GLREA News
GLREA recommends a Yes Vote on Prop 3 – 25% renewable energy for electricity by 2025. If you want to volunteer to help on election day, go to http://mienergymijobs.com/GetInvolved/ElectionDay
The GLREA Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1, 12:00-3:00 at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti. The brewery will be showing off its new dual electric/hot water solar system made by Power Panel. Michael Finney, President and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., will speak on the energy plans and priorities of MEDC. If you’re a member, put it on your calendar. If you’re not a member, join GLREA on line at www.glrea.org and come join us in Ypsi.
GLREA Member Highlight
Sunventrix, a solar PV integrator in SE Michigan, specializes in residential and commercial solar PV installations using highly efficient, reliable, and innovative US products that provide clean energy and savings from day one. We also collaborate with leading energy efficient builders and energy auditors to provide a complete approach with top to bottom systems that help our customers learn more and realize even larger savings while dramatically helping the environment. Contact sun powered Chevy Volt owner Mark Hildebrandt at 734-418-7700 or solar@sunventrix.com to get started. www.sunventrix.com.
Michigan News
DTE Energy has filed a plan with the MPSC to expand its SolarCurrents™ incentive program for customers. The second phase of the program will offer an additional 2 MW of capacity in four random selections of 500 kW during 2013 and 2014. 1.5 MW will be residential and .5 MW will be non-residential. PV systems 20 kW and under will be eligible. The plan indicates that payments to residential customers would include an up-front payment of $0.20/W installed and an on-going payment of $0.03/kWh. Payments to non-residential customers would include an up-front payment of $0.13/W installed and an ongoing payment of $0.02/kWh. Contracts will go until 8/31/29. Bookmark this web page to get program specifics expected in early November.
http://www.dteenergy.com/residentialCustomers/productsPrograms/solarCurrents/solarCurrents.html
$22 Million Fremont Community Digester plant, which produces electric power by processing organic waste, has been launched. Novi Energy developed and is managing the FCD facility, which will convert 100,000 tons per year of food processing organic wastes into 3 MW of renewable electricity for sale to Consumers Energy. The levelized price for the electricity will be 14.08 cents/kWh. The FCD is nearing completion of construction and is scheduled to enter commercial operation by the fourth quarter of 2012. http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/10/stabenow-local-officials-help-novi-energy-celebrate-digester-startup/
Consumers Energy’s commercial and industrial customers participating in their energy efficiency rebate program will receive an extra incentive bonus of 15% for energy efficient equipment manufactured in Michigan. http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/09/consumers-energy-launches-buy-michigan-initiative-for-energy-efficiency-program/
Holland Board of Public Works’ board of directors has voted to enter into a 10-year contract with E. ON Climate and Renewables, N.A. to buy 15 MW of power from Wildcat 1, a wind farm project now under construction in Elwood, Ind., about 45 miles northeast of Indianapolis. The contract with E. ON would cost the utility only 4.5 cents a kWh in its first year, and would rise to slightly more than 6 cents a kWh by the end of the agreement. The board also approved signing a memorandum of understanding with Exelon Wind LLC that could lead to BPW purchasing power from a wind farm in Gratiot County for 20 years. BPW would have until the end of January to work out details of a contract to buy nearly 17 MW of power from the Bebee 1B project, which just broke ground last month. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/10/holland_utility_buys_into_indi.html
University of Michigan continues to make progress to lower energy consumption and boost recycling on its Ann Arbor campus as a result of ongoing efforts by the Planet Blue Operations team. Energy conservation measures applied in 137 campus buildings have resulted in an 8.1% reduction in energy consumption, saving the university more than $4 million in cost avoidance last year. http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/14/ums-planet-blue-continues-to-help-reduce-campus-energy-use-boost-recycling/
Detroit Regional Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Schools Advocacy Committee is hosting its 3rd Annual My Green School Art Contest. Entries are due Earth Day, April 22, 2013. Grades K-5 are invited to participate. Any school can participate as well as home-schooled children. For more information visit: My Green School Art Contest.
Genesee County government expects to save $14 million in 15 years with the completion this year of its two-year Energy Efficiency & Asset Renewal Program. Fourteen county buildings got energy and information technology upgrades. The county jail, county courthouse and the McCree Courts and Human Services Center Building were among the facilities to get energy management system upgrades, new heating and air-conditioning systems, and solar light panels . The project is expected to reduce the county’s energy consumption by 22%. http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2012/10/genesee_countys_two-year_12m_e.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+flint_journal_business+(Mid-Michigan+Business+-+MLive.com+-+Flint)&utm_content=Google+Reader
Stan Ovshinsky, the self-taught inventor who developed the nickel-metal hydride battery used in the hybrid vehicle industry, has died at his home in suburban Detroit after a fight with cancer. He was 89. Ovshinsky, who ran Energy Conversion Devices, also created a machine that produced nine-mile-long sheets of thin solar energy panels.
MPSC has released the “Michigan Energy Appraisal: Winter 2012/2013.” In 2012, Michigan’s total electricity sales are expected to increase 1.4% over 2011 sales. Domestic crude oil production is expected to continue its upward trajectory due in part to increased oil drilling in shale formations. These production increases have helped to reduce net imports of liquid fuels from 57% of total U.S. consumption in 2008 to just 41% in 2012.
In Michigan, 77 percent of households heat with natural gas; 9 percent use propane; 8 percent use electricity; 2 percent use heating oil; and 4 percent use other fuels. http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/mpsc/reports/energy
Beyond Michigan
Top 5 Green Jobs increasing in U.S. include solar installer. http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/10/top-5-green-jobs-rise-united-states/
Surge in Wind Power production helped Denmark increase its percentage of renewable energy to 40.7% in 2011, finds a new report by the Danish Energy Agency (DEA). Wind power contributed 28.1%. http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10468
James Cameron will be using solar power for the “Avatar” sequels. Stellar Energy has completed work on installing 3,692 solar modules to the rooftops of the director’s production studios. The arrays will provide 960 kW of power and help Cameron fulfill his goal of a net zero production for both sequels. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/06/avatar-sequel-sets-green-eco-friendly_n_1943756.html?utm_hp_ref=green
Vestas says that the development of its V164-8.0 MW turbine is on schedule and that several main components are close to completion at the company’s facilities in Aarhus, Denmark, and the Isle of Wight, U.K. The production of the first 80-meter-long blade will be later this year and testing will begin in early 2013. http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10488
Electric Vehicles Buyer’s Guide is available from the Sierra Club. Six all-electric vehicles and three plug-in hybrids currently on the market are evaluated in the guide. http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/201211/electric-car-buying-guide-271.aspx
Green Construction in 2011 had about a 17% share of the overall home building market, and that’s up from less than 2% just a few years ago according to the National Assoc. of Home Builders. By 2016, green construction is expected to account for up to 38% of home building. http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/12/10/net-zero-energy-homes-rise&utm_medium=eNL&utm_campaign=RB_DAILY2&utm_term=Original-Member
Events
2012 International Conference on Sustainability, Transition & Culture Change: Vision – Action – Leadership will be held on Thursday, November 15 – Monday, November 19 at the Prince Conference Center at Calvin College. http://sustainabilityconference.org/
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Source: John Sarver for Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA)