Welcome to the weekly newsletter of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (Michigan EIBC), the business voice for advanced energy in Michigan. Here’s what’s new this week:

 

Clean Jobs Report Shows Nearly 25 Percent Increase in Advanced Transportation Jobs in Michigan

Clean energy employment in Michigan grew by 6,300 jobs last year, a 5.6% increase, showing continued strong recovery from a pandemic-induced dent in employment, according to the new 2022 Clean Jobs Midwest report from Evergreen Climate Innovations (formerly Clean Energy Trust), E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) and BW Research.

Michigan’s 119,853 clean energy jobs puts the state just behind Illinois, with 120,775 jobs, for most clean energy employment among Midwestern states. But on a per capita basis, Michigan, which has nearly three million fewer residents than Illinois, is the top of the heap in the Midwest.

The “clean energy” industry described by the report encompasses the energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, advanced transportation (including electric, hybrid, fuel cell and hydrogen vehicles), grid & storage and clean fuels sectors.

Advanced transportation jobs grew 22% in Michigan in 2021, the fastest-growing of the sectors. As an example of the companies that are adding these jobs, Natalie King, CEO of Michigan EIBC member Dunamis Charge, spoke at a press conference unveiling the report. Dunamis Charge plans to begin production of Level 2 EV chargers at its new facility in Detroit this November. The company found that there was “no better place to establish an EV charger manufacturer” than Detroit due to its workforce that is the “best in the automotive industry,” King said. The new facility represents a “phenomenal opportunity to tap into a workforce and skill sets in an industry that we believe is underrepresented in, particularly, black and blown communities,” she said.

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Report Analyzes a ‘Climate Solutions Pathway’ for Michigan

A recent report from Michigan EIBC member 5 Lakes Energy, the Michigan Environmental Council, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and RMI uses economic modeling to determine a set of policies Michigan should implement to achieve the MI Healthy Climate Plan’s shorter-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 28% below 2005 levels by 2025 and 52% by 2030, as well as the longer-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Dubbed the “Climate Solutions Pathway,” the set of policies covers the electric power, transportation, buildings and appliances, and industrial sectors. Many of these policies correspond to measures that Michigan EIBC has long been advancing.

These include:

• “Adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code this year, the building decarbonization overlay designed by the New Buildings Institute, and all-electric commercial and residential codes in new construction built after the year 2026.”
• “Set clear, state-level targets for installation of electric heat pumps in residential homes, with a focus on low-income and underserved households (e.g.,100,000 electric heat pumps installed by 2025).”
• “Reform electric rates to account for the benefits and flexibility that electric vehicles bring to the grid, and to ensure new electric load is managed and optimized.”
• “Significantly expand renewable energy, battery storage, transmission capacity and demand response to enable the state to transition to clean power, while creating a more resilient, reliable and flexible grid.”
• “Support improved planning for transmission, which will be a foundational need for the clean energy transition, including continuing to advocate that the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) conduct regional transmission planning that aligns with strong state clean energy goals.”

Read more about the report and how to “supercharge” Michigan’s emissions progress in this blog post by NRDC’s Samantha Williams.

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Michigan EGLE To Discuss Building Decarbonization Plans at Convening in Lansing

The MI Healthy Climate Plan identifies the state’s building sector as a major source of emissions that will need to be tackled as Michigan tries to meet its emissions reduction commitments. Energy efficiency has helped cut emissions from buildings—for example, LED conversion, advanced lighting controls, energy use monitoring and other efficiency measures that the state has implemented have lowered energy consumption in state buildings by 59% to date, the governor’s office recently announced. 

But there is still much more to do: With Executive Directive 2020-10, Gov. Whitmer has charged the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB) with lowering energy intensity in state buildings by 40% by 2040. On Oct. 24th, representatives from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) will discuss the implementation of building decarbonization at Michigan EIBC and IEI’s public convening in Lansing, The Future of Building Decarbonization in Michigan.

The convening will also feature a panel of industry experts to discuss the latest innovations in building electrification and efficiency. Finally, participants will have the option of attending a space-limited tour of the Capitol Geothermal Project. Please go here to register for this event.

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New Member

ChargeNet Stations

ChargeNet Stations is building the electric vehicle charging solution of the future. As more electric vehicles hit the road, our mission is to develop a charging experience that delivers low-cost renewable charging to quick-serve restaurant customers while providing much-needed reliability to the grid, all while providing a clean, super-friendly user experience. Our cloud-based software optimizes and stacks solar, storage, and charging into one consolidated solution that can be seamlessly integrated into retail and restaurant point-of-sale systems. By further utilizing consumer data, we optimize customer electric vehicle charging, allowing for increased operational efficiency and station utilization.

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Michigan Energy News

• Canary Media profiles Soulardarity and its work to bring community solar to Highland Park.
• PBS NewsHour reports on the EV revolution and its implications for Detroit’s economy.
• The Michigan Department of Attorney General announces a victory in the ongoing legal battle around the 2020 Edenville dam failure.
• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is using federal funds from the infrastructure bill to triple its low-income weatherization program. 
• Clean Energy Business Roundtable leaders meet with Gov. Whitmer and Michigan EGLE at the Detroit office of Michigan EIBC member Walker-Miller Energy Services to discuss implementation of the MI Healthy Climate Plan.
• The Ann Arbor Planning Commission approves plans for an apartment development that will include only electric appliances, rooftop solar and geothermal heating and cooling, in line with the city’s net zero goals.

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National Energy News

• Michigan EIBC member General Motors announces a new division, GM Energy, that will offer services including “bi-directional charging, vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid, to stationary storage, solar products, software applications, cloud management tools, microgrid solutions, hydrogen fuel cells and more.”
• The Battery Data Genome, a new initiative from Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and others, will collect data from different stages of battery life cycles to answer mysteries about EV and battery performance.
• Duke Energy proposes a green tariff offering 24/7 renewable energy for commercial customers in South Carolina.
• A plan by an Oregon natural gas utility to reduce emissions by blending green hydrogen gas into its gas supply is being criticized for being too expensive compared to the option of electrification.
• Duke Energy Florida, JEA, Seminole Electric Cooperative and TECO Energy will all join the new Southeast Energy Exchange Market in 2023.
• Climate change impacts are disproportionately harming the disabled.

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Job Board

Attention Michigan EIBC members: if you have a job announcement you would like in the newsletter, please send a paragraph describing the position and a link to apply to Matt Bandyk at matt@mieibc.org. Please include in the email a specific end date for the job posting.

5 Lakes Energy

Consultant or Senior Consultant

5 Lakes Energy is hiring a Consultant or Senior Consultant (depending on relevant experience and skills) to help advance clean energy policy in the Midwest. As a small, well-respected firm with broad expertise and a range of sought-after practice areas, the Consultant should expect to work on a wide variety of projects in the effort to mitigate climate change and accelerate the clean energy transition, with a focus on analytical modeling to calculate social, economic, and environmental impacts of policies in the energy sector and to move electric utilities to fully decarbonized but reliable and affordable power supply. 5 Lakes Energy works consistently in Michigan but also engages elsewhere across the Midwest and the US.

5 Lakes Energy

Expert Consultant

5 Lakes Energy is hiring an Expert Consultant to help advance clean energy policy in the Midwest. As a small, well-respected firm with broad expertise and a range of sought-after practice areas, the Expert Consultant should expect to work on a wide variety of projects in the effort to mitigate climate change and accelerate the clean energy transition, with a focus on providing expert advice and testimony in the areas of electric utility cost-of-service and rate design, particularly in relation to the use of clean energy technologies, such as distributed generation, energy storage, heat pumps, and electric vehicles. 5 Lakes Energy works consistently in Michigan but also engages elsewhere across the Midwest and the US.

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Michigan and National Energy Events

Michigan EIBC member Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University is holding a free webinar titled Navigating the Multi Trillion Dollar Infrastructure Funding Initiative on Oct. 19. Register here.

Join Michigan EIBC and IEI on Oct. 24 for a public convening in Lansing, The Future of Building Decarbonization in Michigan, to discuss the landscape for energy efficiency and building electrification in Michigan. This event will include a presentation from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on next steps toward implementation of the building decarbonization goals of the MI Healthy Climate Plan and a panel featuring industry and policy experts in energy efficiency and electrification. Additionally, join us for an optional, space-limited tour of the Capitol Geothermal Project. Register here.

Michigan EIBC member Lean & Green Michigan is holding an in-person contractor training at the Zero Net Energy Center in Detroit on Oct. 26. Visit their website to learn more.

Michigan EIBC member Mutually Human invites you to learn about the latest in digital transformation, then relax with a beer and snacks on the private rooftop patio at Founder’s Brewing Centennial Room in Grand Rapids. Come by any time from 3-6 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 26, and chat about what’s new in the world of Workforce Transformation, Intelligent Automation, Data Analytics, and Custom Software! Register Here.

Opportunities

The Charitable Foundation for the Energy Bar Association (CFEBA) is accepting applications for grants through Oct. 28. Only grant proposals to support local, regional, national or international non-profit organizations with energy-related charitable projects focused on improving lives will be considered for a financial grant. Up to $50,000 in total grant funds are available.  For more information about the CFEBA grant process, visit the CFEBA website.

The MPSC has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for Low-Carbon Energy Infrastructure Enhancement and Development Grants. Public Act 53 and Public Act 166 of 2022, approved by the Michigan Legislature and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, provide for a combined $50 million in grants for businesses, nonprofit organizations and local governments to develop, acquire or build low-carbon energy facilities that may include natural gas, combined heat and power or renewable natural gas facilities as well as electrification programs. The RFP can be found on the Low Carbon EIED Grants webpage, which also includes a detailed timeline for submitting applications and opportunities to seek clarification on the RFP in October and November. Potential applicants may submit clarifying questions on the RFP in two rounds, first by Oct. 21, 2022, with responses due by Nov. 4, and second by Nov. 11, with responses due by Nov. 23.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development has released its guidelines for 2023 Rural Development Fund grants, which aim “to promote the sustainability of land-based industries and support infrastructure that benefits rural communities.” Proposals are due by Nov. 22.

This December, Enel X will be releasing the documents for an RFP from Consumers Energy in accordance with the company’s Proposed Course of Action in its Integrated Resource Plan. Questions pertaining to this RFP or the proposal submittal process can be sent via email to Enel X by way of CECIA.enelxnorthamerica@enel.com.

The Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) is soliciting an all-source Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking competitive proposals to supply up to 475 MW firm capacity to meet customer loads into the future and to meet the planning reserve requirements of the Mid-Continent Independent System Operator (MISO). RFP offers are due on Jan. 13, 2023. Registration to participate in this RFP is here.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s PlanetM Testing Grant gives mobility companies the opportunity to access testing facilities around the state, including Mcity at the University of Michigan. Apply here.