This newsletter was originally published on May 25, 2015.

Senator Nofs Previews Contents of New Energy Legislation

In an interview with Gongwer News Service last Friday, Michigan Senate Energy and Technology Committee Chair Mike Nofs suggested that his energy plan will replace the renewable energy standard with a clean energy standard linked directly to the to-be-determined national carbon emissions standards being developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA is scheduled to release its final rules their Clean Energy Plan this summer.

In the interview, a senior aide to Senator Nofs did not outline a specific standard. Instead, providers will have to follow an integrated resource planning approach involving evaluation of supply- and demand-side investments, with the result a plan that also complies with the forthcoming EPA rules. In addition, Senator Nofs expressed support for encouraging power purchasing agreements by incentivizing utilities to purchase generation from existing firms before building more plants.

Michigan EIBC serves on the workgroup chaired by Senator Nofs, and will continue to push for the policy priorities of Michigan EIBC member companies in the state energy discussion. Want to make sure your company has a seat at the table? Join Michigan EIBC today!

 

EIBC to host Ann Arbor Networking Event on August 7

The Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council will be hosting an Ann Arbor Advanced Energy Business Networking Meeting on Friday, August 7 at Sakti3. Michigan EIBC will give an update on the current state and federal energy policy debate and Sakti3 President and Michigan EIBC Board Member Dr. Ann Marie Sastry will talk about the company’s current work. Lunch will be provided.

This meeting is free for Michigan EIBC Members and $25 for non-members. Register here.

Note: attendees will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement to participate in this networking event, and these agreements will be available at registration on the day. For more information, or for an advance copy of the NDA terms, please contact mieibc@mieibc.org.

 

Renewing EIBC Members

ecojiva

ecojiva is committed to providing solar-based solutions to help lower or eliminate the cost of energy consumption. Their turn-key service ensures a seamless installation with no disruption to operations. Specializing in rural installations has enabled them to help over 100 businesses.

Helios Solar LLC

Helios Solar LLC provides turnkey solutions for utility, commercial, and residential photovoltaic installations. Their founding principles of environment, economics, and engineering guide their practices with the goal of designing and constructing the most efficient, value driven solar installations possible.

 

Michigan Energy News

DTE and Consumer’s Energy are proposing rate changes that would shift costs away from industrial customers and onto residential customers. As part of the discussion, support seems to be growing for time-of-use rates.

Gregory Staple and Robert Collier of the American Clean Skies Coalition wrote an opinion article in the Detroit News to expand retail open access in Michigan to open the market more to renewables.

The city of Wyandotte plans to install two Urban Green Energy micro wind turbines on city property. Total construction costs are estimated at $175,000

The Christian Reformed Church’s Grand Rapids office just received ENERGY STAR certification as a part of their ongoing efforts to conserve energy and limit their own emissions.

A Highland Park coalition is working to install up to 200 solar streetlights around the city to replace those that were removed by DTE Energy because of unpaid electric bills.

 

National Advanced Energy News

The US Energy Information Administration released a breakdown projection of how natural gas and then renewables will gain larger shares in US energy mix due to the clean power plan.  

Midwest Energy News reports that eliminating Ohio’s energy efficiency requirements could have a negative impact on jobs and energy costs.

The share of U.S. energy consumption coming from renewable energy sources is at its highest level since the 1930s, according to a new report from the US Energy Information Administration. 

Grid-scale energy storage installations were up 16% in Q1 2015 compared to the first three months of 2014.

A new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association shows that installed solar capacity grew more than 40 fold over the last decade – from 500 MW in 2004 to 20,000 MW in 2014 – with more than 97 percent of that growth occurring after the creation of the solar Investment Tax Credit. During that same period, solar investment grew from $2.6 billion to 71.1 billion.

Upcoming Michigan Energy Events
The next Michigan Energy Forum meeting is Thursday, June 4 from 5-7pm at Ann Arbor SPARK. The focus of this month’s meeting is “What’s Next in Nuclear Energy?”

The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association’s annual Michigan Energy Fair will be held this year on June 26-27, 2015 at the Ingham County Fairgrounds in Mason.

The 2015 Michigan Energy Providers Conference will be held July 29-31 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The conference is presented by the Michigan Electric and Gas Association.

Michigan EIBC’s next West Michigan Advanced Energy Business Networking Meeting will take place Thursday, July 30 at Varnum in Grand Rapids. Registration and additional details will be available soon. As always, lunch will be provided and the meeting is free for Michigan EIBC Members and $25 for non-members.

Michigan EIBC is hosting an Ann Arbor Advanced Energy Business Networking Meeting at Sakti3 on Friday, August 7 from 11am-2pm. Michigan EIBC will give an update on the current state and federal energy policy debate and Sakti3 President and Michigan EIBC Board Member Dr. Ann Marie Sastry will talk about the company’s current work. Lunch will be provided. This meeting is free for Michigan EIBC Members and $25 for non-members. Register here.

Save the date: Michigan EIBC is hosting a Detroit Advanced Energy Business Networking Meeting on Friday, September 25 at NextEnergy. Registration and additional details will be available soon. As always, lunch will be provided and the meeting is free for Michigan EIBC Members and $25 for non-members.

The September Michigan Energy Forum meeting will be held Thursday, September 10 from 5-7pm at Ann Arbor SPARK. The theme for the September meeting is “Michigan Solar Industry Update – Policy and Market Trends.”
 

Upcoming National Energy Events.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficiency Economy (ACEEE) is hosting its annual Energy Efficiency Finance Forum on May 30-June 2 in San Francisco.

Greenteech Media’s 2015 Green Edge Live conference will take place June 23-25 in San Diego.
 
The 12th Annual Renewable Energy Finance Forum – Wall Street is taking place June 24-25 in New York.

Solar Power International will be held this year from September 14-17 in Anaheim, California.
 
Fortune’s ’Brainstorm E: Where Energy, Technology, and Sustainability Meet’ will take place September 28-29 in Austin.  
 

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.