Recent Posts
Blog Categories
- Newsletter (454)
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:
Michigan EIBC and Landowners Support Renewable Siting Law at Hearing
At an April 22 Michigan House Energy Committee hearing, Michigan EIBC Director of Policy Justin Carpenter joined with several landowners to urge the committee members to reject legislation that would repeal Public Act 233, the law that streamlines siting for large renewable energy and energy storage projects.
“As national energy demands increase, the consistency and clarity currently provided by our current Michigan statute is necessary for our state to meet its growing energy needs by building clean, cheap, American energy,” Carpenter said. “It would be harm our security, our communities, and our farmers to repeal Public Act 233 and we urge the Committee to oppose this misguided legislation.”
He was joined by landowners including Clara Ostrander and Kevin Heath from Monroe County, and Patti Shinn from Sanilac County. All three spoke and offered written testimony. Ostrander has spoken before legislative hearings several times about how the opportunity to host a solar project on her land would allow her to keep farmland in her family, but local regulations stood in her way, necessitating a reform like Public Act 233.
“Public Act 233 was enacted at the end of 2024, and for families like mine, it brought hope,” Ostrander said at the hearing. “After years of uncertainty and unreasonable local regulations, we finally had a path forward. For the first time, it felt like our property rights were being respected and that we might be able to keep our land, support our family, and make something lasting out of this opportunity.”
Michigan Adopts Building Codes That Advance Energy Efficiency
Michigan regulators have updated the state’s building codes with more requirements that will lead to greater energy efficiency, ending a long regulatory process that Michigan EIBC helped shape.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs officially adopted a new residential energy code on Earth Day, and the code will go into effect 120 days later. The department had already adopted a new code for commercial buildings in December.
“Updating our energy codes is one of the greatest tools the State of Michigan holds to make necessary advancements in energy efficiency,” Michigan EIBC Senior Director of Policy Grace Michienzi said in a statement. “The new residential energy code represents an approximate 11% improvement in energy efficiency, which will save homeowners money while supporting energy efficiency jobs, an industry that supports nearly 80,000 jobs in Michigan.”
The codes were last updated in 2015. This update took several years, and Michigan EIBC was a consistent voice, calling for the Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes to adopt codes that would lead to customer savings through more efficient thermal envelopes, improved mechanical system efficiency, improved lighting, and other cost-effective improvements to the 2015 code. Michienzi testified at numerous hearings throughout the process. For example, at a recent hearing before the House Joint Committee on Administrative Rules she presented statistics about how the 2021 residential energy code will save the average homeowner $327 annually on utility bills compared to Michigan’s current code, which results in savings of over $4,500 over 30 years.
Michigan EIBC’s Dr. Sherman, Carpenter Speak At EGLE MI Healthy Climate Conference
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) MI Healthy Climate Conference was held April 22-23 at Huntington Place in Detroit, and members of Michigan EIBC’s team were featured as speakers throughout the conference.
Michigan EIBC President Dr. Laura Sherman spoke about how energy innovation is helping Michigan significantly reduce its emissions, and what needs to be done to keep cutting emissions over coming years. Next steps should be enabling customer-driven renewables like virtual power plants and community solar and eliminating program limits and expanding size caps for rooftop solar, Dr. Sherman said.
In addition, also at the conference, Michigan EIBC Director of Policy Justin Carpenter moderated a panel on “Achieving 60% Renewable Energy: Developer and Manufacturing Perspectives,”, featuring Elise Matz from Michigan EIBC member company Circle Power and Chris Kunkle from Michigan EIBC member company Apex Clean Energy. Michigan Advance covered many of the discussions from this panel. Meanwhile, Dr. Sherman spoke on a panel about “Driving Clean Transportation.”
Renewing Member
Sealed is a climate tech company on a mission to stop home energy waste by enabling contractors to install more home weatherization and electrification projects and grow their businesses. Sealed’s software, data, and analytics enable market leading products, including a one-stop rebate solution.
Michigan Energy News
- Gov. Whitmer announces the launch of the Michigan Home Energy Rebates Program (MiHER).
- Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II announces the launch of the MI Healthy Climate Challenge.
- Consumers Energy debuts an all-electric bucket truck.
National Energy News
- The U.S. Department of Energy makes its third loan disbursement to help restart the Palisades nuclear plant.
- As tariffs and other federal policies slow development of utility-scale renewables, the stage could be set for faster growth of distributed energy resources and virtual power plants, Utility Dive reports.
- Electrolytic clean-iron technology startup Electra raises $186 million from investors.
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.
Elevate
Senior Director, Policy. Location: Remote.
The Senior Director, Policy leads and develops policy initiatives and advocacy efforts at the federal level, provides leadership to and manages state policy engagements to Elevate’s mission. This position advises the Executive Team and Directors on strategy and risk management related to public policy, manages the policy team at Elevate, and manages the policy functions in coordination with other teams. The Senior Director, Policy also represents Elevate in key working groups, advisory groups, and forums with public and elected officials.
Michigan and National Energy Events
On May 29 from 4 to 6 pm, Michigan EIBC will be holding a legislative reception at the Seabiscuit Cafe on Mackinac Island. Please join us if you are on the island for the Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference. Registration is not required.
Michigan EIBC is proud to support the 2025 Forth Roadmap Conference as a Community Partner! Join us Oct. 14-16, 2025 in Detroit at the nation’s leading electric transportation conference. Connect with industry leaders, explore emerging trends, and shape the future of mobility. Roadmap 2025 is where policymakers, utilities, automakers, and industry innovators come together to advance clean transportation solutions. Use MEIBC75 for $75 off full conference tickets. Find out more and register at roadmapforth.org. We hope to see you there!
Opportunities
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has announced the first in a series of Requests for Proposals, offering $5 million in initial funding to support the deployment of non-public Level 2 alternating current electric vehicle charging stations at existing multifamily housing units. Individual grant awards are capped at $300,000, with applicants required to provide a minimum 30% match of the total requested funds if the project is outside an environmental justice community. Find the RFP here. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funds are allocated.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has announced several new programs with funding available for energy-related projects, including the Agriculture and Rural Business Energy Incentive Program, the Small Manufacturers Retooling Program, the Grid Resiliency Program, the Water Energy Nexus Program and the Sponsorship Program.
The Electrification Coalition is calling on American businesses, trade associations, and workforce development organizations to urge the federal government to support the domestic EV manufacturing industry by maintaining clean vehicle tax policies and grants to continue to incentivize private investment. Read the letter here and fill out the form to add your organization as a signatory.
The Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) has an open, rolling solicitation seeking proposals for investment from project developers, sponsors, communities, private equity firms, financial intermediaries, co-lenders or others. Find out more information here.
The State of Michigan’s Michigan Infrastructure Office Technical Assistance Center has launched a website with information about how tax-exempt entities can take advantage of federal clean energy tax credits using elective pay.
Michigan Clean Energy Leaders (MCEL) has opened applications for its next cohort! A fellowship program and network, MCEL convenes leaders to build relationships, share knowledge and skills, and nurture collaboration to accelerate Michigan’s clean energy transition. MCEL is seeking nominees — diverse in identity, background, geography and industry — who are in the first 10-15 years of a career in clean energy. Please visit micleanenergyleaders.com today to learn more! Apply by April 28.
Michigan EGLE has released an RFP for grants from its Clean Energy Workforce Development Program. The application deadline is July 30.
Michigan State University’s Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics (AFRE) is seeking a full-time Associate Professor (FT) to serve as the Director of the Institute of Public Utilities (IPU). Find out more about this position here.
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.
Rheaply, NextCycle Michigan and Michigan EGLE have launched the Michigan Materials Marketplace, which allows businesses to buy and sell excess materials so they can be reused instead of discarded.
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/or 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 funds are depleted and there is no specific deadline. More information on this opportunity can be found on the RRCA Webpage.