Earlier this year, the Institute for Energy Innovation (IEI) and Michigan EIBC sought the views of candidates running for seats at the Michigan legislature on advanced energy issues. IEI sent a questionnaire electronically and, upon request, via paper mail, to all 324 state legislative general election candidates. In total, IEI received responses from 109 legislative candidates (approximately 34% of all general election candidates). The responding candidates are competing in 91 districts, representing 61% of all races, and all candidates who responded are running in contested races. The respondents included those of both major parties as well as libertarians.

In general, most candidates support Michigan EIBC’s policy priorities. Of those who did not answer the questionnaire in a manner indicating support for EIBC’s priorities, most were “unsure” about the policy areas. This suggests, especially given term-limits and the large number of first-time candidates, that there are opportunities to continue to educate candidates and lawmakers about advanced energy. Michigan EIBC will be hosting a series of introductory and more in-depth events on advanced energy for legislators throughout 2019.

Last week, Michigan EIBC President, Liesl Eichler Clark, presented opening remarks at the University of Michigan’s 2018 Energy Conference hosted by the Energy Club at Ross Business School titled “Disruptive Futures in Energy Technology.” The event covered a wide range of energy issues including disruptive technologies, big tech, the future of traditional energy players, and cleantech entrepreneurship and investment.

Clark opened the event by highlighting some of the key trends for advanced energy in Michigan. Over the last several years, Michigan Public Service Commission and Energy Information Administration (EIA) highlight significant changes in the electricity sector including an increase in deployment of advanced energy along with retirements of coal power plants and a changing role for nuclear and natural gas. Michigan is seeing market growth for distributed energy as more and more residential and commercial customers are adopting solar energy to reduce energy bills and increase the reliability and resilience of their electricity. The costs to build commercial-scale wind and solar farms have also decreased dramatically in Michigan. In fact, over the last seven years, costs to deploy commercial-scale wind development in Michigan have dropped in cost by 60 percent and costs to deploy commercial-scale solar have decreased by 80 percent.

Clark also predicted that the future energy system will include more distributed, modular energy resources, greater integration of cheaper clean energy, more storage resources, and that big data will enable significant improvements in power electronics. As new generation, demand response, and storage technologies develop, the very nature of the electricity sector and the policies that drive and govern it will also have to evolve.

These market, technology, and policy trends are all driving toward a more customer-centric energy future in a way that hasn’t been true in the past. All customers– residential, commercial, industrial, academic, municipal, and more – are flexing their decision-making muscles. And dramatic improvements in big data are giving all customers access to new ways to understand their energy use.

Michigan EIBC and IEI are helping to provide information and resources for business leaders interested in purchasing advanced energy solutions and for policy makers interested in supporting those trends. As a part of our ongoing efforts, Michigan EIBC members and Michigan Chamber of Commerce members are invited to join us on Thursday, October 25 from 3:00 to 5:30 pm for a Corporate Purchasing of Advanced Energy Panel Discussion & Networking Reception at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce headquarters in downtown Lansing.

• Rob Threlkeld, General Motors
• Walker Modic, Bell’s Brewery
• Jeff Myrom, Consumers Energy
• Brian Pageau, Foresight
• Denise Hugo, Geronimo Energy
• Moderator – Liesl Eichler Clark, President, Michigan EIBC

The event will be followed by a networking reception for attendees. Michigan EIBC members and Michigan Chamber members can register here.

The Institute for Energy Innovation will also be hosting a Corporate Purchasers 101 lunch and learn event on December 5th for Michigan legislators and staff. This is a great opportunity for Michigan EIBC members to network with policy makers. More details and registration information will be coming soon!

• Midwest Energy and Communications has started construction on 2,500 solar panels in Southwest Michigan.
• A dental clinic in Sturgeon Bay plans to generate some of its own electricity via solar panels moving forward.
• A ‘community’ solar array is being built in Cass County.
• Consumers Energy and GM announced additional moves to develop electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
• While other cities are selling off municipal utilities, Wyandotte still has 3 city-run systems.
• Consumers Energy is prepared for renewable energy, according to an op-ed featured in the Detroit News.
• A Muskegon solar farm may get a new developer to help move the project forward.
• With winter coming, energy assistance is available throughout the state to low-income Michiganders.
• Two large renewable energy projects are planned for Muskegon County.
• Michigan is among some states that saw an overall price-per-watt increase on residential solar projects as a result of new tariffs.
• Heritage Sustainable Energy announced the construction of the Garden Wind Farm Expansion Project.
• The CEO of Consumers Energy stated that the utility is pushing EV adoption and infrastructure “for the good of Michigan and the good of our planet.”
• West Bloomfield High School students unveiled a solar project driven by students.