Newsletter: Governor Snyder Appoints Members of Michigan Council on Future Mobility

This newsletter was originally published on February 27, 2017.

Governor Snyder Appoints Members of Michigan Council on Future Mobility

Following its creation as part of wide-ranging mobility legislation singed in December 2016, Governor Snyder yesterday named a group of industry leaders and others to the new Michigan Council on Future Mobility. The Council, which will be housed in the Michigan Department of Transportation, will be co-chaird by Michigan Department of Transportation Director Kirk Steudle and John Peracchio, a managing member of Peracchip & Company LLC. Other appointees include:

  • Steve Arwood, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
  • Stephen Buckley, a senior technical fellow and senior manager in electrical engineering for FCA US LLC
  • David Bulkowski, executive director for Disability Advocates of Kent County 
  • Mark Davidoff, Michigan managing partner for Deloitte LLP
  • Eric DeLong, Deputy City Manager for the City of Grand Rapids
  • Ryan Eustice, vice president of autonomous driving for Toyota Research Institute
  • Emily Frascaroli, counsel for Ford Motor Company
  • John James, President of Renaissance Global Logistics and James Group International
  • Amy Mass, Vice President and General Counsel for The Hanover Insurance Group/Citizens Insurance
  • Jeremy McClain, Director of systems and technology for Continental Automotive Systems Inc.
  • Gary Smyth, Executive Director of Global R&D Laboratories for General Motors

In addition, the following department directors and legislators will also serve on the Council:

  • David Behen, Director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget
  • Kirste Etue, Director of the Michigan Department of State
  • Pat McPharlin, Director of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services
  • State Senator Mike Kowall (R-White Lake)
  • State Senator Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor)
  • State Representative Michele Hoitinga (R-Manton)
  • State Representative Kevin Hertel (R-St. Clair Shores)

The Council is tasked with developing a set of recommendations to spur Michigan’s global mobility leadership by March 31 and then at least annually thereafter.

 

Registration Now Open for Michigan EIBC 5th Annual Member Meeting

Registration is now open for Michigan EIBC’s 5th Annual Member Meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, April 26 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. This annual event brings together leaders in Michigan’s advanced energy industry, utility executives, policymakers, regulators, and others. Past speakers have included Congressman Mike Bishop (R-Mich.), MPSC Chairman Sally Talberg, Senate Energy Chair Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) Consumers Energy CEO Patti Poppe, Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky, and former CLEAResult CEO Glenn Garland. This year’s Annual Member Meeting will feature discussions on grid modernization and infrastructure, corporate procurement of advanced energy, and how energy, IT, and transportation are converging to create the new mobility industry, among many others. Keynote speakers and panel topics will be announced over the next several weeks.

In addition, sponsorship opportunities are also available. The Annual Member Meeting attracts a broad range of industry leaders from renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation, and the utility sector. Sponsors will have direct access to industry leaders during this day-long conference that offers unique insight and unmatched networking opportunities.

 

New/ Renewing Members

 

 

 

Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of ~€26 billion US dollars (25 billion euros) in FY2016, our 160,000+ employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On.

 

 

 

 

Skin Lease, LLC

In 2012, Skin Lease LLC was founded. Fact: There is an overabundance of unused external area on buildings (the skin), specifically in the urban areas, as well as the industrial parks. SLL was formed to: 1.) take advantage of that space and create new revenue streams for building owners and 2.) facilitate access to that space to our vendor network. Billions of square footage is waiting to be put to use around the globe; SLL is the company to help drive just that.

 

 

 

 

Sustainable Partners LLC

Sustainable Partners LLC (Spart) was formed in 2011 to develop and finance alternative and renewable energy projects and provide related consulting services. Greg Northrup, President, brings extensive national and international energy development experience and a strong background in public policy. Rand Dueweke, Principal Strategist, brings exceptional analytical skills and technical expertise in the fields of energy, finance, biotechnology and biochemistry. Pam Landes, Communications Consultant, brings significant communication, marketing, strategic planning, and research experience.

 

 

 

Walker-Miller Energy Services

Established in 2000, the Detroit-based firm is determined to change lives through energy efficiency and renewable energy services, while developing and implementing energy efficiency solutions for utility, residential and commercial building owners.

 

Michigan Energy News

The Michigan House Energy Policy Committee this week took testimony on legislation that would reduce or remove fees for utility customers who choose not to use smart meters. No vote is currently scheduled on the bill, introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R-Midland), the committee chairman.

Michigan Department of Transportation director Kirk Stuedle highlighted the state’s efforts around mobility as part of a presentation last week to the Michigan House Communications and Technology Committee.

The Michigan House Local Government Committee is scheduled tomorrow to take up HB 4080, introduced by Rep. Beth Griffin (R-Mattawan), which would expand the ability of K-12 school districts to use tax exempt lease purchases to finance energy improvements.

Flint-based McLaren Health Care is poised to save $1.6 million each year after working with Sterling Heights-based Future Energy Group to upgrade lighting to LEDs.

NextEra Energy Resources is suing Huron County’s Almer Township over the township’s efforts to block a NextEra wind project from moving forward.

Nominations are now open for the 2017 Governor’s Energy Excellence Awards, which recognize energy efficiency projects completed in 2016. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2017.

 

National Energy News

The U.S. Senate is set to take up the nominations of Congressman Ryan Zinke to head the U.S. Department of the Interior and former Texas Governor Rick Perry to head the U.S. Department of Energy.

Six states – Indiana, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Tennessee – have legislation pending that would add new fees to owners of electric vehicles to compensate for declining gas tax revenue.

An Indiana Senate committee has voted to advance legislation that would phase out net metering in the Hoosier state by 2027. Net metering would be replaced with a system that requires customers with solar arrays to sell their power to their utility at one price and buy back their energy at a higher rate.

NV Energy, Nevada’s largest utility, is asking state regulators to boost incentives for rooftop solar deployment. This follows last year’s move to add new fixed charges to customers with solar, which reduced applications for new rooftop systems by more than 98%.

Meanwhile, Nevada lawmakers are considering legislation that would increase the state’s renewable portfolio standard to 80 percent by 2040, including incremental steps to get to 50 percent by 2030.

Not to be outdone, California Senate Majority Leader Kevin De León is proposing that California meet 100% of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2045.

The Economist notes that the growth of wind and solar power are disrupting traditional electricity systems – but that’s no reason for governments to stop supporting them.

A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds that corn-based ethanol achieves a 43 percent reduction in lifecycle carbon emissions when compared to gasoline, and that advances in agriculture and manufacturing efficiency will increase this to as high as a 76 percent emissions reduction over gas by 2022.

California utilities are working with providers of distributed energy resources (DERs) to map those areas of the distribution grid most suitable for DER integration, and taking steps to improve the DER interconnection process.

 

Michigan Energy Events
The Michigan Conservative Energy Forum is hosting its annual Catalyst Conference on Monday, February 27 at the Radisson Hotel in Lansing. Rep. Gary Glenn, Chair of the House Energy Policy Committee, is the keynote speaker.

The Michigan Energy Efficiency Contractors Association is hosting its 2017 Annual Gala on Thursday, March 2 in East Lansing. Tickets and more information are available here.

The 2017 Powering Michigan Agriculture Conference is taking place on Thursday, March 9 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing.

The Institute of Public Utilities will host Grid School 2017 from March 27-30 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing.

Michigan EIBC’s 5th Annual Member Meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 26 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. This annual event brings together leaders in Michigan’s advanced energy industry, utility executives, policymakers, regulators, and others. Past speakers have included Congressman Mike Bishop (R-Mich.), MPSC Chairman Sally Talberg, Senate Energy Chair Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) Consumers Energy CEO Patti Poppe, Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky, and former CLEAResult CEO Glenn Garland. This year’s Annual Member Meeting will feature discussions on grid modernization and infrastructure, corporate procurement of advanced energy, and how energy, IT, and transportation are converging to create the new mobility industry, among many others. Registration is open now, and sponsorship opportunities are also available.

The Michigan Geothermal Energy Association is hosting its 2017 annual meeting on April 26-27 at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mt. Pleasant. Trevor Lauer, president and chief operating officer of DTE Electric, will speak at the dinner on April 26. Additional details to follow.

The 2017 Energy Efficiency Conference and Exhibition, hosted by DTE Energy and the Engineering Society of Detroit, will take place May 9 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. The conference is now accepting proposals for presentations on topics related to energy efficiency.


National Energy Events

The 2017 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit is taking place February 27-March 1 in National Harbor, MD. Now in its 8th year, this annual event brings together technical and professional experts for a program aimed at moving transformational energy technologies out of the lab and into the market.

The 2017 ACEEE/ CEE National Symposium on Market Transformation will take place April 2-4 in Washington D.C. The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Innovative Approaches from Emerging Technologies to Market Transformation.’

The Energy Storage Association’s 27th Annual Conference and Expo is taking place April 18-20 in Denver. This event brings together leaders in the global energy industry working at the nexus of policy, technology and markets for energy storage.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s annual Future of Energy Summit will take place April 24-25 in New York. This annual event brings together traditional players and advanced energy leaders to discuss the critical energy issues of today and the next decade.

The annual AWEA Windpower Conference is taking place May 22-25 in Anaheim, CA. The marquee event for the US wind industry returns with top-tier speakers, world-class education, cutting edge technology, and premium marketing.

Greentech Media’s Grid Edge World Forum 2017  will be held in San Jose, CA on June 27-29. As the only conference exclusively focused on emerging distributed energy system, this event highlights the trends, opportunities, and innovation happening at the grid edge.


Additional Resources 

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant cycle is now open, awarding grants for renewable energy projects in rural communities and agricultural areas. REAP is open to Agricultural Producers and Rural Small Businesses. Grants can be used for the purchase, installation, and construction of a Renewable Energy System or Energy Efficiency Improvement. Rural Small Business Projects must be located in a rural area with populations of 50,000 or less. The Agricultural Producer Projects can be located in rural or non-rural areas. REAP Grants provide a 25% cash reimbursement of the total system costs, with a maximum grant of $500,000 for Renewable Energy Systems and $250,000 for Energy Efficiency Improvements.
 
Applications for projects with Total Project Costs of $80,000 or less are now closed. Applications for projects with Total Project Costs greater than $80,000 are accepted through Monday, May 1, 2017.
 
The Application Templates and Forms are available at USDA Rural Development Offices or the National Website at: www.rd.usda.gov/reap under Forms and 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.
 
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 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.