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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:
Recent Polling Shows Support for Clean Energy in Michigan Despite Federal Rollbacks
An article published by Michigan Advance highlights that polling among Michigan voters shows robust support for clean energy, even in the face of potential federal rollbacks. Recent polling conducted by Data For Progress, a progressive think tank and polling firm, alongside Evergreen Action, a climate policy advocacy group, indicates that 62% of Michigan voters favor the state’s clean energy standard, while only 34% oppose it. Polling showed that support for achieving the clean energy standard of net zero by 2035 was particularly strong among Democrats, with 85% endorsing the transition to 100% renewable energy. In comparison, 61% of Independents supported this transition, while only 42% of Republicans did.
However, when surveyed on clean energy jobs, voters showed overwhelming support for policies aimed at creating clean energy and manufacturing jobs. Specifically, 79% of voters expressed either strong or moderate agreement with these policies. Support was robust across all political parties, with 93% of Democrats, 78% of Independents, and 68% of Republicans in favor.
Additional polls indicated strong bipartisan support for simplifying the approval process for clean energy projects like the reforms included in the 2023 Clean Energy and Jobs Act to streamline the permitting process for large-scale renewable energy projects. The majority of survey respondents also expressed their support for expanding home repair programs to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. Additionally, 58% of respondents favored legislation aimed at promoting electric vehicle (EV) adoption throughout the state. Notably, 83% of those surveyed also advocated for increased transparency from utility companies. Furthermore, respondents generally agreed that additional legislative actions could be taken to ensure energy affordability, protect the grid from severe weather and power outages, and expedite the transition to clean energy.
Support for clean energy policies has positioned Michigan as a leader in the clean energy sector. As indicated by recent reports from Climate Power and in a previous newsletter, Michigan is attracting more clean energy projects than any other state and has already received billions of dollars in federal investments from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). A report from Michigan EIBC and member company 5 Lakes Energy last year provided more context for how the combination of state and federal clean energy policies is benefiting Michigan’s economy. However, with President Donald Trump promising to dismantle Biden’s climate and energy policies and his administration blocking federal spending, the future of many projects remains uncertain.
Governor’s State of The State Address Calls Out Energy Policy Successes
In this year’s State of the State Address, Gov. Whitmer mentioned several energy policy issues that she said Michiganders should be applauding.
In a list of ‘firsts’ and “new beginnings worth celebrating,” the governor included the planned restart of the Palisades nuclear plant. Consumers Energy closed Palisades in 2022, but Holtec International has plans to reopen it later this year pending federal approval. The restart of the plant will provide “600 local union jobs and clean, reliable power for hundreds of thousands of people,” she said.
In addition, Gov. Whitmer said that when it comes to energy one of the most notable recent accomplishments was a bill passed by the legislature that expanded eligibility for the Michigan Energy Assistance Program. “I was proud to sign this bipartisan expansion, which could save 335,000 more Michigan families hundreds on their energy bills,” the governor said.
Register for 13th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference
Join us for our most popular event of the year! Register now for Michigan EIBC’s annual conference, to be held in East Lansing on April 2. This year’s keynote speaker will be Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II.
More details about speakers and panels are available on the conference website. Sponsorship opportunities are available now! Contact Brianna (brianna@mieibc.org) for more information.
ANNOUNCING BREAKOUT PANEL
Thank you to our sponsors!
TERAWATT 
MEGAWATT
KILOWATT
the WATT
Renewing Members
Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable world. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out. For more information, visit ceres.org.
ENGIE is a global leader in low-carbon energy and services with 96,000 employees in over 30 countries globally. We are committed to accelerating the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy by building on our key businesses (low-carbon gas, renewable energy, energy services) to offer competitive solutions to our customers. ENGIE’s North American headquarters are located in Houston, with a large contingent of employees based in Chicago and elsewhere across the country.
Michigan Energy News
- A bill is introduced that would, among other steps to encourage new nuclear generation in Michigan, establish a production tax credit for the first 10 gigawatts of power produced by a small modular reactor located in the state.
- Holtec announces plans to add small modular reactors to the site of the Palisades nuclear plant.
- Consumers Energy says it will study the use of geothermal energy to replace electric and gas in certain neighborhoods.
National Energy News
- Of the 63 GW of new utility-scale generation capacity expected to be added to the U.S. grid this year, 81% will be solar and battery storage, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
- Americans bought 32% more air-source heat pumps than gas furnaces in 2024.
- The Trump administration orders the U.S. General Services Administration to disconnect its EV charging stations.
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
Director of Government Partnerships. Location: Chicago/Remote.
The Director of Government Partnerships manages federal and public sector funding opportunities to support a comprehensive development plan to diversify revenue streams, realize fundraising goals, and contribute to designing and implementing structures and systems. The Director of Government Partnerships leads Elevate’s strategy for public sector fundraising and oversees the development of government-funded proposals and programs in coordination with implementation teams and operations. This role partners with other Development Team members and colleagues across the organization to develop and achieve annual fundraising goals.
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
Engineer 12 – Building Trade Industry Engineer. Location: Lansing.
As a recognized resource, this position serves as the Building Trade Industry Engineer for EGLE’s Energy Services, with responsibilities for supporting operations and maintenance activities within the public (state and municipal units of government and institutions) and commercial buildings’ sectors. These duties include, but are not limited to, grant management; interfacing with the public; providing in-depth engineering technical assistance for optimization of energy intensive building operating systems; developing strategies for reducing energy consumption in building; benchmarking building operations; technical advising on performance contracting; authoring technical reports; and serving as a technical resource to EGLE on building matters.
Michigan and National Energy Events
Join Michigan EIBC for a public convening on March 4 to explore and learn about the many potential roles for hydrogen in our transportation, industrial, and power sectors. The event will include networking/lunch, a panel discussion with industry experts, and an optional tour of Michigan CAT’s Lansing facility. Register here.
The 13th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference will be held at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing on April 2. Register here.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) MI Healthy Climate Conference is taking place April 22-23 at the Huntington Place in Detroit. Find out more here.
Opportunities
The Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP) is now taking applications for grant funding! Led by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, companies can apply for test site grants or real-world deployment grants. The application is open until March 13.
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.
Michigan Clean Energy Leaders (MCEL), is seeking nominees for our 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 and submit a nomination!
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 EIBC member Michigan Saves is excited to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for predevelopment technical assistance services to help advance clean energy projects across Michigan. This initiative aims to equip organizations with the resources and expertise needed to design, develop, and implement impactful energy solutions. Michigan Saves encourages qualified professionals to submit their proposals and contribute to building a sustainable future. Find the RFQ here. The deadline for submitting responses is Feb. 21.
The MPSC has released a request for proposals seeking applicants for $4.875 million in Renewable Energy and Electrification Infrastructure Enhancement and Development grants. The deadline is March 20, and you can find out more at the MPSC’s webpage for the program here.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program is accepting applications from agricultural producers and rural small businesses for grants and guaranteed loans There is an upcoming deadline on March 31. Find out 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 or when funding is expended, whichever comes first. Find the request for proposals for MI Solar Access here.
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.