ELMWOOD TOWNSHIP – State Representative Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard) joined a coalition of business leaders and clean energy advocates in front of a Traverse City Light and Power wind turbine in Elmwood Township today to announce a plan to catapult Michigan forward in alternative energy and make the state a magnet for clean, renewable energy jobs. The plan builds on legislation passed last year and further positions Michigan to meet growing demand for clean energy workers by offering powerful incentives for renewable energy development and manufacturing, energy efficiency and alternative energy production.
"It's time for Michigan to once again rise up and become a leader in a new, emerging industry," said McDowell, a sponsor of one of the bills in the package. "Michigan has the world's best workers, and we must tap their talents to help us become a powerhouse in the fields of solar and wind energy. We can make the products that will power our future."
The legislation will position Michigan as a leader in producing alternative energy, as well as manufacturing energy-efficient products and components for renewable energy systems. The plan will:
- Create powerful incentives for alternative energy companies to come to Michigan by requiring that 30 percent of our electricity come from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy by 2025. This plan builds on legislation passed last year requiring that 10 percent of Michigan's electricity come from clean, renewable sources by 2015.
- Require utilities to work with their customers to decrease electricity usage so utilities sell
2 percent less energy each year. - Revise building codes to increase energy efficiency.
- Encourage residents and businesses to become alternative energy entrepreneurs by allowing them to sell excess energy they create via renewable sources like solar panels or wind turbines.
Research continues to show a huge potential for growth in the renewable energy industry. The U.S. Department of Energy has identified Michigan as one of four states that can create more than 30,000 manufacturing jobs in the wind sector alone. According to the 2009 Michigan Green Jobs Report from the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, a sample of more than 350 green-related firms showed job growth of 7.7 percent. In contrast, other businesses in Michigan lost jobs at a rate of 5.4 percent.
McDowell has worked to put Michigan at the forefront of the alternative energy industry by voting for the nation's first tax credits – totaling $555 million in incentives – to attract companies that research, develop and manufacture advanced batteries for electric vehicles. As a result of that aggressive strategy, four world-class companies plan to invest a total of $1.7 billion in Michigan and create more than 6,600 jobs.
In announcing the plan, McDowell was joined by Marguerite Cotto, vice president for Lifelong and Professional Learning at Northwestern Michigan College. Northwestern Michigan College has instituted a program that helps students train for jobs in the wind, solar and alternative energy industries.
"At Northwestern Michigan College, we've been training the next generation for the renewable energy jobs this plan will create," Cotto said. "This plan fits right into our goal of providing the highly skilled workforce that these employers demand. By making this commitment to renewable energy, we're providing a bright future in the alternative energy industry for our students and workers."
Leaders from the clean energy community said the plan will help position Michigan as a leader in alternative energy.
"Michigan families need good-paying jobs, not more delays," said Jim Dulzo of the Michigan Land Use Institute. "Re-Energize Michigan! can help make Michigan a clean energy leader, attract businesses, grow investments and create jobs for our citizens."
Like renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency has the potential to create thousands of jobs and save consumers money. The Energy Center of Wisconsin estimates that every dollar invested in energy efficiency produces $3 in savings.
"The Great Lakes State has the opportunity to create the good-paying jobs that will lead our workers into the 21st century," McDowell said. "Michigan has to act now to get in on the alternative energy action before some other state does. We have the natural and human resources needed to lead this industry."