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:

 

E2 Publishes One-Year Review of the Inflation Reduction Act

This week E2 released a review of the economic effects of the Inflation Reduction Act one year after its passage, finding that in that year, private industry has announced at least 210 major new clean energy and clean vehicle projects across the U.S. “Based on publicly available information from 178 of the 210 announcements that included new jobs and/or investment estimates, if completed the projects would create at minimum 74,181 new jobs and bring in $86.3 billion in private investments,” E2 said.

EV and battery manufacturing accounted for more than half of all of these new projects. Michigan, California and North Carolina were the leading states for project announcements from domestic-based companies, according to E2. 

Recently, a report from Climate Power that also tracked the economic impact of the IRA over the past year ranked Michigan as the number one state for most new clean energy projects.

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New Focus Placed on State-Level Clean Energy Policy Standard Following Release of Michigan EIBC Report

Last week’s press conference held at the Detroit headquarters of Michigan EIBC member Walker-Miller Energy Services made a big impact on discussions around clean energy policy in Michigan. At the event, Michigan EIBC unveiled a report that it and Michigan EIBC member 5 Lakes Energy released showing the massive economic gains in terms of jobs, economic growth and lower energy costs that would result from the passage of a state-level clean energy standard as well as other policies to encourage EV charging infrastructure and home and industrial electrification.

Comments that Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II made at the press conference “appeared to mark the first public comment from the Whitmer administration explicitly backing Democratic lawmakers’ more ambitious energy proposal,” the Detroit Free Press reported, referring to the bills introduced to the state House and Senate that would require 60% of utilities’ energy to come from renewable sources by 2030 and require utilities to use 100% carbon-free energy by 2035. “We’re supportive of the more aggressive standard,” Gilchrist II said at the press conference.

Similarly, the proposal to require Michigan to get 100% of its energy from carbon-free sources “received its strongest endorsement yet” with the lieutenant governor’s comments, MLive reported.

The report from Michigan EIBC and 5 Lakes Energy found that passing the modeled state-level policies would lead to the creation of an additional 160,000 jobs in the state by 2050. “Those will be jobs that exist in communities where we need to have innovation partnered with environmental justice,” Gilchrist II said, as reported by Michigan Advance.

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Source: Michigan State University.

MSU Exploring Mobile EV Charging Powered by Biogas

Michigan is on its way to significantly expand its EV charging infrastructure, with the state recently launching its $110 million plan from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program to install chargers at at least 50-mile intervals along each of the state’s designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs). If the state is to meet its goal of two million EVs on its roads by 2030, many more charging stations will need to be built in all areas of Michigan. That is why it is interesting to see novel efforts to expand options for charging EVs, such as a recent announcement by Michigan State University about research into “mobile renewable EV charging station[s]” powered by anaerobic digesters.

MSU’s Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center (ADREC) last month held a demonstration workshop showcasing an electric tractor designed by MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) Professor Ajit Srivastava that can run on renewable electricity generated by a mobile renewable EV charging station powered by an anaerobic digester and an external combustion engine. The MSU professors demonstrated the potential for dairy farms to use these mobile charging units not only to power electric farm equipment, but also, to reduce emissions by using animal waste in the anaerobic digesters.

“We want to use this opportunity to link together the agriculture and auto industry,” MSU Professor Wei Liao said in an article released by MSU. “They can both benefit from each other.”

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Tickets Available for the 11th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala in Detroit on Sept. 27

Michigan EIBC is excited to welcome our members, Michigan legislators and state officials, and the general public to our 11th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala on September 27th at The Eastern in Detroit. Gala is a wonderful opportunity to network with colleagues, policymakers, and industry experts, all while celebrating the individuals and businesses who succeeded in growing Michigan’s advanced energy sector. For more event information and to purchase tickets, click here.

The keynote speaker will be Shalanda Baker, Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity at the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to her appointment, she was a Professor of Law, Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. She was the co-founder and co-director of the Initiative for Energy Justice, which provides technical law and policy support to communities on the front lines of climate change. Baker served as an Air Force officer prior to her honorable discharge pursuant to the then existing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, and became a vocal advocate for repeal of the policy. She earned a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a J.D. from Northeastern University, and L.L.M. from the University of Wisconsin.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to Brianna | brianna@mieibc.org. You can review sponsorship levels and benefits here.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

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Renewing Member

Leeward Renewable Energy

Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) is a high-growth renewable energy company that develops, owns, and operates impactful utility-scale projects. Our operational portfolio consists of 25 wind, solar and energy storage facilities with approximately 2,700      megawatts of generating capacity. We have strong financial backing from OMERS Infrastructure, a preeminent global infrastructure investor. OMERS Infrastructure is the investment arm of OMERS, one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans with C$124.2 billion in net assets (as at December 31, 2022). Our team of highly experienced experts is driven by our shared purpose to build a sustainable future for all. We accomplish this by meaningfully investing in our people, stakeholder relationships and projects for the long-term to deliver tailored solutions that advance the energy transition in the U.S. and make a meaningful impact within the communities in which we operate. LRE is actively developing a robust pipeline of projects as part of its transformative growth strategy that will position the company as one of the top renewable energy players in the country. 

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Michigan Energy News

• The Detroit News reports on the Detroit Three automakers’ ongoing efforts to reduce their energy consumption.
• A potential transmission line under Lake Michigan could allow the Ludington pumped-storage facility to expand its role storing energy that is often generated by wind sources.
• Governor Whitmer touts Michigan’s leadership in the semiconductor industry one year after the signing of the federal CHIPS and Science Act.
• Michigan Technological University is receiving an Environmental Protection Agency grant to research the environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved and Tribal communities.
• The Michigan House Energy Reliability, Resilience and Accountability Task Force holds its next listening session in Flint.

National Energy News

• The provision of the IRA that allows direct payment of tax credit values is beginning to make a difference for nonprofits pursuing microgrids and other renewable energy development. 
• A new Google-funded white paper lays out ways to integrate deliverability into clean energy procurement standards.
• New Jersey has one of the most ambitious energy storage targets in the country, and a proposed storage incentive program would not include utility-owned storage. 
• First Solar will build a $1.1 billion panel factory in Louisiana. 
• China National Nuclear Corp. announces the completion of the core module for the country’s small modular nuclear reactor demonstration project.

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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

Energy Regulatory Policy Principal – West. Location: Remote.

Advanced Energy United is currently seeking a highly energetic, smart, self-starting Policy Principal with a background in regulatory engagement, issue advocacy, and coalition building to join United’s policy and campaign team in the West. The Principal will work collaboratively with United’s state teams to craft and execute creative policy campaigns that will achieve successful state regulatory action to accelerate the energy transition and expand markets for the advanced energy industry. Policy topics may include distributed energy resources, transmission and interconnection, resource planning, future of gas and building decarbonization, transportation electrification, western regional market formation, and utility business model reform. The Principal will also work under the direction of United’s western regulatory Policy Director to build out United’s regulatory presence and strengthen relationships with decision-makers in western states. Candidates will need to have the ability to travel to meet with United members, coalition allies and stakeholders, and public officials.

Cultivate Power

Director, Community Partnerships & Investment. Location: Chicago (Remote Possible).

Cultivate Power is seeking a Director of Community Partnerships & Investment. This person will help originate, develop and foster community partnership and investment opportunities in the host communities and regions where Cultivate Power develops distributed energy projects. Additionally, the Director will work to build systems and standardized processes for engaging communities on every project. This is a unique role with the opportunity for the Director to drive industry-leading impact to create greater inclusion, equity and benefit to communities through innovation and creation of new programs and partnerships. The Director will report directly to one of the Managing Directors and co-founders of Cultivate Power. 

Development Solutions Midwest

Energy Efficiency Engineer. Location: Michigan (Lower Peninsula Preferably).

Development Solutions Midwest is an industry leader in energy savings and project management. DSM has been well recognized in the Michigan Energy Efficiency and Energy Waste Reduction arenas since 2009. In business for over 20 years, DSM has helped save its clients over $140 Million in energy costs and reduce over 1,445,000 tons of CO2. The energy efficiency engineer will be involved in following tasks:
•     Performing Energy Audits on site to determine energy cost savings opportunities
•     Developing Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) for clients
•     Project managing energy projects
•     Perform detailed Utility bill analyses of the customer’s energy usage or plant processes and develop recommendations for more efficient equipment operation
•     Travelling to visit clients for both day and overnight trips
•     Working with partner utilities to earn incentives for clients
•     Present energy savings recommendations to clients

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Michigan and National Energy Events

The Battery Show North America 2023 is taking place Sept. 12-14 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. Register here.

Tickets are available for the 11th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala on Sept. 27 at The Eastern in Detroit.

Opportunities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s $7 billion Solar for All competition will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investment. Anyone interested must submit a notice of intent (NOI) by the applicable deadline. The NOI deadlines are July 31 for states and territories, August 14 for municipalities and NGOs and August 28 for Tribal governments.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Office of Climate and Energy have posted a solicitation for support for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program. The RFP can be found on the state of Michigan’s solicitation website. Questions are due Aug. 17 and proposals are due Aug. 30.

Applications for the 1 Hotels Fellowship at Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) are now open. 1 Hotels Fellows will work in partnership with NRDC’s E2 program to identify pressing environmental issues and needs across the country, and then organize and execute projects that help communicate and amplify the business and economic case for smart policies to address these issues. Applications are due by Sept. 5.

The Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity (LEO) has two job openings: Director of Mobility Policy, who will be an advisor to LEO and serve as the lead policy staffer for the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, and Policy Director, who will cover a broad portfolio of issues across the entire department including workforce development, economic mobility and workplace rights and safety.

Organizations currently have the opportunity to work with a grad student from the University of Michigan School for Environment & Sustainability (SEAS) for their Master’s Projects. In these projects, “students work on research teams with client organizations and faculty advisors to address complex environmental issues and design innovative, impactful products,” according to SEAS. Learn more here. Proposals for projects are due by September.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to expand the weatherization assistance program utilizing bipartisan infrastructure law funding for multi-family dwellings. The five-month award begins on May 1 and ends Sept. 30, 2023, with the total available amount being $1 million dollars. Successful applicants may be awarded funding annually through at least Sept. 30, 2028, based upon funding availability and acceptable performance. For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website.

The City of Detroit has issued a Request for Information seeking feedback on the number and type of projects that would best achieve the goal of generating enough renewable energy to power municipal operations and buildings with locally generated and City-owned solar power. Find more information here. Responses are due Oct. 2.