State Democrats Propose to 'Re-Energize Michigan'

The plan builds on legislation passed last year requiring that 10 percent of Michigan's electricity come from clean, renewable sources by 2015.

The package also would require utilities to work with their customers to reduce their energy use by two percent each year, and require revisions in building codes to cut down on energy use.

Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes, a Lyndon Township Democrat, said the idea is to make the state a magnet for clean, renewable energy jobs by offering incentives for renewable energy development and manufacturing, energy efficiency and alternative energy production.

Michigan House Speaker Pam Byrnes (Photo courtesy Office of the Speaker)

"Michigan's alternative energy sector is in prime position to be the spark that jumpstarts our economy," said Byrnes, a sponsor of the plan.

"We need to do all we can to be a leader in renewable energy and attract jobs in new energy industries," said Byrnes. "We know job providers locate in states that promote 21st century energy – this plan ensures Michigan will be one of those states."

The legislation is intended to position Michigan as a leader in alternative energy generation, and in the manufacture of energy-efficient products and components for renewable energy systems.

The plan will encourage residents and businesses to become alternative energy entrepreneurs by allowing them to sell back into the grid the excess energy they create from their solar panels or wind turbines.

"Michigan citizens demand a new energy future built from Michigan-made energy, not imported fossil fuels," said Cyndi Roper of the nonprofit Clean Water Action, one of Michigan's largest environmental groups. "Re-Energize Michigan means clean Michigan energy, good Michigan jobs and a strong Michigan economy."

"The alternative energy industry is poised to provide the kind of jobs that once anchored the middle class," said State Representative Dan Scripps, a Leland Democrat and a sponsor of the plan. "As we produce more renewable energy, companies with good-paying, green-collar jobs will look at Michigan as a state open for business. By developing the wind turbines, solar panels and vehicles of the future, Michigan can help our nation reduce its dependence on foreign oil."

The package includes 11 bills that will be introduced in the coming weeks, sponsors said. But even if they are approved in the House, the bills are not likely to come before the Senate until the state's budget crisis is resolved, Matt Marsden, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, a Rochester Republican, told the "Detroit Free Press."

The state faces a $1.7 billion budget deficit and legislators must agree on a budget by the start of the new fiscal year on October 1 or risk a state shutdown.

Michigan has lost more than 800,000 jobs since 2002 and has led the country in unemployment as the state's manufacturing and automobile sectors have declined. A collapse of property values and an epidemic of home foreclosures have added to the state's woes.

Wind turbine at Traverse City Light & Power is one of the largest in the state. (Photo by Don Rutt courtesy TCLP)

Yet, there is a silver lining for Michigan in the renewable energy industry. The U.S. Department of Energy has identified Michigan as one of four states that can create more than 30,000 manufacturing jobs in the wind sector.

According to the 2009 Michigan Green Jobs Report from the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, a sample of more than 350 green-related firms showed job growth of 7.7 percent. By comparison, other Michigan businesses lost jobs at a rate of 5.4 percent.

In an effort to put Michigan at the forefront of the alternative energy industry, legislators have passed the nation's first tax credits – totaling $555 million in incentives – to attract companies that research, develop and manufacture advanced batteries for electric vehicles.

As a result, Byrnes says, four companies plan to invest a total of $1.7 billion in Michigan and create more than 6,600 jobs.

"Just as we did with advanced batteries, Michigan must build on its efforts in alternative energy and secure these good-paying jobs," said State Representative Lee Gonzales, a Flint Democrat, who sponsored the original battery tax incentive bill. "By taking advantage of our manufacturing and other resources, we can retool and put thousands of residents back to work making the wind turbines, solar panels and advanced batteries that will power our country's future."

"We can't afford to fall behind in renewable energy and let jobs go to other states," Byrnes said today. "With our top-notch workforce and world-class research universities, Michigan has all the resources to emerge as the nation's leader in renewable energy."

Copyright Environment News Service, ENS, 2009. All rights reserved.