Newsletter: Congressman Mike Bishop to Speak at Michigan EIBC Annual Member Meeting

This newsletter was originally published on April 6, 2015.

Congressman Mike Bishop to Speak at Michigan EIBC Annual Member Meeting
U.S. Congressman Mike Bishop is the latest addition as a speaker at Michigan EIBC’s upcoming 3rd Annual Member Meeting, which will take place on Monday, April 20 at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing. A first-term Member of Congress representing Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, including Ingham, Livingston, and northern Oakland counties, Congressman Bishop previously served as Senate Majority Leader in the Michigan Senate. Congressman Bishop will present opening remarks at the Annual Member Meeting.

Join the excitement – Reserve your seat today!

In addition to Congressman Bishop’s speech, Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky is scheduled to present a keynote address over lunch. This year’s Annual Member Meeting also features a discussion with Michigan legislative leaders, including Senator Mike Nofs and Representative Bill LaVoy, and six breakout panels. The panels are: 

  • Corporate Purchases of Renewable Energy
  • Strengthening Michigan Manufacturing by Reducing Energy Waste
  • Market Innovations in Energy Finance
  • Growing Solar Power in Michigan
  • Addressing Michigan’s Capacity Issues
  • What’s Next for the U.P. Power System

Our confirmed speakers and panelists include:

  • State Senator Mike Nofs, Chair – Senate Energy and Technology Committee
  • State Representative Bill LaVoy, Vice Chair, House Energy Policy Committee
  • The Honorable Sally Talberg, MPSC
  • Ken Alstom, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Julie Baldwin, MPSC
  • Julie Metty Bennett, Public Sector Consultants
  • Lauren Bigelow, Growth Capital Network
  • Amy Butler, OU INC
  • Tom Catania, University of Michigan Erb Institute
  • Chris Curry, Harvest Energy Solutions
  • Roger Curtis, Michigan International Speedway
  • Melissa Davis, Keweenaw Renewable Energy Coalition
  • John DeAngelis, Steelcase
  • Prasad Gullapalli, Srinergy
  • Eric Helzer, AKT Peerless
  • Kenny Hughes, Suniva
  • John Kinch, Michigan Energy Options
  • Aaron Kraus, The Alliance for Solar Choice
  • Andy Levin, Levin Energy Partners
  • Jim MacInnes, Crystal Mountain
  • Melanie McCoy, Sebawaing Light and Power
  • Brian Pageau, Midwest Energy Group
  • Tanya Paslawski, Organization of MISO States
  • Greg Poulos, EnerNOC
  • Skip Pruss, 5 Lakes Energy
  • Tim Pulliam, Keen Technical Solutions
  • JR Richardson, Traxys Power Group
  • Kris Spaulding, Brewery Vivant
  • Mary Templeton, Michigan Saves
  • Rich VanderVeen, Mackinac Power
  • Gabe Wing, Herman Miller

Michigan EIBC members get a $50 discount on event registration, and registration is now open. This full day event includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

Reserve your seat today!

Questions? Please contact Nicole Forward at nicole@mieibc.org

Michigan EIBC thanks our event sponsors:

Gigawatt Level

 

 

Megawatt Level

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kilowatt Level

 

 

Michigan Energy News

  • Governor Snyder hosted a roundtable focused on strategies and examples of reducing energy waste in Michigan.
  • Huron County has initiated a moratorium on additional wind development, delaying construction on two wind farms, and postponing the expansion of a third.
  • A new poll from the Christian Coalition of Michigan finds strong bipartisan support for continuing to increase the amount of Michigan’s energy mix that comes from renewable energy and energy efficiency. 84% of Michigan voters – including 70% of Republicans and 85% of independents – support doubling Michigan’s current renewable standard to 20% by 2022, with even higher numbers supporting increases in energy efficiency.
  • Detroit-based Walker-Miller Energy Services LLC, a Michigan EIBC member company, will accept the Main Street USA Award at the Michigan Celebrates Small Business gala on May 7 in Lansing. In addition, Energy Power Systems, which was named “Emerging Business of the Year” at Michigan EIBC’s 2014 Energy Innovators Gala, has been named one of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch.
  • Even with the Legislature away for a spring recess, the state energy policy discussion continues to heat up, with Senators Ken Horn and Mike Shirkey introducing competing proposals around Michigan’s current 10% cap on retail open access. Senator Horn seeks to phase out the choice market, while Senator Shirkey is again calling for an increase in competition.
  • Chateau Chantel, a winery located near the tip of the Old Mission peninsula north of Traverse City, is partnering with Harvest Energy Solutions to install a 148.5 kW solar array, which will be the largest solar array on a winery in the state.
  • The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave its approval to the proposed $9.1 billion acquisition of Integrys Energy Group by the Wisconsin Energy Corp. A number of state regulatory approvals are still needed for the deal to proceed, including an approval from the MPSC, which is expected next month.

 
Upcoming Michigan Energy Events 
Michigan EIBC’s Annual Member Meeting will take place on Monday, April 20, 2015 at the Lansing Radisson Hotel at the Capitol. Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky will provide a keynote address, with opening remarks from Congressman Mike Bishop. The meeting will also feature a discussion with Michigan legislative leaders, and breakout sessions on strengthening Michigan manufacturing through energy efficiency, addressing Michigan’s capacity challenges, what’s next for the UP power system, market innovations in energy finance, growing solar power in Michigan, and corporate purchases of renewable energy. Michigan EIBC members get a $50 discount on event registration, and registration is now open for the Annual Member Meeting. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; email Nicole Forward, Michigan EIBC Director of Partnerships and Corporate Relations, for more information.
 
The 2015 CHP Conference will take place on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at the Radisson Hotel in Lansing. The event, being held for the first time, is focused on Michigan’s combined-heat-and-power/ cogeneration sector, and is being co-hosted by Michigan EIBC and Oakland University. Registration is now open for the CHP Conference, and Michigan EIBC members get a 50% discount. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; email Nicole Forward, Michigan EIBC Director of Partnerships and Corporate Relations, for more information.
 
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 Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit 2015 is taking place April 13-15, 2015 in New York, NY. The theme for the 2015 Summit is “Opportunities in Transformation.”

Greentech Media is hosting its 2015 Solar Summit April 14-16 in Phoenix, AZ.

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.

U.S. Advanced Energy News

  • A new paper from the Rocky Mountain Institute examines the economics of grid defection – where customers cut ties with the larger energy grid in favor of on-site generation and storage – and concludes that large-scale grid defection may become economic by the end of the next decade.
  • Two Pennsylvania utilities became the latest to ask for substantial increases in fixed prices on customer bills, with PECO seeking a 68% increase in residential fixed costs, and PPL asking for a 42% increase.
  • The U.S. Senate passed the long-delayed “Portman Shaheen” energy efficiency legislation late last month after wrapping up consideration of the budget. The 2015 iteration of the legislation focuses on improving energy efficiency in buildings while exempting thermal water heaters from expected new energy standards.
  • The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is repeating its concerns that the EPA’s Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants will threaten reliability, with a particular focus on the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) that serves most of Michigan, as well as in the Great Plains, Texas and the Northeast.
  • The US coal industry is estimated to have lost nearly 50,000 jobs since 2008, with natural gas adding 94,000 new jobs, and the wind and solar industries together creating 80,000 more.
  • Non-hydro energy storage capacity in the U.S. has more than doubled since 2010, largely driven by a 4x jump in battery storage capacity. Despite the growth, however, 98% of all energy storage in the U.S. remains pumped hydro.
  • A new report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory highlights improvements that both utilities and installers can make in reducing interconnection times for rooftop solar arrays.

 
Webinars and Additional Resources
 
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.