Biogas projects come in all shapes and sizes and are implemented across a variety of industrial, municipal and agricultural applications. For a biogas project, there is no “one size fits all”. The variety of biogas feedstock sources and end-use applications sets it apart from other biomass project configurations. Continue reading »
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Bioeconomy Bill Introduced in MN Legislature
February 2, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda Bilek
Today in the Minnesota legislature Senator Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids) and Representative Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake) introduced a bill creating a production incentive program for commercial development of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biomass thermal energy. The bill is the top legislative priority for the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota, a multi-stakeholder partnership of private industries, agriculture and forestry interests, and non-profit organizations. GPI organizes and facilitates the Coalition. Continue reading »
News Release: Former Illinois Commerce Commission Chairman Joins Great Plains Institute
January 28, 2015 in News & Press
MINNEAPOLIS – Former Illinois Commerce Commission Chairman Doug Scott has joined the Great Plains Institute (GPI) as Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. Continue reading »
Integrating clean, distributed energy resources (DER) into the electric grid requires updated market rules
January 22, 2015 in Energy Systems Author: Steve Dahlke
Energy policy discussions these days are dominated by talk of innovation on electric distribution systems. New clean energy technologies are developing so quickly it can be difficult to keep up with the relevant buzz-words; as digitization of the smart grid leads to rapid innovation, new distributed energy resources are causing disruptive challenges requiring electric utility and energy market reform. Continue reading »
Developing Pathways for a Sustainable Biomass Supply
January 6, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Authors: Amanda Bilek, Brendan Jordan
The sustainability of biomass supplies for energy and fuel production has been a topic of ongoing discussion for decades. The completion and commissioning of commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities in 2014 is giving this discussion a renewed sense of urgency. 2014 was the year that cellulosic ethanol moved from something that was five years away to reality due to the commissioning of commercial-scale facilities. Continue reading »
This report is written primarily for Minnesota’s electric utility regulators, policymakers,
organizations representing ratepayers, and others who have a stake in the direction of
Minnesota’s future energy system, and includes specific recommendations for statutory
changes and regulatory action. Continue reading »
For this final blog post in our series on Demand Response (DR), GPI would like to present a map about demand response potential and utilization in the US. Continue reading »
News Release: MPSC Submits Comments on Power Plant Rule and Brings Message to EPA and Administration
December 15, 2014 in News & Press
(WASHINGTON, DC) – A diverse group of Midwestern states and electricity sector stakeholders has submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking to shape the Agency’s impending rules aimed at reducing carbon emissions from existing power plants. The group—the Midwestern Power Sector Collaborative—heads to Washington on December 16th to meet with top officials at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the EPA to discuss their comments. Continue reading »
Demand Response in a Resource Constrained World
December 13, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers Author: Dane McFarlane
The third fact sheet in GPI’s series about demand response (DR) in the Midwest is titled Demand Response in a Resource Constrained World. Continue reading »
GreenStep Cities Workshop: Cities and Community Solar
December 12, 2014 in Communities Author: Patrick Mathwig
Community solar has been THE hot energy issue in Minnesota this year. In 2013, the Minnesota Legislature passed legislation that required Xcel Energy, Minnesota’s largest investor owned utility, to administer a community solar gardens (CSG) program, and enabled other utilities to administer them as well. Xcel’s Solar*Rewards Community program officially opened on Friday, December 12th, 2014. Minnesota currently has 14 megawatts of solar, but with the mandate of 1.5% solar by 2020, Minnesota’s solar capacity will increase greatly: by 2020, Minnesota is expected to have 400 megawatts of solar capacity. Continue reading »
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