This newsletter was originally published on April 27, 2015.

House Committee Takes Up Proposal to Eliminate Energy Efficiency Standard

On Wednesday, the House Energy Committee took up House Bill 4297, a bill that would eliminate Michigan’s energy optimization standard and move consideration of efficiency and renewable energy to a new integrated resource planning process. The first of two scheduled hearings on the bill, the committee this week took testimony focusing on the elimination of the energy optimization standard.

Michigan EIBC testified in opposition to the elimination of the energy efficiency standard, which has delivered billions of dollars in savings for customers, and according to the Michigan Public Service Commission, produced a net savings in 2013 of $3.75 for every dollar invested. Michigan EIBC President Dan Scripps highlighted these facts in testimony to the committee, and argued instead for five key elements that will build on the success of the current energy optimization standard. These elements include:

• Maintain the EO Standard as a cornerstone of Michigan’s energy policy.
• Expand energy efficiency savings to include all cost effective efficiency measures. Data suggests that this could amount to 1.6-1.7% per year, in line with Governor Snyder’s recommendation that we achieve an additional 15% energy reduction over the next ten years.
• Eliminate statutory barriers to energy savings, and work to better align utility business models with ratepayer interests. This is also consistent with the priorities outlined by Governor Snyder in his recent energy message.
• Expand the use of financing for energy efficiency, and eliminate the barriers to investor-owned utilities offering on-bill financing for energy improvements, another element called for by Governor Snyder.
• Encourage the use of demand management as a cost-effective way to address looming capacity issues reduce expensive peak energy consumption.

Michigan EIBC will continue to represent the energy priorities of its member companies in opposing efforts to eliminate Michigan’s successful and cost-effective energy efficiency standard. Want to make sure your company has a seat at the table? Join Michigan EIBC today!

 

Michigan EIBC Cohosts Combined Heat and Power Conference in Lansing

On the heels of their annual meeting, Michigan EIBC and Oakland University cohosted a conference on the future of combined heat and power energy (CHP) yesterday in Lansing. With the likely soon to be codified EPA rules on clean power generation, CHP can be a valuable tool to limit carbon emissions and foster the advanced energy economy.

Key speakers included Valerie Brader, senior energy policy advisor to Governor Snyder; Rep. Gary Glenn (R-Midland), vice chair of the House Energy Committee; Craig Gordon, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Invenergy; John Bergwell, Director of Project Finance with Opterra Energy Services, and Roberto Hodge of Lansing Board of Water and Light. The conference also featured a number of representatives from Michigan EIBC member companies, including Andy Levin of Levin Energy Partners, Tim Lundgren of Varnum, LLP, and Skip Pruss of 5 Lakes Energy.

 

Upcoming Michigan Energy Events

The Engineering Society of Detroit and DTE are hosting the 2015 Energy Conference and Exhibition on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at the Suburban Collection Showcase in Novi. 
 
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.

 

Upcoming National Energy Events

The CERES Conference 2015 will be held May 13-14 in San Francisco.

The American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) annual WINDPOWER 2015 Conference and Exposition is being held May 18-21, 2015 in Orlando, FL.

Advanced Energy Economy Institute is hosting a webinar, “Not Taking ‘No’ For An Answer: How Microsoft and Walmart Overcame Barriers and Got the Renewable Energy They Wanted” on May 28, 2015 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 pm ET.

 

Michigan Advanced Energy News

• Upper Michigan’s Source wrote about how solar power is even viable in the snowiest areas of Upper Michigan.
• Greening Detroit wrote about the growing desire to expand renewables and waste reduction to satisfy Michigan’s current and future energy needs.
• Wayne Kuipers, executive director of Michigan Energy Choice Now, wrote an editorial in the Detroit News on the importance of incorporating more competition in the energy industry.

 

 

National Advanced Energy News

 

• Tesla Motors is expected to announce home and utility scale battery products, bringing with it excitement on how it may affect the future of energy.
• Xcel pursues a community solar project in Wisconsin that will generate 3 megawatts, while local utilities try to increase fixed rates.
• Vocal opposition comes as a Kansas City, Missouri council committee considers an ordinance that would require owners of large buildings to measure and disclose their energy and water use.
• The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hear testimony on three pieces of energy efficiency legislation.

 

 

 

 

New Members

Opower

Opower (NYSE:OPWR) is an enterprise software company that is transforming the way utilities engage with their customers. Opower’s customer engagement platform enables utilities to reach their customers at moments that matter through proactive and digitized communications that drive energy savings, increase customer engagement and satisfaction, and lower customer operation costs. Opower’s software has been deployed to more than 95 utility partners around the world and reaches more than 50 million households and businesses. For more information, please visit www.opower.com and follow us on Twitter at @Opower

 

Michigan Energy Options

Michigan Energy Options (MEO) is a nonprofit that has been in business since 1978. From our offices in East Lansing and Marquette, we pursue daily our mission of guiding communities toward being more sustainable and resilient through the adoption of more energy efficiency and renewable energy. We do this by providing our unbiased expertise, research and our results-driven programs, all the while working collaboratively with local governments, businesses and community leaders.

 

The Green Panel, Inc.

The Green Panel designs and installs solar solutions for commercial, governmental, educational and residential customers in Michigan and the Midwest. On grid and off grid systems, architectural solutions and systems with integrated car charging stations.

 

Homeland Builders of Michigan

Homeland Builders of Michigan is a general contractor offering energy and solar solutions since 2004. We are a licensed builder and authorized installer for Michigan Saves, Lean & Green Michigan, as well as Trade Ally for utility incentive programs. Our solar installations include diverse residential roof and ground systems, as well as those on the Michigan Theatre in A2, NextHome at Next Energy in Detroit, Washtenaw Food Hub on Old US-23, Arbor Motion Service Center and the First UU Church.

 

Michigan Biomass

Michigan Biomass is a coalition of the state’s utility-scale biomass power producers, focusing on communication, outreach, policy and regulation regarding energy and natural resources.

 

Renewing Members

Sakti3

Michigan EIBC is a business trade association representing companies in Michigan’s growing advanced energy sector. Michigan EIBC’s mission is to grow Michigan’s advanced energy economy by fostering opportunities for innovation and business growth and offering a unified voice in creating a business-friendly environment for the advanced energy industry in Michigan.

Michigan EIBC serves the objectives of our member companies by strengthening Michigan’s network of advanced energy businesses, engaging the public and policymakers around policy and regulatory initiatives, creating partnerships to expand business opportunities, and advancing energy innovation.

Make sure your business is helping to shape Michigan’s growing advanced energy industry. Join Michigan EIBC today!

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.