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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:
Source: Climate Power.
‘Clean Energy Boom’ Analysis Ranks Michigan Number One for New Projects
A report from Climate Power totaling the economic effects of the national “clean energy boom” since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) last year ranks Michigan as the state with the most new clean energy projects.
Out of 272 new clean energy projects announced nationwide since the IRA passed in August 2022, 24 are in Michigan, more than any other state, followed by 22 in Georgia and 20 in South Carolina, the report found. The largest of these Michigan projects is the $2.6 billion EV battery manufacturing facility planned by Ultium Cells, a joint venture between Michigan EIBC member General Motors and LG Energy Solution, in Delta Township near Lansing, followed by the $1.6 billion Battery Manufacturing Campus planned by Michigan EIBC member Our Next Energy in Van Buren Township in Wayne County. Also among the top 10 largest projects in the state is Michigan EIBC member Hemlock Semiconductor’s $375 million expansion of its campus in Saginaw County.
The passage of the IRA “has kicked America’s clean energy sector into high gear and in Michigan, that means the state is becoming a solar and electric vehicle manufacturing powerhouse. Michigan ranks #1 in the country for new EV projects, investments, and jobs and for new clean energy projects. Across the state, new clean energy projects have already spurred more than $21.03 billion in investment, the 2nd highest in the nation, and created or moved forward with over 15,800 good-paying clean energy jobs, the 3rd highest in the nation,” according to the report.
This report is an update of a similar report released in April that found, at the time, Michigan won the second-biggest share of clean energy investment and created the second-biggest number of new clean energy jobs among the states since the passage of the IRA.
DOE Launching IRA Home Rebate Energy Efficiency Programs
The U.S. Department of Energy has recently opened applications for two Home Energy Rebate programs created by the IRA to provide up to $8.5 billion to states and territories for energy efficiency measures like whole home retrofits and the installation of new equipment like heat pumps.
The programs are expected to save consumers up to $1 billion annually from lower energy costs, the DOE said.
The programs are:
The Home Efficiency Rebates Program, which “will offer $4,300,000,000 in formula grants to state energy offices to reduce the upfront cost of whole-home energy efficiency upgrades in single-family and multi-family homes,” the DOE said.
The Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program, which “will offer $4,275,000,000 in formula grants to state energy offices to reduce the upfront cost of efficient electric technologies in single-family and multi-family homes,” the DOE said.
The state of Michigan will have the opportunity to apply for these programs, which could complement existing efforts to increase efficiency and electrify home appliances and heating and cooling systems. The state’s recently-passed budget includes $212 million to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to provide rebates for energy efficient home upgrades, $25 million to repair and weatherize homes to enable clean energy upgrades and $5 million to Michigan EIBC member Michigan Saves and its efforts to finance efficiency improvements.
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
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Renewing Members
Since 2007, Foresight has existed to champion energy management, accelerate sustainability and increase profitability for our clients. We serve commercial, industrial and institutional organizations across North America and the globe. Our interdisciplinary team of energy engineers, sustainability experts, data analysts, software engineers, procurement professionals and project managers work together to provide holistic, proactive and strategic solutions for our growing client base. Service areas include but are not limited to; utility bill collection, reporting and optimization, energy procurement consulting, facility energy audits, renewable energy feasibility studies, carbon emission calculations and reporting, energy modeling, commissioning and retro-commissioning.
When it comes to emergency power solutions, Oak Electric specializes in the sales, installation and service of a wide selection of automatic standby and backup generators. Oak Electric is a Top Premier Generac Generator Dealer in Southeast Michigan and in the country and has completed more than 20,000 residential and commercial generator installations. In addition, Oak Electric has been at the forefront of bringing renewable energy solutions to Michigan residents and businesses, providing sales, service and installation of solar panels, battery backup systems and wind power to a growing number of customers who want to experience the efficiency and environmental benefits of “green” energy. Oak Electric knows how busy life can get and also knows that helping clients achieve a truly functional and comfortable environment goes beyond servicing their electrical system. Oak Electric’s full range of services enables Oak to simplify and expand the customer experience to provide everything necessary to keep the power on, the temperatures comfortable, the air clean and the water flowing, whether at home or in the office. Electrical, generators, solar, heating, cooling, plumbing…One call covers it all! Locally owned and operated, Oak Electric started out as a family-minded business, a philosophy Oak continues to embrace. Gary Pipia, President and Owner, states “Whether it relates to our clients or our amazing staff, we are proud of the fact that many of our employees have been with us an average of 10 years or more, which reflects the value we place on the people who work for us and the integral part they play in our success.”
Michigan Energy News
- Michigan Radio reports on criticisms by Michigan EIBC and other groups of Indiana Michigan Power’s unfair cap on rooftop solar.
- The cap on distributed generation in Michigan unfairly limits solar access for lower-income households, Union of Concerned Scientists Climate & Energy Program Midwest Senior Policy Manager James Gignac writes in Bridge magazine.
- Michigan EGLE releases more details on the impact of the new budget on climate and energy priorities.
National Energy News
- Legal experts are downplaying the potential improvements to the interconnection process from a new FERC rule.
- An 800-MW solar project, which could be the biggest in the eastern U.S., is being planned atop an old coal mine in Kentucky to serve customer Rivian.
- The city of Chicago is launching a program to offer grants for heat pumps and other building electrification steps for low-income residents.
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.
The Battery Show North America 2023 is taking place Sept. 12-14 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. Register here.
Tickets are available for the 11th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Gala on Sept. 27 at The Eastern in Detroit.
Opportunities
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.
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.