Research and Reports
Legacy, Innovation, and the Race Against China: The Automotive Industry and the Michigan Economy
The history of the State of Michigan and the rise of the automotive industry are inextricably linked. The growing popularity of EVs worldwide, however, has led to emerging foreign competitors. As such, the nation that leads the EV evolution will lead the future of the auto industry. Today, attractive tax credits and continued workforce development programs have enabled American automakers to lead a manufacturing renaissance…
Transportation Electrification Roadmap
In November 2022, the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) released the MI Future Mobility Plan, which consists of an ambitious set of goals aimed at modernizing the state’s transportation sector and deploying 100,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers by 2030 to support an anticipated 2 million EVs on Michigan roads. However, Michigan does not yet have a holistic framework or roadmap to guide…
IEI Releases Energy Storage Roadmap
In 2020 the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) put out an RFP that sought “to create an energy storage roadmap to determine energy storage potential in Michigan and develop recommendations to inform investment and policies regarding energy storage.” Such a plan was necessary to ensure Michigan is able to access the grid performance and reliability benefits of energy storage in the future. The…
Funding the Sun: Options for Michigan Philanthropy to Support Customer-sited Solar
Declining renewable energy costs paired with the potential for significant economic, environmental, and community benefits make the deployment of solar energy systems an attractive option to address the climate crisis. However, for distributed solar to drive more rapid carbon reductions beyond the public commitments of companies and government, funding solutions, whether through grants, loans, or other financial tools, must be unlocked to help customers of…
Administrative Actions to Electrify Transportation in Michigan
The automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental shift toward an advanced mobility future characterized by automated, connected, and shared vehicles – a future that will be made possible by the electrification of transportation. Today the auto sector is a $3 trillion industry; the future advanced mobility industry has the potential to be more than three times larger. Michigan is home to 96 of the top…
2018 Legislative Candidate Questionnaire
Together, IEI and Michigan EIBC sought the views of candidates running for seats at the Michigan legislature on advanced energy issues via an online questionnaire. This report summarizes the results of the questionnaire. 2018 IEI Candidate Questionnaire Rpt Final