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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:
Video on Advanced Mobility Featuring Michigan EIBC to Air on Fox Business Network
A new short documentary from Viewpoint about how Michigan is a center for advanced mobility innovation will air on Fox Business Network in the evening on Wednesday April 24.The piece features interviews with Gov. Whitmer, Michigan EIBC member Walker-Miller Energy Services CEO Carla Walker-Miller and Michigan EIBC President Laura Sherman.
“Electrifying transportation as soon as possible is vital to the mobility industry because of the harm that the mobility industry has done traditionally because it is a fossil fuel-generator industry and a contributor to greenhouse gases,” Walker-Miller says in the segment. But right now the amount of investment being made in Michigan has created a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to address these past harms, she said.
“As we are looking at our traditional economy around mobility, taking this unprecedented transition, we are seeing all sorts of other businesses crop up,” such as long-range batteries and new materials, the governor said.
The segment describes Michigan EIBC’s role in this ongoing transformation. The mission of Michigan EIBC “is to bring advanced energy businesses together to create a unified voice to policymakers to set the stage at the state level so that those companies are able to do more business, create more jobs, build more projects and essentially pave the path for the clean energy economy in Michigan,” Dr. Sherman said in the piece.
Viewpoint is an educational documentary-style TV program which runs on Public Television nationwide, and is also broadcast as educational commercial news breaks on the major news and business networks.
Michigan EIBC’s Justin Carpenter Presents at New Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy Headquarters
On April 14, Michigan EIBC Director of Policy Justin Carpenter was in Grosse Ile Township in Wayne County, speaking at the grand opening of a new headquarters for the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy.
Justin gave a presentation on the recent energy reforms passed by the legislature and signed into law by the governor late last year. He discussed the economic, health, and environmental impacts of the bills.
The Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy is a nonprofit committed to preserving wildlife habitats, wetlands and scenic views in Grosse Ile, an island in the Detroit River.
Get Ready for the 12th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference in East Lansing on April 24!
Our 12th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference will be held April 24 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing. Ticket sales are now closed. We look forward to seeing you all at the conference!
We have also announced the keynote speaker:
Paula R. Glover is the President of the Alliance to Save Energy, a bipartisan, nonprofit coalition that promotes federal energy efficiency policy. Throughout her tenure, she has played a crucial role in advancing key policies such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act while securing billions in federal funding for energy efficiency programs. Ms. Glover has also expanded the Alliance’s focus on energy justice and the development of next-generation technologies through the Active Efficiency Collaborative and the Energy 2040 Initiative. Before her tenure at the Alliance, Ms. Glover acted as President and CEO of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion in energy policy discussions. Additionally, she serves on the boards of Talos Energy, the Keystone Policy Center, Clean Energy Works, and Resources for the Future, as well as holding a position on the National Petroleum Council since 2014 and acting as Trustee for Cardigan Mountain School. With 25 years of experience, Ms. Glover is passionate about realizing an energy-efficient future by leading the Alliance to Save Energy and its diverse political, corporate, and academic membership.
Thank you sponsors!
TETRAWATT
GIGAWATT
MEGAWATT
KILOWATT
The Watt
Renewing Members
EVgo is a leader in charging solutions, building and operating the infrastructure and tools needed to expedite the mass adoption of electric vehicles for individual drivers, rideshare and commercial fleets, and businesses. Since its founding in 2010, EVgo has led the way to a cleaner transportation future and its network has been powered by 100% renewable energy since 2019. As one of the nation’s largest public fast charging networks, EVgo’s owned and operated charging network includes around 900 fast charging locations in 60 metropolitan areas in 30 states. EVgo continues to add more DC fast charging locations through EVgo eXtend™, its white label service offering.
Orsted
A global leader in offshore wind, Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, renewable hydrogen and green fuels facilities in Europe, North America and Asia. In the United States, the company has approximately 650 employees and a growing portfolio of clean energy assets and partnerships that includes offshore wind energy, land-based wind energy, solar, storage technologies and e-fuels. Ørsted has a total U.S. land-based capacity of more than 5 gigawatts across wind, solar, storage technologies and e-fuels. As a leading U.S. clean energy company, Ørsted is creating skilled jobs and bringing new opportunities to communities across the country.
Michigan Energy News
- RMI praises the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for disallowing Indiana Michigan Power from recovering millions of dollars in costs related to the uneconomic operation of coal-fired units.
- Michigan is one of three states, along with Wyoming and Virginia, doing the most to attract advanced nuclear reactors, according to David Terry, president of the National Association of State Energy Officials.
- A transmission bottleneck in the territory of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) is “definitely a problem,” MPSC Chair Dan Scripps says.
- Electric vehicles have become a focal point in the contest between President Biden and Donald Trump for Michigan’s electoral votes.
National Energy News
- People living within three miles of a large solar project report much more positive attitudes about solar than negative ones, according to a new survey from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
- Georgia regulators approve a plan from Georgia Power to build 1,400 MW of new gas and oil-fired power plants.
- Norwegian company Equinor will soon begin construction on a 100-MW merchant battery storage project in Texas.
- North Carolina clean energy advocates say they are disappointed with a green tariff offering from Duke Energy,
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
Summer Intern. Location: Remote.
5 Lakes Energy is looking for flexible and self-motivated interns at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level interested in climate and energy policy. 5LE’s work is rooted in quantitative analysis, and applicants should expect that most projects will require some degree of technical analysis, with Excel as our primary analytical tool.
This year, 5LE is offering 3 opportunities –
- Building a Year-long Hourly Power Demand Forecast to Support Widespread Electrification of Michigan’s Manufacturers mentored by Elizabeth Boatman, Ph.D., Consultant
- Public Sector Clean Energy Research Assistant mentored by Rick Bunch, Senior Consultant
- Developing a Python-based Integrated Resource Planning Model mentored by Eli Gold, Senior Consultant
To learn more about these opportunities and to apply, please review the information in this document.
AES
Stakeholder Relations Advisor. Location: Remote (Indiana, Michigan).
The Stakeholder Relations Advisor will work within AES Clean Energy’s Stakeholder Relations team in the central US, specifically MISO North, to include Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and other states, as assigned. This is an exciting opportunity to have a career in industry-leading engagement strategies to empower communities and advance a carbon-free future. This role will support AES’ strategic renewable energy-related stakeholder engagement, local community relations, drafting communications and collateral materials for strategic planning and social impact partnership development. This role will report to the Manager of Stakeholder Relations MISO.
Elevate
Senior Associate, Talent Acquisition. Location: Chicago/Remote.
The Senior Associate, Talent Acquisition supports the recruiting cycle from candidate sourcing and evaluation to closing of all positions for Elevate. The position is a recruiting business partner, supports the front-end recruitment strategy, integrates a focus on diversity sourcing and recruitment that includes sourcing candidates through a variety of channels, plans interviews and selection procedures, and hosts or participates in career events.
Michigan and National Energy Events
From March 20 to April 24, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) is hosting a number of virtual and in-person listening sessions regarding the U.S. Department of Energy’s Home Energy Rebate (HER) Program. Registration is requested for planning purposes. Visit the HER Program website for more information.
Michigan EIBC’s 12th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference will be held April 24 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing. Get your tickets now!
Join Michigan EGLE for the 2024 Michigan Healthy Climate Conference at the Lansing Center on May 16-17. Register here.
Get tickets for Michigan EIBC and Michigan EGLE’s Public Convening on Microgrids on May 22 in Grand Rapids.
Opportunities
Michigan EGLE is launching the Renewables Ready Communities Award (RRCA), which makes Michigan municipalities that have, on or after October 1, 2023, begun physically hosting and performing local permitting for any portion of an eligible renewable energy project eligible for awards of $5,000 per MW. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until Sept. 30. More information on this opportunity can be found on the RRCA Webpage.
The Michigan Public Service Commission has created a website tracking its progress implementing Public Acts 229, 231, 233, 234, and 235, passed on Nov. 8, 2023 and signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Nov. 28.
The MPSC has posted for public review all the applications it has received in response to a request for proposals for funding through a renewable energy and electrification infrastructure enhancement and development grant program. The final deadline for proposals is April 29.
The U.S. Department of Energy has issued a funding opportunity announcement for grants to “fund research, development, and prototype or pilot scale technology validation and demonstration activities that will accelerate the development and adoption of sustainable technologies that increase efficiency and eliminate industrial GHG emissions for the most energy- and emissions- intensive industrial subsectors.” The deadline is June 11. Learn more here,
Michigan EGLE is offering at least $320,000 in funding MI Solar Communities-MI Solar Access Program. Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2025, or when funding is expended, whichever comes first. Find the request for proposals for MI Solar Access here.