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Welcome to the weekly newsletter of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (Michigan EIBC), the business voice for advanced energy in Michigan. Here’s what’s new this week:
Read Justin Carpenter in Detroit News On Community Solar
In an op-ed published in the Detroit News this week, Michigan EIBC Director of Policy Justin Carpenter explains why now is the time for the state legislature to act on community solar.
“To remove these barriers and foster a sustainable and inclusive energy future that works for all, our legislators should act swiftly to support community solar legislation. This would give the residents of our state more equitable access to the benefits of solar energy — regardless of whether they can install rooftop panels on their homes,” he writes.
Carpenter also gives figures on how community solar customers across the country have benefited economically from their subscriptions.The National Renewable Energy Laboratory “has calculated that if the savings generated by an average 4-kW community solar subscription over the life of the subscription were annual payments, those savings would be about $107 a year for 20 years,” he writes.
MPSC Rules on Siting Under Appeal
The Michigan Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) rules to implement the state law meant to streamline siting approval for large renewable energy and storage projects are now under appeal in state court.
About 75 counties and townships across the state jointly challenged the Michigan Public Service Commission in the Michigan Court of Appeals over its October order creating the rules.
The appeal seeks to overturn the MPSC’s order on procedural and substantive grounds. The appeal also seeks to stay the order as the case is pending. If that stay is granted, projects could not move forward under the state review process until the case is decided.
Michigan EIBC President Laura Sherman pushed back against the notion that the MPSC process takes away local control in an interview with MLive. The law allows developers to go through local processes as long as local rules are “workable,” she said to MLive. “It just means there’s just a lot of space for compromise.”
Michigan EIBC and American Association of Blacks in Energy Held Joint Networking Event in Detroit
Michigan EIBC and the Michigan Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) held a joint member networking event at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit last Wednesday. Thanks to everyone who joined us and thank you Walker-Miller Energy Services for sponsoring! It was a night full of great conversations and collaboration with others in the energy industry.
New Member
Newkirk Electric Associates, Inc.
Formed in 1961, Newkirk Electric is a family-owned, West Michigan based company with over 600 employees. We are electrical contractors and engineers offering expertise spanning the entire scope of the electrical industry – from electricity generation, transmission and distribution to servicing the ultimate end users. With a focus on infrastructure and industrial projects, our core markets include: Power Generation, Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Hydro, Biomass), Substations, Transmission, and Distribution Power Lines, Industrial, Communications/Cellular.
Renewing Members
Commonwealth Associates Inc
Commonwealth Associates, Inc. (“Commonwealth”) is a 100% employee-owned and -managed engineering and consulting firm profiled among the 2017 Top 10 Electrical Design Firms in the nation by EC&M magazine. Every day, our team of nearly 300 project managers, engineers, environmental experts, real estate brokers, licensed UAV pilots and other team members combine their talents to influence and shape the secure energy future. We do this by collaborating and innovating to meet the emerging needs of our utility, IPP, governmental, industrial and institutional clients. We also provide leadership to the industry through our professionals’ active involvement planning and presenting at industry conferences and serving on the committees that are writing tomorrow’s standards today. Our primary focus areas include: Power Generation and Energy, including Distributed Energy Resources and Microgrids; Electrical System Studies; Transmission and Distribution Line Engineering; Substation Engineering; Environmental and Permitting Services; Land and Right of Way Services; and Owners Engineering. Headquartered in Jackson, Michigan, Commonwealth has offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Seattle, Washington; and Spokane, Washington.
Inovateus Solar LLC
Inovateus Solar is an experienced solar energy provider with over 500 MWs delivered since we opened our doors in 2008. Our development and EPC team is committed to investing in your energy future by providing affordable, reliable, and sustainable solar and energy storage solutions. Inovateus serves utilities, municipalities, electric cooperatives, Fortune 500 firms, schools, universities, and commercial industries throughout Michigan, the greater Midwest, and East Coast.
Michigan Energy News
- Michigan EIBC member ElectricFish is among the semi-finalists for the Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge Detroit: Transforming Freight.
- The state announces a new partnership to expand wireless charging for commercial EVs.
- Many Michigan businesses are among the recently-announced winners of awards through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program.
- Lawyers for a CMS subsidiary developing a solar project in Branch County say that the proposed route for one of the high-voltage transmission lines being built in Michigan could disrupt plans for the project.
- The MPSC approves DTE’s latest gas rate case, granting 42% of the company’s proposed rate increase.
National Energy News
- The board of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners approves a resolution calling for more federal funding for advanced transmission technologies, including grid-enhancing technologies.
- A wide-ranging bill proposed in Massachusetts proposes a number of steps to help the state shift from gas for heating, including making it easier for gas companies to pursue networked geothermal heating.
- The Biden administration releases a roadmap for deploying 200 GW of net new nuclear capacity by 2050.
Job Board
Attention Michigan EIBC members: if you have a job announcement you would like in the newsletter, please send a paragraph describing the position and a link to apply to Matt Bandyk at matt@mieibc.org. Please include in the email a specific end date for the job posting.
Advanced Energy United
Policy Principal – Decision Maker Education & Engagement – Central. Location: Remote.
Advanced Energy United (United) is currently seeking a Policy Principal to join our Decisionmaker Education and Engagement team (DMEE) in the Central United States (Midwest and Texas).
The DMEE team assists state regulators, state energy office officials, and candidates for governor to better understand advanced energy products, services, and business models. Through National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and National Association of State Energy (NASEO) engagement, business roundtables, and educational forums, United educates candidates, commissioners, energy office officials, and staff members about the benefits advanced energy technologies and services can provide to customers and helps to solve the challenges in obtaining these benefits.
The Policy Principal will be responsible for strategizing, implementing, and managing workstreams dedicated to educating decision makers and engaging other key stakeholders on topics critical to advanced energy.
Michigan EIBC
Sustainable Buildings Intern. Location: Remote.
Michigan EIBC and Institute for Energy Innovation (IEI) seek a paid graduate-level intern to support policy research on building sustainability, electrification, and energy efficiency. The ideal candidate will have excellent research and writing skills, time management and organizational skills, be attentive to details, be self-motivated with the ability to take initiative with minimal supervision, and be eager to learn and excel in a small, collaborative team environment.
Utopian Power
Project Manager – Utility-Scale Solar. Location: Lansing
The Project Manager will be responsible for managing the entire lifecycle of the solar project, including design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and project closeout. This is an onsite position, requiring the Project Manager to be present at the project location throughout its duration. Close collaboration with engineering, environmental, and regulatory teams as well as the client and subcontractors is essential.
To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and a portfolio of relevant projects to Forrest Cohn at fcohn@utopianpower.com. Applications will be accepted until November 15, 2024.
Walker-Miller Energy Services
Field Operations Manager. Location: Detroit.
We are seeking an experienced Field Operations Manager to lead the field team and activities for a large-scale residential energy efficiency program in Michigan. The ideal candidate will have at least 3-5 years of experience in managing a field team and a strong understanding of energy efficiency for residential and multi-family sectors. This role requires significant experience in home and building assessments, quality assurance and quality control processes, and supervising a field team.
Michigan and National Energy Events
In Lansing on Dec. 4, legislators, Staff, and Michigan EIBC members are invited to join the Institute for Energy Innovation for an Energy 101 “Breakfast + Brainstorm” session on the subject of “Minifridges, Microgrids, and MISO: Maintaining Grid Resilience at Scale,” to be held at the Mackinac Room in the Anderson House Office Building. Please contact Michigan EIBC for more information (mieibc@mieibc.org).
Opportunities
RMI is looking for a regulatory expert to join its electricity team and help implement regulatory policies to ensure the energy transition is affordable for all. Find out more about this position here.
The Michigan Public Service Commission has created a website tracking its progress implementing Public Acts 229, 231, 233, 234, and 235, passed on Nov. 8, 2023 and signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Nov. 28.
Rheaply, NextCycle Michigan and Michigan EGLE have launched the Michigan Materials Marketplace, which allows businesses to buy and sell excess materials so they can be reused instead of discarded.
The State of Michigan released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a planning consultant to support planning for the Michigan Solar for All program. Proposals are due Nov. 19.
Consumers Energy has released the RFP package for the 2024 IRP for Solar Generation Projects. Project qualification applications are due Dec. 12.
The Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for “up to $400 million to spur innovative, community-focused clean energy solutions in rural and remote areas across the United States.” The related Notice of Funding Opportunity is expected to be released in the fall of 2024. Find out more here.
Michigan EGLE is launching the Renewables Ready Communities Award (RRCA), which makes Michigan municipalities that have, on or after October 1, 2023, begun physically hosting and/or performing local permitting for any portion of an eligible renewable energy project eligible for awards of $5,000 per MW. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are depleted and there is no specific deadline. More information on this opportunity can be found on the RRCA Webpage.
Michigan EGLE is offering at least $320,000 in funding MI Solar Communities-MI Solar Access Program. Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2025, or when funding is expended, whichever comes first. Find the request for proposals for MI Solar Access here.
Michigan EGLE has released an RFP for grants from its Clean Energy Workforce Development Program. The application deadline is July 30, 2025.