1st Annual GLREA Scholarships were awarded to 13 high school seniors at the Michigan Energy Fair on June 28. Ten students received $500 scholarships and three students received $250 scholarships. Scholarship recipients are shown above with keynote speaker Dave Milarch, Co-Founder of the Champion Tree Project.
Greening of the Great Lakes radio show was on hand at the Michigan Energy Fair to interview some of the leaders in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Greening of the Great Lakes airs every Sunday evening at 7:00 on News/Talk 760 WJR. Check out the interviews at:
http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/07/michigan_energy_fair_encourage.html#incart_river
Solar Powering Michigan conference will be held on September 12 at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. GLREA is assisting the Midwest Renewable Energy Assoc. to plan and publicize the conference. The early bird rate of $99 is good only through August 8th. If you have any interest in solar energy, you will not want to miss this conference!
http://www.growsolar.org/education-training/solar-powering-michigan/
Michigan News
Suniva, a Georgia-based manufacturer of crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, has announced it is opening a factory in Saginaw Township. The company plans to bring hundreds of jobs to Saginaw County over the next three years. Suniva plans to move overseas production to the plant which will have an annual production capacity of over 700,000 solar panels. Matt Card, VP of Global Sales & Marketing for Suniva will be a keynote speaker at the Sept. 12 Solar Powering Michigan conference.
http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2014/07/solar_manufacturer_suniva_comi.html
Consumers Energy has chosen 22 new solar projects for their Experimental Advanced Renewable Energy (EARP) program. Five non-residential projects will provide 546 kW and range from 21 to 150 kW. Seventeen residential projects will provide 171 kW and range from 2.5 to 20 kW. The next phase of EARP is open for residential customers. Applications must be received by August 6. www.ConsumersEnergy.com/EARP
10,000th LED Street Light was installed by Detroit by July 1, putting it ahead of schedule on a plan for 65,000 new LED lights through 2016. Fifty percent of Detroit’s street lights are not working. Meanwhile municipalities in the Consumer Energy’s service territory will also have an opportunity to install new LED street lights. The program allows rebates of $47 per bulb which covers about half of the cost difference between an LED bulb and a typical bulb.
http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2014/07/10/led-street-lighting-kindles-interest-in-michigan/
University of Michigan’s Solar Car Team won the eight-day, 1,700-mile American Solar Car Challenge, making it the fifth consecutive year in which the Wolverines took home first place. The team had a series of setbacks, including a motor problem, that cost it nearly half an hour at the start of the race. The race began on July 20 in Austin and UM crossed the finish line in Minneapolis on July 28.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/07/university_of_michigan_solar_c_4.html
Lansing Board of Water & Light has added 385 solar panels to the 432 existing panels in their PV array on Cedar St. The newer, cheaper, more efficient panels boost the array’s generating capacity from 54 to 158 kW. The addition cost about $300,000.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20140722/NEWS01/307220027/BWL-triples-output-expanded-solar-array
Caro Chamber of Commerce will be giving public tours during the construction of Consumers Energy’s 105 MW Cross Wind Energy Park. Tours will be every Saturday from July 12 – August 30, one tour at 9 a.m. and another tour at 11:30 a.m. They will last 1 1/2 – 2 hours and there is no cost. To make a reservation call the Caro Chamber office at 989-673-5211
http://www.consumersenergy.com/News.aspx?id=7256&year=2014
Indiana Michigan Power plans to build and operate five solar facilities in Indiana and Michigan. The Clean Energy Solar Pilot Project will have a combined generation capacity of about 16 MW. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in early 2016, with completion expected in late 2016.
http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/IM-plans-to-build-solar-energy-plant-in-South-Bend-266219261.html
Michigan Conservative Energy Forum has released a new study “Economic Impact of Energy Optimization Program Scenarios in Michigan, 2014-2023.” An Achievable Potential scenario could result in $22 billion in total output, including more than 163,000 job-years supported and $7.6 billion in wages. A Constrained Achievable Potential scenario with program caps could impact Michigan through $8.1 billion of total output, including over 60,000 job-years supported, and $2.8 billion in wages.
http://www.micef.org/index.php/documents
Michigan Environmental Council has earned Platinum LEED certification for its building in downtown Lansing. The Wege Foundation provided a grant to make improvements. MEC installed sustainable carpet, used low-VOC paints, and restructured the attic ductwork. Sealing and insulation made the building 40% more air tight. They were able to downsize from five HVAC systems to four and furnaces were improved from 70% to 95% efficient. All of the lights were replaced with compact fluorescent or LED lamps. MEC earned an Energy Star score of 98 and various measures reduced water use by 49%. Learn about all the additional environmental measures taken at:
http://environmentalcouncil.org/priorities/article.php?x=368&utm_source=MER+July+18+2014&utm_campaign=MER+July+18+2014&utm_medium=email
Four Michigan Farms have been selected by Consumers Energy to produce electricity using biodegradable material in anaerobic digesters. Beaver Creek Farms in Coopersville, Brook View Dairy in Freeport, Green Meadow Farms in Elsie and Scenic View Dairy in Fennville were selected. The four could generate 2.6 MW.
http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/apexchange/2014/07/22/mi–michigan-farms-energy.html
Beyond Michigan
WindLease from United Wind is now providing wind power with zero money down. Wind leases are not as common as solar leases, and United Wind is one of a few companies currently offering such a product. In the last few months in upstate New York, 50 WindLeases have been signed by homeowners, dairy farmers, and vineyards.
http://apps2.eere.energy.gov/wind/windexchange/filter_detail.asp?itemid=4253
Microsoft will buy power from the 175 MW Pilot Hill Wind Farm, located 60 miles southwest of Chicago. Microsoft’s new 20 year power purchase agreement represents the company’s largest wind investment to date, following a November PPA with RES Americas for the 110 MW Keechi wind project in Texas.
http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.13191#utm_medium=email&utm_source=LNH+07-16-2014&utm_campaign=NAW+News+Headlines
National Surveys on Energy and Environment, a joint project by the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy and the Institute of Public Opinion at Muhlenberg College, shows that Americans in general (and Republicans in particular) don’t like the idea of a tax on carbon emissions. However, the poll found that the best way to gain public support for a carbon tax — and the only way to persuade a majority of Republicans — was to use the revenue to fund research into renewable energy.
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-07-21/a-carbon-tax-even-republicans-can-support
Events
Metro Detroit Advanced Energy Business Networking Event will be held on August
22, 11:30-1:30 at NextEnergy.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/metro-detroit-advanced-energy-business-networking-event-tickets-12397943583
Monroe County Community College will offer a number of renewable energy classes this fall including Introduction to Renewable Energy Systems, Introduction to Solar Energy, and Green Building & LEED Rating Systems. www.monroeccc.edu or 734-384-4104
2nd Annual Michigan Energy Futures Conference will be held on September 9 in Ann Arbor. Sponsored by the UM Ross School of Business, UM Erb Institute, 5 Lakes Energy, and the Institute for Energy Innovation, the conference will assemble national experts to discuss future energy supplies, services, and markets and new utility and regulatory models. http://www.bus.umich.edu/Conferences/Michigan-Energy-Futures-II/ViewConference.aspx
Michigan Energy Forum – Brewing with Clean Energy will be held on Sept. 11, 5:00-7:00 pm at SPARK, 330 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor. Discover how brewers are reducing energy use and boosting their bottom lines with solar and geothermal, water recycling, renewable energy credits, and LEED certification.
http://www.annarborusa.org/events/business-training-entrepreneurs-spark-events/michigan-energy-forum-brewing-clean-energy
Northwestern Michigan College and the Midwest Renewable Energy Assoc. have teamed up to offer nationally accredited training here in Michigan before and after the Solar Powering Michigan conference.
NMC – Solar (PV) Electric Systems Bootcamp: NABCEP Entry- Level Prep, M–F August 18–22, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
NMC Proctored – NABCEP Entry Level Exam – Saturday, August 23
NMC – PV Design and Installation Boot Camp , M–Th, September 8–11, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
MREA Courses at NMC:
PV 101 – Basic Solar Electric (PV) Power Systems – September 10
PV 201 – Solar Site Assessment – September 11
PV 606 – IAEI Inspecting PV Systems – September 11
PV 203 – PV Sales and Finance – September 13
More info: nmc.edu/energy or midwestrenew.org
Solar Powering Michigan will be held on Friday, September 12 at the Hagerty Conference Center in Traverse City. Topics covered will include project finance, community solar, commercial successes, state policies, market development and workforce training.
http://www.growsolar.org/education-training/solar-powering-michigan/
Battery Show 2014 will be held in Novi on September 16-18. The Battery Show will host the very latest advanced battery solutions for electric & hybrid vehicles, utility & renewable energy support, portable electronics, medical technology, military and telecommunications.
http://www.nextenergy.org/sept-16-18-2014-the-battery-show/?utm_source=July+2014+NE+Connect+Newsletter+&utm_campaign=UA-29534997-1&utm_medium=email
Michigan Energy Forum – Alternative Fuel Technologies will be hosted by SPARK on October 2, 5-7 pm in Ann Arbor.
http://www.annarborusa.org/events/business-training-entrepreneurs-spark-events/michigan-energy-forum-alternative-fuel
Michigan Advanced Lighting Conference will be held on November 19 at the Radisson Hotel Lansing. Explore a showcase of Michigan’s advanced lighting products, services and solutions. www.nextenergy.org
This newsletter is free. If you would like to subscribe, send a note to johnsarver3@gmail.com
SOURCE: GLREA
Click Here to be introduced to the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association