This newsletter was originally published on October 7, 2015.

Michigan Energy News

Fox2 Detroit has a piece on Norm Saari’s recent appointment to the Michigan Public Service Commission and his previous life as a Consumers Energy lobbyist.

Midwest Energy News has a piece on the MPSC’s successful energy optimization standard report.

Bridge MI magazine also has a piece on the EO programs success.

The Grand Rapids Press reported on the new Consumers Energy solar garden on GVSU’s campus.

The Lansing State Journal has a piece on the rise of rooftop solar.

Wood TV 8’s political talk show, “To The Point,” interviewed Sen. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) on energy policy

Gongwer Reports that this week will be the last week of testimony on SB 437

The Traverse City Recorder Eagle has a story on Lelanau County’s discussion on implementing a PACE program.

 

National Energy News

Bloomberg has a story about how wind and solar are now cheaper than conventional sources, even without subsidies, in both the UK and Germany.

The IRS is considering modifications to the investment tax credit rules, creating serious implications for energy storage.

The NY Times has a piece on California’s energy success with renewable standards.

The Charlotte Business Journal reports that clean energy jobs grew 12% last year in North Carolina, increasing revenue to $6.6 billion.

Market Watch has an opinion piece from Jeffery D. Sach’s on the need for an Apollo program-esque initiative to combat climate change.

ACORE released a report on how changes to existing policy may seriously harm the national advanced energy sector.

 

Michigan Energy Events

Michigan EIBC will be hosting their next West Michigan Advanced Energy Business Networking Event on Thursday, October 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event is free for Michigan EIBC members and $25 for non-members. Register here.

The 2015 Michigan Advanced Lighting Conference, featuring the Michigan Solid State Lighting Association Annual Symposium, will take place on Wednesday, October 29 in Lansing.
 
The 3rd Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala will be held Tuesday, November 10 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. Individual tickets can be purchased here. Contact Nicole Forward for more information on table purchases and other sponsorship opportunities.

 

National Energy Events

The Association for Demand Response and Smart Grid will be hosting a National Summit on Smart Grid and Climate Change in Washington, DC, October 13-14. More details can be found here.
 

The 2015 Energy Storage North America Expo will be held on Tuesday, October 13, in San Diego. Find more out here.

Additional Resources
 
Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is home to PowerSuite, a suite of tools that allows companies a one-stop on-line portal to search, track, and collaborate on state legislation and regulatory proceedings from around the country.
 
PowerSuite includes both BillBoard, the AEE dashboard for managing state legislation, and DocketDash, the AEE dashboard for managing state public utility commission proceedings. Subscription required.
 
SolarPermit.org is a national solar permitting database that provides information on permitting for solar in jurisdictions across the country. The database includes a variety of information, from average permit turnaround times, to information required to be included in the permit, to contact information for individual jurisdictions. You can browse the requirements for the Michigan cities included in the database here.
 
The U.S. Department of Energy is offering A Guide to Federal Finance Facilities Available for Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Clean Energy Deployment. The downloadable guide provides information about the various federal financing programs available for energy efficiency and renewable energy — making it easier for state, local and tribal leaders, along with their partners in the private sector, to find capital for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
 
The Department of Energy has offers free public access to accepted peer-reviewed manuscripts or published scientific journal articles from projects funded by the DOE within 12 months of publication.