Energy Action Paper - Midwestern Governors Association

Options for Cross-State
Collaboration
This section summarizes possible areas of collaboration identified by MGA member
states via electronic surveys and in-person or telephone interviews. A detailed collection of all
input received by MGA member states can be found in Appendix A. This section includes the
possible areas of collaboration in the following energy topics:
1. Impacts of a Rapidly Changing Electric Generation Mix
2. Energy Efficiency
3. Transmission
4. Renewable Energy Development, Including Distributed Generation
5. Natural Gas Development
6. Diversifying the Transportation Fuel Mix and Building the Needed Infrastructure
7. Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
8. Energy Technology Investment and Manufacturing
IMPACTS OF A RAPIDLY CHANGING ELECTRIC GENERATION MIX
The implementation of recent and proposed rules from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), combined with an aging coal generation fleet, low natural gas prices and falling prices for
some forms of renewable energy, are expected to result in significant changes to the region’s
electric generation portfolio. Reflecting this reality, every state cited these likely changes in the
future electric generation mix as a source of both challenge and potential opportunity for the
Midwestern region.
Since 2000, more than 90 percent of new generating capacity has been natural gas and
renewables. However, these sources still account for only 10 percent of total generation in the
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