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The Senate Energy and Technology Committee has not scheduled any additional hearings on the energy reform package as of Monday as Chair Mike NOFS (R-Battle Creek) awaits the finishing of more technical changes made to the Senate bills,  SB 0437 and  SB 0438.However, a couple pieces of news was made today on the energy reform front.

Every watt of energy used in Michigan would come from wind, solar and water, creating 150,000 jobs, allegedly saving 1,700 lives a year and saving the average resident close to $11,000 a year, according to a plan released today by the director of the Stanford University’s Atmosphere and Energy Program. Mark JACOBSON believes Michigan and every other state can achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.

The separate House and Senate plans on the table do not set a renewable portfolio standard outside of the current 10 percent by 2015, which has been met. While Democrats would like a new 20 percent by 2020 goal, utilities don’t believe it’s necessary, as market forces will likely drive the need for more renewable energy without an artificial state mandate.

“I would encourage policymakers in Michigan and across the country to think big about what’s possible with renewable energy,” Jacobson said. “We’ve reached a point where there are no longer any technological barriers to achieving 100 percent clean power. Going fully renewable might sound ambitious, but we have the tools to make it happen, and we’ll strengthen our economy in the process. With our planet’s climate system in crisis, we need to get there as soon as possible.”

Advocates note that businesses are starting to push for renewable energy. The technology company, Switch, plans to bring 1,000 jobs and $5 billion in investment to West Michigan for its new data center, which will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

‘Out Of State’ AES ‘Hijacking’ Reliability?
Meanwhile, Kelly ROSSMAN-McKINNEY, a spokesperson for the incumbent utilities-funded Citizens for Michigan’s Energy Future, said “out-of-state” alternative energy supplier Constellation is “hijacking” Michigan’s electric reliability by soaking up whatever power is on the market without showing any interest in generating their own.

At last week’s hearing a Constellation official said “they are not responsible for building the generation.”

“At some point, Constellation won’t be able to buy excess power — or will charge an arm and a leg for what it can get,” said Rossman-McKinney. In the meantime, the company refuses — REFUSES — to invest in or commit to electric reliability in Michigan.”

In response, Constellation spokesperson Kelly BIEMER wrote that Constellation’s energy supply is backed by its parent company’s 32,700 megawatts of power generation, one of the cleanest and lowest cost generation fleets in the nation, which includes nuclear, natural gas, hydro, wind and solar.

In Michigan, Exelon has invested in more than 400 megawatts of wind generation and is currently developing an additional 153 megawatts of wind generation in the state’s Thumb region, making Exelon one of Michigan’s largest providers of wind generation, Biemer wrote.

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