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Michigan Legislature Advances Clean Energy Bill Package

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Michigan Legislature has advanced a comprehensive clean energy bill package aimed at streamlining the siting process for wind, solar, and energy storage projects. The legislation, which includes House Bills 5120-5123 and Senate Bills 271, 273, and 502, has garnered support from various advanced energy industry groups, including the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council, Clean Grid Alliance, American Clean Power Association, Advanced Energy United, and the Solar Energy Industries Association. The bills seek to establish a balanced process that involves local government participation and the expertise of the Michigan Public Service Commission. Key benefits of the legislation include ensuring that benefits from projects flow to local communities, upholding environmental protections, and providing economic opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The legislation creates a common sense process for siting wind, solar, and energy storage projects, balancing local government involvement with the expertise of the Michigan Public Service Commission.
  • The bills aim to ensure that benefits from projects flow to local communities, uphold environmental protections, and provide economic opportunities.
  • The legislation is expected to create jobs and economic growth in Michigan's clean energy industry, which currently employs the highest number of workers in the Midwest.
  • Key provisions of the legislation include:

+ Establishing a streamline process for siting large utility-scale wind, solar, and energy storage projects.

+ Ensuring that benefits from projects flow to local communities through community benefit sharing agreements.

+ Upholding environmental protections by following environmental regulations and conducting thorough environmental impact assessments.

+ Providing economic opportunities by requiring prevailing wages for construction workers and promoting local economic development.

+ Expanding renewable energy, energy storage, energy efficiency, and access to rooftop solar through Senate Bills 271, 273, and 502.

  • The legislation has received support from various advanced energy industry groups, including:

+ Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (Michigan EIBC)

+ Clean Grid Alliance (CGA)

+ American Clean Power Association (ACP)

+ Advanced Energy United (United)

+ Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)

Statistics:

  • The clean energy industry employs nearly 124,000 Michiganders, making it the largest employer in the Midwest (Source: Michigan EIBC).
  • The legislation is expected to create jobs and economic growth in Michigan's clean energy industry (Source: Advanced Energy United).
  • The solar and storage industry is projected to bring billions of dollars in investments and thousands of new jobs to Michigan, including project development, installation, and manufacturing (Source: Solar Energy Industries Association).
  • The legislation features provisions to support solar and storage projects of all sizes, including a significant boost to net metering caps for rooftop solar and siting and permitting reforms for large-scale solar and storage development (Source: Solar Energy Industries Association).

Sources:

  • Advanced Energy United
  • Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council
  • Clean Grid Alliance
  • American Clean Power Association
  • Solar Energy Industries Association
  • Contify.com

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