Gathering input from a wide-ranging group of stakeholders, the Great Plains Institute (GPI) has been working to develop and implement clean fuels policies (CFPs) in Midwestern states. A CFP is a technology-neutral, performance-based policy that reduces the use of high-carbon transportation fuels while providing incentives to deploy lower-carbon alternatives such as electricity, hydrogen, and biofuels. GPI has been hosting a webinar series, with each webinar focused on a different low-carbon fuel, as part of our work to educate more stakeholders about the benefits of a CFP.
We’re seeing increased interest in CFPs through our webinar series and evidence of growing support for CFPs by stakeholders in the Midwest. In Minnesota, the initiative has been gaining steam as two Minnesota groups tasked with examining considerations to advance the bioeconomy and increase the use of low-carbon fuels have recently made statements supporting a CFP:
- In November of 2020, the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Biofuels released a series of recommendations that included a recommendation supporting a CFP based in part on the principles outlined in the white paper A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest (2020), developed by the GPI-facilitated Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy Initiative.
- In December of 2020, the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council released a report that included developing a CFP as its top recommendation, followed by establishing rebates for public and private light-, medium-, and heavy-duty EVs, and increasing investment in EV charging infrastructure.
The webinar series demonstrates how industries like electric vehicles, renewable natural gas, and ethanol could benefit from Midwestern clean fuels policies. Each webinar presents the following:
- an overview of the fuel type
- a fuel-specific case study prepared by GPI’s research and analysis team demonstrating how fuels could generate credits under Midwestern CFPs
- a panel of industry experts
- a moderated Q&A
All webinars are available to watch below.
Brendan Jordan, vice president of Transportation and Fuels at GPI and long-time expert in the deployment of clean energy technology initiatives said of the series, “Different clean fuel sectors need to understand better how a clean fuels policy benefits them. These industry webinars allow us and our experts the space to focus on specific low-carbon fuels and how a CFP would impact their respective industries.”
Part 1—Electric Vehicles
Part 2—Electric Vehicles
Ethanol
Renewable natural gas
GPI plans to continue the CFP webinar series into 2021 to cover additional low-carbon fuels such as biodiesel, renewable diesel, and others.
If you would like to be invited to remaining webinars in the series, please contact Transportation & Fuels Meeting and Event Coordinator Hannah Haas. For all GPI news, subscribe to our newsletter.
