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 »
The Better Energy Community is constantly growing and evolving.
Read about our latest projects and successes on our blog.
Environmental Sector Feedback on MISO Market Metrics Review
December 12, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers
The Environmental Sector appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback for MISO’s markets and operational metrics review. Organizations in the Environmental Sector rely on data from MISO’s monthly operations reports to track fuel mix, wind production, and demand response utilization in the MISO region. Continue reading »
Differences in Demand Response Markets
December 10, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers Author: Dane McFarlane
The fourth fact sheet in GPI’s series about demand response (DR) in the Midwest is titled Differences in Demand Response Markets. Continue reading »
GreenStep Cities workshop: Bike, Ped and Transit Options
December 9, 2014 in Communities Author: Patrick Mathwig
November’s GreenStep Cities workshop was all about transportation, with a focus on Complete Streets. The GreenStep Transportation best practices (BPs) and actions are designed to help cities build their streets and cities in a way that better matches their citizen’s needs. Continue reading »
When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule in July expanding cellulosic fuel pathways to include renewable compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) derived from various sources of biogas, a surge of cellulosic fuel credits from biogas was widely anticipated. After two months of reporting, the speculation was correct. August and September saw record volumes of cellulosic Renewable Information Numbers (RINs). These high volumes were not generated from liquid fuels like ethanol or renewable gasoline, but from renewable CNG and LNG. The Environmental Benefits of Demand Response
November 26, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers Author: Dane McFarlane
GPI’s second fact sheet on demand response (DR) in the Midwest is titled, Environmental Benefits of Demand Response. Continue reading »
We are pleased to announce the release of a new fact sheet series focused on demand response. As we’ve written about in previous posts, technologies enabling demand response (DR) are an important component of a clean energy system, and we currently have an underutilized DR asset in the Midwest. DR involves reducing or shifting customer energy usage when the system is stressed. This could be during periods of high energy demand with not enough supply like on a hot summer day, or periods of low demand with too much supply, like during a night when the wind is blowing strongly. Continue reading »
Positive Developments in the Search for the Holy Grail of Renewable Energy
November 17, 2014 in Energy Systems Author: Steve Dahlke
King Arthur and his loyal knights embark on an arduous, difficult quest to find the Holy Grail. Many perish along the way. After a multitude of trials and tribulations, they find the Grail is hidden in the Castle of “Aaargh!” That is at least how the story goes in the popular 1970’s British satire Monty Python and the Holy Grail (see here for the “Aaargh!” scene). Continue reading »
Recommendations: North Dakota Legacy Fund – Building a Bridge to the Future
November 12, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers
For the first and perhaps only time in our state’s history, we can meet the needs and opportunities of the present and steward the development of an extraordinary and permanent resource for the future. Continue reading »
Environmental Sector Comments on MISO’s Proposed AGC Market Enhancements for Fast-Ramping Resources
November 12, 2014 in Reports & Whitepapers
The MISO Environmental Sector supports MISO’s proposed market enhancement to create a separate category for fast-ramping resources to be dispatched prior to slow-ramping resources. This is consistent with the intentions of FERC Order 755 and will improve the overall performance of regulation resources in MISO. MISO’s AGC enhancement proposal should be prioritized as a near-term market enhancement. To date compliance with Order 755 compliance has not resulted in a significant shift to increased use of fast-ramping resources in the MISO markets. As part of this effort we should also evaluate other barriers to entry for fast-ramping resources in the MISO markets. Continue reading »
Our Newsletter
Sign Up for Better Energy Community News
Sign up to receive the latest news and announcements from the Great Plains Institute.
