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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:
Gov. Whitmer Signs C-PACE and Solar PILT Bills Into Law
In a big victory for clean energy policy in Michigan, on July 27 Gov. Whitmer signed into law bills on commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing and “payments in lieu of taxes” (PILT) for solar projects.
“These new laws roll out the welcome mat for more clean, renewable energy development in communities throughout Michigan,” Michigan EIBC President Laura Sherman said in a statement. C-PACE “is a proven program that has already brought more than $233 million in investment to our state and will be able to provide business owners even more opportunities to utilize cost-effective financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades with the new law,” she said. And now with the solar PILT legislation signed into law, “Michigan communities can better partner on projects with Michigan advanced energy businesses, providing more tax revenue certainty that supports local services – such as police, fire and libraries – while driving innovation,” Sherman said.
SB 302 and SB 303 will allow the use of C-PACE financing for more commercial energy efficiency and renewable projects. The laws make more types of building projects, such as environmental remediation projects, eligible for C-PACE, and ease the energy savings requirements in the C-PACE statute so that more projects that produce incremental energy savings can qualify. A letter sent by a number of business organizations (including Michigan EIBC) earlier this year in support of the bills said that “we can attest to how C-PACE can improve business operations, revitalize communities, provide access to favorable financing, lower energy bills, and make properties more valuable – all while creating jobs in the process.”
HB 4317 and HB 4318 would allow utility-scale solar systems over 2 MW in size, at the discretion of local governments, to make PILT payments instead of paying ad valorem property taxes. These bills are the product of a long period of discussion between stakeholders representing local governments, farmers and solar developers. “We’re really hopeful that the passage of this legislation leads to more support in local communities for solar projects,” Sherman was quoted as saying in an article from Crain’s Detroit Business.
Regulators Approve DTE’s Integrated Resource Plan
On July 26, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved DTE’s integrated resource plan (IRP), paving the way for Michigan’s largest utility to pursue more competitive procurements of renewable energy and energy storage, increase its energy efficiency targets and allow more rooftop solar users to connect to its grid.
The provisions of the IRP were set by a settlement agreement recently reached between DTE and a number of groups, including Michigan EIBC, the Institute for Energy Innovation, Clean Grid Alliance and Michigan EIBC Trade Organization Member Advanced Energy United.
Michigan EIBC Members Among 2023 Crain’s Notable Leaders in Energy
Crain’s Detroit Business has just released its 2023 list of Notable Leaders in Energy, and the honorees include:
- Matt Lentini, Senior Vice President, Energy and Industrial Teams, Michigan EIBC Member Barton Malow Co.
- Dan Scripps, Chair, MPSC, and former President, Michigan EIBC
- Laura Sherman, President, Michigan EIBC
- Brian Slocum, Senior Vice President and COO, Michigan EIBC member ITC Holdings
- Rob Threlkeld, Director of Global Energy Strategy, Michigan EIBC member General Motors
- Carla Walker-Miller, Founder and CEO, Michigan EIBC member Walker-Miller Energy Services
- Bobbi Westerby, President and CEO, Michigan EIBC member Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc.
Congratulations to all honorees!
Tickets Available for the 11th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala in Detroit on Sept. 27
Michigan EIBC is excited to welcome our members, Michigan legislators and state officials, and the general public to our 11th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala on September 27th at The Eastern in Detroit. Gala is a wonderful opportunity to network with colleagues, policymakers, and industry experts, all while celebrating the individuals and businesses who succeeded in growing Michigan’s advanced energy sector. For more event information and to purchase tickets, click here.
The keynote speaker will be Shalanda Baker, Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity at the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to her appointment, she was a Professor of Law, Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. She was the co-founder and co-director of the Initiative for Energy Justice, which provides technical law and policy support to communities on the front lines of climate change. Baker served as an Air Force officer prior to her honorable discharge pursuant to the then existing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, and became a vocal advocate for repeal of the policy. She earned a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a J.D. from Northeastern University, and L.L.M. from the University of Wisconsin.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to Brianna | brianna@mieibc.org. You can review sponsorship levels and benefits here.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Terawatt Level
Megawatt Level
Kilowatt Level
The Watt Level (Sold Out)
Renewing Members
We guide communities towards greater energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption through three approaches: delivering large-scale energy programs, implementing community-based projects, and providing technical consulting and services. MEO collaborates with for-profit and nonprofit partners to provide practical, cost-effective solutions to complex energy challenges.
New Members
Srinergy is a clean solar energy technology company with design and development capabilities, providing turn-key solar energy solutions for utility, commercial and industrial customers. We had great success in carving out a specialty niche for ourselves, and have earned an excellent reputation within the industry for reducing energy costs and reducing the carbon footprint for our customers.
Fieldworks Power, LLC
Fieldworks Power, LLC is a greenfield distributed energy development company focused on shaping new markets across the US. Fieldworks is led by a team of experienced renewable energy professionals who have been pioneers in their respective areas of expertise. The company works hand in hand with landowners, regulators, legislators, utilities and other stakeholders to thoughtfully and responsibly bring more renewables onto the electrical grid. Founded in 2023, Fieldworks is well capitalized via its financing structure with a top five pure play renewable energy independent power producer.
Michigan Energy News
- Bridge Magazine investigates how direct-pay provisions for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits will affect the clean energy industry in Michigan, interviewing Michigan EIBC members from Chart House Energy, D2 Solar and Michigan Saves.
- The Michigan Strategic Fund approves a performance-based grant for Michigan EIBC member Bollinger Motors to add up to 237 new jobs and invest in its facilities in Oak Park and Livonia.
- Out of over $56 million in funding being awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to nuclear technology development, $7.5 million is going to the University of Michigan for several different nuclear research projects.
- Representatives of the Sierra Club, Earthjustice and other environmental organizations discuss the DTE integrated resource plan.
- Babcock & Wilcox signs a contract to convert the primarily coal-fired, 75-MW TES Filer City power plant in Manistee County to bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.
National Energy News
- Texas has a “decent” set of energy efficiency and demand response programs for commercial and industrial customers, but none for residential customers, presenting a missed opportunity for grid reliability efforts, Canary Media reports.
- Maine lawmakers are about to pass a bill supporting infrastructure for floating, offshore wind projects.
- Seven major global automakers announce a new EV charging network to compete with Tesla’s Supercharger network.
- The U.S. Department of Energy proposes new energy efficiency standards for residential water heaters that it estimates will save consumers $11.4 billion annually.
- The U.S. is facing a shortage of semiconductor industry workers, an industry association says.
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.
Cultivate Power
Director, Community Partnerships & Investment. Location: Chicago (Remote Possible).
Cultivate Power is seeking a Director of Community Partnerships & Investment. This person will help originate, develop and foster community partnership and investment opportunities in the host communities and regions where Cultivate Power develops distributed energy projects. Additionally, the Director will work to build systems and standardized processes for engaging communities on every project. This is a unique role with the opportunity for the Director to drive industry-leading impact to create greater inclusion, equity and benefit to communities through innovation and creation of new programs and partnerships. The Director will report directly to one of the Managing Directors and co-founders of Cultivate Power.
FLO
Public Affairs Specialist. Location: Remote.
The Public Affairs Specialist will monitor legislation, regulations, and incentive programs across key Midwest U.S. states, assess their impact on FLO’s go-to-market strategy, and report this information accordingly to the relevant teams. The Public Affairs Specialist will collaborate with multiple teams, including but not limited to the Sales Team, Marketing Team, Product Team, and Communications Team to respond to legislative and regulatory issues as well as support FLO’s overall go-to-market strategy. The Public Affairs Specialist will serve as part of FLO’s Public Affairs Team and will report to the Public Affairs Director but will ultimately work in a highly collaborative environment with other teams.
Michigan and National Energy Events
Save the dates Aug. 6-9 for the Mid-America Regulatory Conference (MARC) Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids.
Tickets are available for the 11th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala on Sept. 27 at The Eastern in Detroit.
Opportunities
The Department of Energy is currently soliciting 5-page concept papers outlining potential projects for the 48c investment tax credit, also known as the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Program. Focuses of the program include: Clean Energy Manufacturing and Recycling; Critical Materials Processing, Refining and Recycling; and Industrial GHG Emissions Reductions. Over its lifetime, the program will allocate $10 billion in credits ($4 billion of which may be allocated only to projects located in certain energy communities census tracts). Selected projects will receive an investment tax credit of up to 30% of qualified investments if prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements are met. The five-page concept papers and a project data sheet must be submitted by July 31 in order to be eligible to submit a full application in late Fall/early winter. Potential applicants are encouraged to review available guidance or to contact the Michigan Infrastructure Office (infrastructure@michigan.gov) for more information, including templates for submitting an application.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s $7 billion Solar for All competition will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investment. Anyone interested must submit a notice of intent (NOI) by the applicable deadline. The NOI deadlines are July 31 for states and territories, August 14 for municipalities and NGOs and August 28 for Tribal governments.
Duquesne Light Company (DLC) is issuing a Request for Proposals for existing and in development solar generation facilities available to enter into a long term-contract for sale of its output or portion of its output with DLC. Pre-qualification applications are due July 25. More information about the RFP is available here,
Applications for the 1 Hotels Fellowship at Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) are now open. 1 Hotels Fellows will work in partnership with NRDC’s E2 program to identify pressing environmental issues and needs across the country, and then organize and execute projects that help communicate and amplify the business and economic case for smart policies to address these issues. Applications are due by Sept. 5.
The Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity (LEO) has two job openings: Director of Mobility Policy, who will be an advisor to LEO and serve as the lead policy staffer for the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, and Policy Director, who will cover a broad portfolio of issues across the entire department including workforce development, economic mobility and workplace rights and safety.
Organizations currently have the opportunity to work with a grad student from the University of Michigan School for Environment & Sustainability (SEAS) for their Master’s Projects. In these projects, “students work on research teams with client organizations and faculty advisors to address complex environmental issues and design innovative, impactful products,” according to SEAS. Learn more here. Proposals for projects are due by September.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to expand the weatherization assistance program utilizing bipartisan infrastructure law funding for multi-family dwellings. The five-month award begins on May 1 and ends Sept. 30, 2023, with the total available amount being $1 million dollars. Successful applicants may be awarded funding annually through at least Sept. 30, 2028, based upon funding availability and acceptable performance. For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website.
The City of Detroit has issued a Request for Information seeking feedback on the number and type of projects that would best achieve the goal of generating enough renewable energy to power municipal operations and buildings with locally generated and City-owned solar power. Find more information here. Responses are due Oct. 2.