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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:
Advanced Energy Companies Send Letter Urging Congressional Leaders to Safeguard Clean Energy Tax Credits
This week forty-two companies, including many Michigan EIBC members, sent a letter to the state’s congressional leaders, urging them to protect clean energy tax credits crucial to the sector’s continued growth. “Michigan businesses face mounting uncertainty from leaders in Washington, particularly around the energy and manufacturing sectors powering American business and industry,” a press release explains. Politico reported on the letter this week.
The letter was sent at a pivotal moment as congressional leaders return to Washington, D.C., this week to engage in negotiations that could potentially impact several key tax credits that have supported Michigan’s growing clean energy sector. The companies state in their letter that these tax credits have already created nearly 127,000 clean energy jobs and secured $29 billion in private investments to support the state’s economy. The companies argue that without the certainty provided by these tax credits, their ability to expand businesses, support Michigan families and communities, and maintain a competitive edge in the industry would be at risk. The letter names several tax credits instrumental in supporting these companies, including:
- 25C – Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit
- 25D – Residential Clean Energy Credit
- 25E – Credit for Previously-Owned Clean Vehicles
- 30C – Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit
- 30D – Clean Vehicle Credit
- 45L – New Energy Efficient Homes Credit
- 45W – Credit for Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicles
- 45X – Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit
- 45Y – Clean Electricity Production Tax Credit (PTC)
- 48C – Advanced Energy Project Credit
- 48E – Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
- 179D – Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction
In summary, the message from the advanced energy industry is clear: safeguarding these federal tax credits is essential not only for the growth of their businesses but also for the overall economic health of Michigan and its workers. The outcome of the ongoing congressional negotiations could have far-reaching implications for the future of clean energy in the state.
U of M Professor Details Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) Concept
Last fall Ann Arbor residents voted 79 percent in favor of establishing a Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), a modern energy grid that will supplement, rather than replace, the existing grid. The city aims to transform the way it generates and distributes power while providing cleaner and more reliable energy.
Now, a University of Michigan professor has a piece explaining why “Ann Arbor’s energy experiment will have major implications as more communities strive to control their own energy future.” Mike Shriberg, professor of practice and engagement at the university’s School for Environment and Sustainability, writes that “if it works as planned, a sustainable energy utility like this could quickly build the clean energy grid of the future by shedding outdated infrastructure while creating a reliable, clean and resilient model.”
This initiative stems from Michigan’s ambitious climate goals and residents’ growing frustration with increasing utility rates, power outages, and unreliable service from the local investor-owned utility, DTE Energy. Monopoly utilities like DTE operate in a centralized system while the SEU offers an innovative solution that leverages the potential of decentralized power. The SEU will deliver energy in five different ways:
- Community-Owned Solar: residents who own solar arrays can subscribe to the SEU, using power from their solar arrays and selling any excess energy back to the SEU.
- SEU-Owned Solar: Residents can opt to have a solar array installed by the SEU at their homes or businesses, with excess power distributed through microgrids or stored in Battery Energy Storage Systems.
- SEU, No On-Site Solar: Residents with limited solar potential can receive power distributed from SEU microgrids.
- Renters: Renters can participate in SEU offerings.
- Community Solar: Residents can subscribe to SEU community solar programs and pay per kilowatt-hour of usage.
Additionally, all SEU participants are eligible for electrification assistance and energy efficiency improvements.
Shriberg, a colleague and a team of graduate students recently completed a study testing various power governance approaches. They found that “an SEU had the highest potential to lower prices, increase reliability, lower pollution and benefit underserved communities compared with fully jettisoning the private utility in favor of only public power, increasing the number of municipal public utilities, or tightening regulation on existing utilities,” Shriberg writes.
“Ann Arbor’s experiment to launch the first full-scale SEU will test this,” he says.
13th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference
We look forward to seeing you next week at our 13th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference. This year’s keynote speaker will be Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II.
You can find all of the event details on our conference website, including panel topics and speakers.
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS CONFERENCE SPONSORS!
TERAWATT 
MEGAWATT
KILOWATT
the WATT
Renewing Members
Advanced Battery Concepts is a battery technology development company focused on the advancement of large-format, energy storage solutions. They have developed a broad portfolio of patents and trade-secrets, termed GreenSeal® technology, which enables improved performance at lower production cost for traditional lead-acid batteries with extendibility into other advanced chemistries.
Homeland Solar’s mission is to make owning one’s own power EASY and AFFORDABLE for individuals and organizations, public and private, whether residential, commercial, not-for-profit or industrial. The licensed electrical and building company is an engineering, design and installation firm. Homeland has a strong and diverse staff with an equally strong commitment to working with its customers to optimize the move to an electric future. Based in Washtenaw County, integrity and finding resilient solutions are hallmarks of operations.
Pivot Energy is a Denver-based solar energy company that is focused on helping accelerate the rapid transition taking place in the energy industry toward power generation that is cleaner, and more decentralized. Pivot offers a distributed energy platform that includes a range of services and software aimed at serving the full commercial solar ecosystem, including retail customers, project developers, system operators, utilities, and financiers. The company develops, finances, builds, and manages community and commercial solar projects around the country. Pivot operates on a triple bottom line basis, measuring success by the positive impact to people, planet, and profit. Learn more at pivotenergy.net.
Slipstream is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to accelerating climate solutions for everyone; we create, test, & deliver the next generation of energy efficiency programs that move us toward decarbonizing buildings & a clean energy economy. We partner with the DOE, National Labs, REEOs, utilities, local & state governments & regulatory agencies to inspire new solutions to energy challenges. Our more than 40 years of experience includes technology innovation in energy efficiency, implementation of energy efficiency and financing programs, education and training, and providing solutions to reduce energy burdens for many low-income, rural, and environmental justice communities.
Michigan Energy News
- MLive talks to Michigan EIBC Sustainable Business Associate Natalie Lyijynen about how the power interconnection queue “bottleneck” is affecting Michigan.
- The Michigan Public Service Commission approves an electric rate increase for Consumers Energy, a move criticized by Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan.
- Republican state lawmakers say the Upper Peninsula should be exempted from Michigan’s clean energy law.
National Energy News
- The Trump administration’s “skepticism toward green technology flies in the face of market realities that have made these solutions not just environmentally beneficial but economically superior,” writes Community Renewable Solutions CEO Tam Hunt.
- The Texas Senate passes a bill that requires new battery storage and renewable capacity to be offset with new gas and other “dispatchable” resources.
- There are now 38 states where wind and solar generate more electricity than coal.
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.
Michigan and National Energy Events
The 13th Annual Michigan Energy Innovators Conference will be held at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing on April 2. Last call for tickets! 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.
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
Join United Agrivoltaics Heartland Alliance in supporting small farmers entering the renewable energy workforce! The alliance is a fiscally-sponsored nonprofit charity seeking additional enthusiastic Board and Advisory Council members to champion and amplify our mission, participate in projects and outreach, and help us to fully launch planned & piloted programs in workforce development, small agribusiness development, and practical integration of conservation and farming on solar facilities all around the region! Apply for board or advisory roles here, and email Sam at info@uaheartland.org to join the March drop-in working group calls and learn more!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.
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 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.