Michigan Primary Election Recap

Primary elections were held Tuesday, determining nominees for the general election to be held in November. Michigan EIBC member companies will be receiving more detailed information regarding the elections as we approach November, but for now, here are some of the important highlights from Tuesday’s primaries.

Gubernatorial race
The gubernatorial race featured a competitive primary for both the Republicans and the Democrats. Attorney General Bill Schuette won the Republican nomination with more than 50% of the vote, defeating Lt. Governor Brian Calley and State Senator Patrick Colbeck. For the Democrats, former Michigan Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer won the nomination with robust support throughout the state, taking more than 51% of the vote. Whitmer’s opponents, Abdul El-Sayed and Shri Thanedar, both showed signs of presenting a challenge in the weeks leading up to the August 7 primary. As part of outreach to all candidates, Michigan EIBC Leadership Council and board members sat down with both Lt. Governor Calley and former Senator Whitmer to provide information about the strength of the advanced energy industry in Michigan. Michigan EIBC will continue to seek an opportunity to provide a similar off-the-record briefing to Mr. Schuette.

Michigan Legislature
This November, all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives and all 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are up for election. While many current legislators are expected to return to Lansing, at least 45 new state representatives and 28 new state senators will be elected due to term limits and seats that have been vacated. While the general election isn’t until November, Tuesday night’s primary battles had some surprises and notable wins that may affect the advanced energy community.

In the Senate, former House Energy Policy Committee Chair Gary Glenn (R) was defeated by Kevin Daley (R) in the race for the Republican nomination for the 31st Senate District, which covers Bay, Lapeer, and Tuscola counties. Aric Nesbitt (R), who previously served as Chair of the House Energy Policy Committee, won the Republican nomination for the 26th Senate District in his bid to represent Allegan County, Van Buren County, and part of Kent County. In Michigan Senate District 5, incumbent David Knezek (D) was upset by Betty Jean Alexander (D). Senator Knezek served on the Energy Policy Committee in the Senate. In the 24th Senate District, Rep. Tom Barrett (R) won easily to become the Republican nominee.

In the Michigan House, incumbents Republican Rep. Dave Maturen and Democratic Rep. Patrick Green lost to primary challengers on Tuesday. Green, a member of the House Energy Policy Committee, was upset by Democrat Lori Stone. Maturen, who held positions on the Tax Policy Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, lost to primary challenger Matt Hall.

U.S. Congress
Primaries in Michigan’s U.S. Congressional Districts saw a number of close races, with some yielding surprises. Notably, Michigan EIBC board member and President of Michigan EIBC member company Lean & Green Michigan, Andy Levin (D), won the Democratic nomination in the 9th Congressional District. Levin is now the heavy favorite to win the general election in November.

Register for Michigan Energy Innovators Gala

Michigan EIBC’s 5th EV Convening

Michigan Energy Stories

• The Detroit Lions’ new solar project is helping make the National Football League a leader among sports leagues using solar energy.
• The Kresge Foundation invests $3 million into a PACE financing program in St. Paul, Minnesota, which will offer loans for commercial clean energy projects in low-income neighborhoods.
• A proposed solar project in Mendon Township in southwestern Michigan would “promote conservation, preserve farmland and provide significant revenue to the local community,” the town’s former mayor says.
• Voters decided on ballot proposals in Isabella County on Tuesday regarding planning commissions and the outcomes have implications for wind development in the region.
• Michigan’s two major utilities have proposed spending a total of $20.5 million on EV pilot programs, using rates to incentivize charging during off-peak times.
• A nonprofit linked to Michigan’s largest energy provider was the most active TV advertiser leading up to this week’s primary election, according to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.
• Michigan cities, including Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Ypsilanti are working to be smart cities and advanced mobility hubs.
• General Motors is close to hitting its 200,000-vehicle cap on EV sales that qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
• On Tuesday Detroit-area voters faced power outages in at least 14 polling sites due to thunderstorms that struck the area Monday night, electric and gas company DTE Energy said.

National Energy Stories

• Minnesota could meet its emission-reduction goals while lowering energy costs and tripling clean energy jobs, a report says.
• The Trump administration last week proposed weakening Obama-era federal fuel efficiency standards, while 19 states push back.
• Construction is complete at an IKEA store that has Wisconsin’s largest rooftop solar array.
• Some members of the Navajo Nation are getting electricity for the first time as a result of the expansion of solar energy on tribal lands.
• Tesla has two years to fulfill a promise to create 1,460 jobs through its new solar panel factory in Buffalo, New York.
• Solar prices continue to fall, but analysts predict a floor by 2022 of around $14 per megawatt hour.
• A $31 million solar-plus-storage project is the first commercial battery project in Minnesota.
• Walmart continues to pursue its wind and solar corporate purchasing goals, but unsupportive federal policy could hurt its goals, according to Bloomberg.
• Surplus wind and solar power is pushing electricity prices to near zero more frequently in places like California, prompting market signals for coal plants to shut off.
• A study has found that autonomous driving won’t displace truckers.
• A new subscription model for financing energy projects is competing for a New York prize.
• Community banks and credit unions are starting to play a more important role in financing solar projects.

Michigan Energy Events
MSU IPU invites you to the 60th Annual Regulatory Studies Program’s Intermediate Program. The event will provide essential education in regulatory jurisdiction and governance, utility market structures, and current trends, drivers, and policy issues across the sectors. It will take place August 13-17 in East Lansing.

On August 15, Michigan EIBC will host its fifth EV Convening on rate design and future engagement at the Michigan Agency for Energy’s office in Lansing. Register here.

Hosted in Novi, Michigan September 11-13, The Battery Show North America will bring together more than 8,000 engineers and executives and more than 600 leading suppliers across the advanced battery supply chain. The conference will cover advanced battery technologies, electric and hybrid vehicle technology, and critical power technologies. Learn more and register here.

MSU IPU invites you to the 60th Annual Regulatory Studies Program’s 13th Advanced Regulatory Studies Program: Ratemaking, Accounting, Finance, and Evaluation. The event will provide intensive, interactive, and technical workshops for experienced professionals in the regulatory policy community. It will take place October 1-5 in East Lansing.

Michigan EIBC will host a members-only election recap on Friday, November 9. Watch your inboxes for registration details.

Michigan EIBC’s Annual Energy Innovator’s Gala is scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, in Lansing. Nominations will be accepted until 5:00 pm on Friday, August 31, 2018 and should be emailed to mieibc@mieibc.org. Sponsorship opportunities are available and interested sponsors should contact Nicole Forward at nicole@mieibc.org. For more information on the Gala and to register, please check out the website.

IEI will host a Corporate Purchasers Lunch & Learn at the House Office Building in Lansing on December 5. This event will be open to legislators and legislative staff, as well as Michigan EIBC members. Watch your inboxes for registration details.

National Energy Events   
EUCI invites you to the Smart Cities 2018 Conference on August 13-14 in Columbus, Ohio. Register here.

The 2018 Veteran’s Energy Seminar Series is scheduled for San Diego (8/18), Chicago (8/30), and Boston (9/27). If you are interested in speaking or sponsoring an event, please visit www.vetsenergyseminar.org/speakers or www.vetsenergyseminar.org/donate.

EUCI invites you to the Retooling PURPA conference on August 20-21 in Atlanta, Georgia. Register here.

EUCI invites you to Renewable Energy 101, September 10-11, in Chicago, Illinois. Register here.

EUCI invites you to the “Land Lease Agreements for Renewable Energy 101” conference on September 13-14, in Austin, Texas. Register here.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) invite you to Solar Power International, September 24-27, in Anaheim, California. Registration opens in spring of 2018 here.

EUCI invites you to a FERC Transmission Ratemaking Conference, October 1 – 2, in Denver, Colorado. Register here.

Join 500+ attendees October 18-19 in Vermont for REVitalize: Transforming Energy Further, Fast, Together with keynote speakers Katherine Hamilton, chair of 38 North Solutions, and Gordan Van Welie, president and CEO of ISO New England.

Attend the 2018 ACEEE Rural Energy Conference on October 22 in Atlanta, Georgia. Register here.

MSU IPU invites you to the 60th Annual Regulatory Studies Program’s 46th Eastern NARUC Utility Rate School. The event provides comprehensive hands-on training on the basics of the public utility ratemaking process and is sponsored by the NARUC Committee on Water and featuring group work on a mock water utility rate case. It will take place October 22-26 in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

Join 20,000 energy professionals at the Energy Storage North America Solar+Storage Summit November 6-8 in Pasadena, California. Register here.

Announcements and Opportunities
ARPA-E Announces Funding Opportunity to Support Upcoming Grid Optimization (GO) Competition. Full applications due Sept. 7 ow.ly/QtJ030l6W2T