GLREA News
GLREA, Energy Innovation Business Council, and WMU Office for Sustainability will host a meeting on Wednesday, March 13, 9:00-11:30 am on the campus of Western Michigan. GLREA members, EIBC members, WMU community, and all interested parties are invited to hear about the exciting renewable energy developments on campus and the latest from GLREA and EIBC. www.glrea.org.
Michigan News
Michigan Women of Wind Energy will have their next meeting on Wed., March 6, 5-7 pm at Grand Rapids Community College M-Tech, 622 Godfrey Ave. SW, Grand Rapids. There will be speakers (Danette Bull, Kent County Technical Center, Kim Walton, GVSU MAREC, and Mary McGraw, GRCC) and an opportunity to participate in a Safety and High Angle Rescue climb demonstration, so bring sneakers or work boots! Please RSVP to marymcgraw@grcc.edu http://miwowe.tumblr.com/
Third Annual MPSC Report on the implementation of the state’s renewable energy standard and its cost effectiveness has been issued. For 2011, the estimated renewable energy percentage reached 4.4%, up from 3.6% the previous year. For 2012, renewables are expected to have reached 4.7%. Michigan added 815 MW of new wind capacity in 2012, and now has a total of 978 MW from 14 operating wind farms. The weighted average prices of renewable energy contracts is $82.54 per MWH which is substantially lower than the cost of new coal-fired plants. Entire report is available athttp://www.michigan.gov/documents/mpsc/implementation_of_PA295_renewable_energy_411615_7.pdf
DTE Energy has selected 70 solar energy projects (61 residential and 9 non-residential) in the first round of its expansion of the SolarCurrents customer-owned pilot program. The SolarCurrents program expansion will offer an additional 2 MW of capacity over the next two years. A random drawing was necessary because DTE received more than 100 applications, representing more than 700 kW. The first round was for 500 kW. The next round starts June 24 and the application deadline is July 23. In the first phase of the SolarCurrents program, which was fully subscribed in 2011, nearly 600 solar energy projects were built that represented a total of 5 MW of capacity. www.dteenergy.com/solar
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/02/19/dte-energy-selects-solarcurrents-projects/
Beyond Michigan
U.S. Wind Energy Industry had its strongest year ever in 2012, the American Wind Energy Association announced, installing a record 13,124 MW of electric generating capacity, leveraging $25 billion in private investment, and achieving over 60,000 MW of cumulative wind capacity. Top state for new capacity in 2012 was Texas (1,826 MW) and Michigan came in 8th at 611 MW.
Ohio’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Standards will be questioned again this year in the state’s legislature. Ohio is among a few Midwestern states where lawmakers associated with a conservative policy group are working to freeze, repeal, or otherwise weaken renewable energy policies. Others so far include Missouri and Kansas. The efforts follow a call to action last fall by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2013/02/27/bills-target-renewable-energy-standards-in-three-states/
Drought is taking a toll on ethanol. The Renewable Fuels Association provided data to the Associated Press showing that 20 of the nation’s 211 ethanol plants have ceased production over the past year, including five in January. Most remain open, with workers spending time performing maintenance tasks. There are plenty of stockpiles of ethanol – more than 20 million barrels – and production won’t likely resume until after 2013 corn is harvested in late August or September. http://www.startribune.com/local/190594011.html?refer=y
Events
Michigan Energy Policy Forum will be held on Monday, March 4, 1-5 p.m. at Delta College, Lecture Theater,1961 Delta Rd., University Center. http://michigan.gov/energy/
Michigan Interfaith Power & Light will have its 10th Anniversary Awards Dinner on March 7th, 6-9 pm at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Ann Arbor. There will be awards, dinner, multicultural music, and inspiring talks on the future of sustainability.www.miipl.kintera.org/AnniversaryRegistration
NABCEP PV Entry Level One Week Intensive Training will be held March 11-15 at Northwestern Michigan College, Aero Park Lab. The NABCEP Entry Level Exam will be available on March 16. Contact: Bill Queen at bqueen@nmc.edu or 231-995-1701.
Energy Efficiency Financing Forum will be held on March 14 at NextEnergy. The forum will help commercial and industrial end-users, technology providers, and energy managers achieve a working knowledge of the main concepts, issues, and solutions in funding energy efficiency improvements.www.nextenergy.org
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s annual Sustainability Conference will be held on Sat. March 16, 8:30 am- 4:00 pm. Peter Sinclair will be the keynote speaker on climate change and John Sarver will provide a renewable energy update. http://cedarcreekinstitute.org/sustainability.html.
Michigan Energy Policy Forum will be held on March 18, 1-5 p.m. at Western Michigan University, Fetzer Center, Kirsch Auditorium, 2350 Business Ct., Kalamazoo. http://michigan.gov/energy/
Joint Meeting of West Michigan BioEnergy, Wind, & Solar Groups will be held on March 21 at noon at Varnum offices in Grand Rapids. Email ChaplaR@rightplace.org
Michigan Energy Policy Forum will be held on Monday, March 25, 1-5 p.m. at NextEnergy, 461 Burroughs Street, Detroit. http://michigan.gov/energy/
Michigan Energy Policy Forum will be held on Friday, April 12, 1-5 p.m. at Northern Michigan University, Don H. Bottum University Center, Brule & Cadillac Conference Rooms, 1401 Presque Isle, Marquette. http://michigan.gov/energy/
SOLAR 2013, American Solar Energy Society annual conference, will be in Baltimore on April 16-20.SOLAR 2013 is the best opportunity all year for investors, businesses, policy analysts and researchers to exchange ideas and explore new concepts. www.ases.org
2013 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference will be held in Washington, D.C. on April 16-18. The conference will focus on how to grow the clean economy and the role of strategic partnerships. http://www.greenjobsconference.org/
Michigan Energy Policy Forum will be held on Monday, April 22, 1-5 p.m. at Northwestern Michigan College, Hagerty Conference Center, 715 E. Front St., Traverse City. http://michigan.gov/energy/
MI Earth Day Fest hosted by the MI Green Team will be held April 26-28 in downtown Rochester. The celebration will highlight green and healthy-living products, services and programs. It will feature 150+ exhibits, 20+ presentations, entertainment, concessions, kids’ activities, and many special events. www.migreenteam.com
American Wind Energy Assoc. annual conference will be in Chicago on May 5-8.http://www.windpowerexpo.org/2013/
Midwest Solar Instructor Training will be held May 6-10 at Northwestern Michigan College, Aero Park Lab. Contact: Bill Queen at bqueen@nmc.edu or 231-995-1701.
NABCEP Solar Thermal Entry Level One Week Intensive Training will be held May 13-17 at Northwestern Michigan College, Aero Park Lab. The NABCEP Entry Level Exam will be available on May 18. Contact: Bill Queen at bqueen@nmc.edu or 231-995-1701.
Michigan Energy Fair is the largest & longest running event of its kind in Michigan and will take place in Ludington on June 7-8. Exhibits and workshops will provide the latest information on products, financial assistance, and programs that can help you. Friday, June 7 will be for energy professionals and businesses and there will be a $25 charge to attend workshops. Saturday, June 8 will have exhibits and workshops for the general public and will be free. www.glrea.org
Annual Ann Arbor Green Fair will be held on Friday June 14th from 6-9 pm. www.a2gov.org/greenfair
International High Performance Building Conference (IHPB 2013) is being held at Lansing Community College on June 19 and 20. Building academics, researchers, and practitioners will come together to discuss cutting edge technology and its impacts on the design-engineering-construction process as well as the implications for education. http://www.ihpbc2013.org/
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Source/Prepared by: John Sarver for Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA)
