition (which is co-convened by GPI) released its consensus “Federal Policy Blueprint” to “articulate a comprehensive and ambitious federal policy agenda that can help achieve the goal of economywide carbon capture deployment.” Continue reading »
GPI Announces New Partnership with Midwest Energy Research Consortium
May 15, 2019 in Energy Systems, News & Press Author: Gail NosekThe Great plains Institue is excited to announce a new partnership with the Midwest Energy Research Consortium (M-WERC) that aims to help prepare the State of Wisconsin to meet energy distribution challenges of the 21st Century. Read the official press release from M-WERC below.
The Market is Demanding Carbon-Free Electricity
May 15, 2019 in Energy Systems Author: Rolf NordstromRecent, bold actions by some of Minnesota’s largest companies, many of which have a national or global presence, reveal a lot about the expected reliability and cost-savings of an increasingly carbon-free electric system in the Midwest and the nation. Continue reading »
Event Preview: An Expert Workshop for States and Stakeholders in the PJM Region
May 14, 2019 in Energy Systems, News & Press Author: Jill SyvrudJoin the Great Plains Institute and the Nicholas Institute at Duke University in Lexington, Kentucky on June 12, 2019, as we present an expert workshop for states and stakeholders to discuss important issues in the PJM region in 2019. Continue reading »
Why Electric Vehicle Taxes Are the Wrong Strategy for Minnesota
May 8, 2019 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan JordanMinnesota lawmakers are considering additional new taxes and fees to electric vehicle (EV) owners. If passed as written, Minnesota would have the highest EV taxes in the US. Currently, the state assesses a special $75 annual tax that is only paid by owners of fully-electric vehicles. A bill by Senator Jeff Howe proposed to raise this tax to $250 per year and add a new tax of $125 for hybrid vehicles. Continue reading »
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