MINNEAPOLIS – Great Plains Institute President & CEO Rolf Nordstrom will travel to Brussels, Belgium, this week to participate in a transatlantic roundtable focused on energy infrastructure in a low carbon future. Continue reading »
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Update: MN Plug-in Vehicle Rebate Program Advances
May 6, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
A bill to create a new state rebate program for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) continues to advance in the Minnesota legislature. The PEV rebate provision was included in Representative Pat Garofalo’s omnibus energy and jobs bill (HF 843) that passed on the House floor on April 22. The bill would offer up $2,500 for anyone purchasing a new PEV.
Continue reading »
Bioeconomy Bill Prospects as MN Legislature Nears the Finish Line for 2015 Session
May 3, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda Bilek
There are just a few weeks left in the 2015 Minnesota legislative session and it is shaping up to be an all-out sprint to the finish. The Minnesota legislature is constitutionally required to adjourn May 18th and the big work of this session is finalizing a two-year budget for the State of Minnesota. Continue reading »
The Great Plains Institute leads Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota
April 29, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda Bilek
There are numerous examples of early and ongoing public investment—matched with private investment—that have led to significant changes in the energy sector. Biobased projects, including biogas, need public-private partnerships to bring the potential resource to scale. Continue reading »
Bills in play would help electrify Minnesota’s transportation system
April 14, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Brendan Jordan
Gasoline prices may have decreased recently, but what if you could pay less than $1.00 per gallon for fuel? Never change your oil? Improve your fuel efficiency 3 or 4 fold? Have zero tailpipe emissions? And help make it easier for your utility to integrate renewable electricity into the system? Continue reading »
Choosing a Policy Pathway for State 111(d) Plans to Meet State Objectives
April 13, 2015 in Reports & Whitepapers
In mid-summer 2015, EPA is expected to issue its final Clean Power Plan regulations, which aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired power plants under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. The final rule will require states to develop and submit state plans as early as mid-summer 2016, to achieve the federally prescribed state emissions goals. Continue reading »
MINNEAPOLIS – Biobased industry, agriculture, and environmental interests reached agreement this week on legislation that would create production-based incentives for renewable chemicals, advanced biofuels and biomass thermal energy, and the groups are urging the Minnesota legislature to pass the legislation, as amended. Continue reading »
What’s the deal? Environmental and Bioindustry Agreement on Bioeconomy Bill
April 1, 2015 in Transportation & Fuels Authors: Amanda Bilek, Brendan Jordan
As has already been reported here and here, a major deal has been struck that brings the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota and the Minnesota Environmental Partnership together in support of an amended version of the Bioeconomy bill in Minnesota. The agreement cleared a path in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee, where it had been stalled. The bill (HF 536/ SF 517) was amended on agreed-upon terms in House and Senate committees – the text of the Senate amendment is here. The text of the agreement is here. Continue reading »
There are exciting biobased industry developments happening all across the U.S., no doubt about it. Biobased industry development is also facing its share of challenges, but significant opportunities can be found at the state and local level. In Minnesota, there are project proposals moving forward in the metropolitan area that would use anaerobic digestion (AD) to process organic material from households and institutions to produce biogas. The biogas would be cleaned and compressed to fuel garbage trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles. These projects will help metropolitan counties reach increased recycling goals and zero waste goals for the city of Minneapolis. Continue reading »
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Great Plains Institute President & CEO Rolf Nordstrom announced today that Brian Ross and Abby Finis have joined the GPI team to lead its solar energy development work and contribute to the Institute’s growing practice aimed at helping cities and others achieve their clean energy and sustainability goals. Continue reading »
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