Over our nearly twenty year history, the Great Plains Institute has been extremely fortunate to be supported by a diverse group of philanthropic foundations—which today provide some 95% of GPI’s revenue—along with a small but growing group of committed individuals and institutions who believe in GPI’s nonpartisan, consensus-based approach to crafting effective, broadly-shared energy and climate solutions: now more urgent than ever. Continue reading »
Community solar programs are gaining increasing interest from electric utility customers across the nation. Unlike individual solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, community shared solar systems, also known as Solar Gardens, create an opportunity for multiple individuals and organizations to receive the benefit of a larger solar installation without requiring it to be located on-site. For local government entities, these benefits include supporting clean energy and its positive local economic impacts, saving on energy bills for public facilities, and hedging against the future price volatility of electricity. Continue reading »
Recent tax policy analysis by the Great Plains Institute (GPI) for Drive Electric Minnesota found that electric cars pay just as much or more taxes as comparable gasoline vehicles. Like most other states, Minnesota uses a tax on the sale of gasoline and other motor fuel to pay for transportation infrastructure like highways and bridges, among other uses. Continue reading »
The State CO2-EOR Deployment Work Group recommends that President Trump and Congress incorporate the development of long-distance, large-volume carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines as a priority component of a broader national infrastructure agenda. The state officials, industry leaders and other experts in the Work Group launched their work in 2015 with the development and deployment of carbon capture and CO2 pipeline infrastructure as a top priority. Thus, Work Group members and participating states support the Administration and Congress’ new focus on our nations’ infrastructure, and they would welcome the opportunity to be partners in this effort. Continue reading »
Nancy Pfund, Founder and Managing Partner of DBL Partners, answers GPI’s “Eight Questions on Energy,” sharing her insights on innovation, what she calls the “mobility trifecta,” and what makes her optimistic about the future of energy. Continue reading »
*This is an update of a post that was originally published in December*
On October 21, 2016, Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL), an Indianapolis based, vertically integrated utility, filed a formal complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) against the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) under Section 206 of the Federal Power Act over what it perceives as the mistreatment of its Harding Street Station Battery Energy Storage System (HSS BESS) (Docket EL17-8). Essentially, IPL’s complaint boils down to three “asks,” with plenty of details surrounding timing, ongoing proceedings, and stakeholder input left for FERC to figure out. Continue reading »
GreenStep Cities, a voluntary challenge, assistance, and recognition program in Minnesota that helps cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals, periodically gathers feedback from the cities and tribal nations it works with. A recently completed GreenStep Cities evaluation found that the program delivers real value to both participating cities and to the public and private program partners. Continue reading »
The City of Duluth, Minnesota recently launched a new web-based solar energy mapping tool for its residents and businesses that will help lower the barriers to solar development in the city. The app, called “Duluth Shines,” helps users evaluate their rooftop’s solar potential and estimate the size and cost of a solar installation. The tool is generating new interest in solar opportunities and has received coverage in local and regional news. Continue reading »
A new report on siting and regulating carbon capture, carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines, and other associated infrastructure needed for deployment of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and other geologic storage was recently published week by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Continue reading »
Since electric vehicles became widely available in 2011 the market has been somewhat limited. Consumers throughout the world faced a choice among three distinct options: 1) a vehicle like the Nissan Leaf, a relatively low cost and low range battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2) a higher cost, higher range BEV like the Tesla Model S, 3) or the all-around utility of a Chevy Volt or another plug in hybrid (PHEV). This paradigm may soon fall apart, and that’s a good thing. Continue reading »
