Author: Kate Sullivan

  • Initiative Responds to DOE’s RFI on Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

    Initiative Responds to DOE’s RFI on Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

    In the summer of 2026, the Industrial Innovation Initiative convened its members for a working group on trade, including developing a response to a Request for Information from the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory on the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM). EU CBAM underscores the importance of data, carbon accounting,…

  • FY27 Appropriations: Support for Critical Industrial Modernization Funding through the US DOE

    FY27 Appropriations: Support for Critical Industrial Modernization Funding through the US DOE

    The Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3) sent a letter to the United States (US) Senate Appropriations Committee and the US Senate Energy and Water Development Subcommittee to express support for critical industrial modernization funding through the US Department of Energy (DOE) as the FY27 appropriations process continues, stating the value of the DOE’s broader portfolio of…

  • RISE and shine, industrial innovation in Pennsylvania

    RISE and shine, industrial innovation in Pennsylvania

    The great American gateway state announces historic investments in industrial innovation efforts through the RISE PA program. The RISE PA team opened a second round of applications for medium- and large-award track projects from May 15th through July 15th, 2026.  For well over two centuries, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been an industrial leader in…

  • Industrial boilers: Modernization through a workforce lens   

    Industrial boilers: Modernization through a workforce lens   

    What powers a significant portion of America’s industrial base, yet goes unnoticed by most people? Meet the industrial boiler. Industrial boilers operate quietly across different types of facilities, supplying the heat that keeps many industrial processes running day after day. They are rarely visible to the public but deeply embedded in the systems that support…

  • Clinker: How Changing One Ingredient Can Have a Big Impact

    Clinker: How Changing One Ingredient Can Have a Big Impact

    Clinker, produced by heating a limestone mixture to over 2,500 degrees, is the essential ingredient in cement, which is the primary ingredient in concrete, the world’s most human-made material. Traditional clinker production generates 90 percent of the emissions associated with cement. Below are a few examples of ways to address this challenge. Reducing or replacing…

  • How States Can Transform Cement and Concrete Production

    How States Can Transform Cement and Concrete Production

    Cement and concrete are foundational to our modern world. They are also a significant source of carbon emissions. Cement, the key ingredient in concrete, makes up about seven to eight percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. If the cement industry were a country, it would be the third-largest source of emissions behind China and the…

  • Event Recap: GCCA Circular Cities Policy Summit

    Event Recap: GCCA Circular Cities Policy Summit

    Author: Alana Hadland, I3 Program Associate I recently attended the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s Circular Cities Policy Summit in Mexico City. The event brought together global leaders and stakeholders from the cement and concrete industry, academia, non-profits, and more to showcase circularity and policy partnership. Concrete is the most widely used human-made material on…

  • Industrial Innovation Initiative Sends Welcome Letter to new Members of the 119th US Congress

    Industrial Innovation Initiative Sends Welcome Letter to new Members of the 119th US Congress

    The Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3) sent welcome letters to the new Members of the United States 119th Congress. The letter introduced the Initiative, highlighted our nonpartisan, consensus-based priorities, and conveyed our interest in future opportunities to discuss policies that strengthen American energy security and manufacturing leadership.

  • Industrial Innovation Initiative Leads Multi-Coalition Sign-On Letter in Support of American Industry

    Industrial Innovation Initiative Leads Multi-Coalition Sign-On Letter in Support of American Industry

    The Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3) played a leading role in mobilizing support for a multi-coalition sign-on letter in support of the 48C Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit and the Department of Energy’s Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP). I3 staff extend a thank you to the following organizations for their partnership. The signatories on this letter collectively…

  • 48C Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit

    48C Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit

    A recap, update, and next steps for a $10 billion investment On January 10, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service announced six billion in allocations in the second round of the 48C Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit, a 30 percent investment tax credit. The 48C program, originally established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act…

Senior Program Coordinator for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Carrie Danner joined the Great Plains Institute in 2023 and serves as the operations coordinator for the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team. In her work, she supports all projects within the program to elevate operations, particularly in grant-making and event planning. Carrie earned a bachelor’s degree from Knox College in environmental studies. Prior to joining GPI, she supported programs at the Conservation Corps of Minnesota & Iowa as their member experience administrator.

Industry Program Coordinator, GPI

Alana joined GPI in 2024 as a program associate on the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team, specifically supporting the Industrial Innovation Initiative, where she helps to advance industrial decarbonization through GPI’s consensus-building approach. Alana previously worked as an account executive at Jamf, where she helped current K-12 education customers improve and scale the management and security of their Apple device deployments. Alana has spent most of her professional years working with Minnesota nonprofits, including two years as an AmeriCorps member with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. She holds a bachelor’s degree in community environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Zachary Byrum, Research Analyst, WRI

Zachary Byrum is a Research Analyst in WRI's U.S. Climate Program, where he provides technology and policy analysis for carbon removal and deep decarbonization. His work focuses on pathways to reduce industrial emissions as well as bolstering technological carbon removal. Prior to WRI, Zach was a research assistant in the Carbon Management Research Initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy. In the preceding years, he served as White House Intern in the National Economic Council under the Obama Administration and then an assistant analyst at the Congressional Budget Office. Zach holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Goucher College.

Senior Advisor of Industrial Innovation, WRI United States

Angela Anderson is the Director of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Removal in the Climate Program. She leads WRI's growing portfolio of work in industrial decarbonization and carbon removal and aims to change narratives around “hard-to-abate” sectors and promote the natural and technological interventions required to achieve net-zero targets. Prior to joining WRI, Angela worked as a program director, coalition builder, international advocate, and campaign strategist. She led the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists for ten years; facilitated US-NGO engagement in the international climate negotiations while at US Climate Action Network and at the Pew Environmental Trust; and founded Clear the Air, a national coalition to reduce pollution from power plants. Angela holds a B.A. in political science from Colorado State University.

Vice President of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Patrice Lahlum is the Vice President of the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management program at the Great Plains Institute. The Institute, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, works with diverse stakeholders and communities across the country to transform the energy system to benefit people, the economy, and the environment. We strive to combine our unique consensus-building approach, expert knowledge and analysis, and local action to promote solutions that strengthen communities, shore up the nation’s industrial base, and enhance domestic energy independence, all while eliminating carbon emissions. Patrice oversees several initiatives, including the Carbon Capture Coalition, Industrial Innovation Initiative, Carbon Action Alliance, and the Regional Carbon Capture Deployment Initiative.

Senior Content Specialist for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Kate Sullivan joined the Great Plains Institute in 2019. As Senior Content Specialist, Kate uses her analytical and design skills to provide research, writing, and logistical support across the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team. Prior to joining GPI, Kate worked as an Energy Counselor in the Center for Energy and Environment’s residential department, assisting homeowners with their energy needs and providing resources for efficiency upgrades. Kate earned her BA in Biology from St. Olaf College with an emphasis in Environmental Studies.

Senior Program Manager for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Jill Syvrud joined the Great Plains Institute in 2017 and serves as the program manager for the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management Program. In addition to overseeing the overall program, Jill directly supports the Industrial Innovation Initiative, a coalition advancing decarbonization solutions for the Midcontinent region’s most important industrial sectors. Jill earned a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and a master of science degree in science technology and environmental policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Jill’s past experience includes multiple graduate research assistantships concentrating on technology innovation and sustainable megacities, as well as a previous position as an administrative and outreach coordination intern with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.