Direct 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 »
We 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 »
The 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 »
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 »
At 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 »
The 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.
Recent, 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 »
Join 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 »
Minnesota 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 »
Access to utility energy data will play a critical role in the level of success communities achieve in shaping their energy future. That’s why the Great Plains Institute, with our partners and other stakeholders, identified opportunities to improve availability of electric utility data at the community-level and developed a data protocol as a resource for communities. Continue reading »
