In a speech lasting just over forty-minutes, Governor Rick Snyder reinforced his vision of Michigan’s energy future. Gingerly navigating a series of pie charts strewed across the stage at the Detroit Joint Electrical Apprenticeship Training Center in Warren, MI, Governor Snyder talked about our mission to build Michigan’s energy policy on the pillars of affordability, reliability and protection of the environment.
“Eliminating energy waste is the best answer,” Snyder stated when presenting solutions to achieving Michigan’s energy future. Citing a study issued by the Michigan Public Service Commission in 2013 looking at potential energy savings, Snyder said that, “Not assuming anything outrageous, we can achieve a 15% reduction in energy waste by 2025.” Factoring in the success of Michigan’s Energy Optimization programs since 2009, the Governor indicated that, “Twenty one percent of our energy capacity from 2009 to 2025 is eliminating energy waste.”
Brad Bartholomew, president of the Michigan Energy Efficiency Contractors Association (MEECA) is, “Very pleased to hear such strong support for Michigan’s energy efficiency industry from Governor Snyder.” Bartholomew knows first hand how to save energy for his customers as Michigan’s most certified residential energy efficiency contractor.
“Snyder’s proposal to offer on bill financing programs to residential customers will really help unlock energy savings throughout Michigan,” Bartholomew said when asked about the Governor’s on-bill financing proposal.
When talking about the success of Michigan’s Energy Optimization programs reducing the cost of fuel purchased by utilities by about a third, Snyder asked, “Why wouldn’t we do more of that?”
Brindley Byrd, executive director of MEECA askes the very same question. “In our work with legislators, policy makers and the utilities, we try and explain the utility programs as being a cornerstone in what we call an Integrated Energy Efficiency Market. Expanding these programs will only help increase the market demand for energy efficiency services which provide billions of dollars of investment into Michigan’s economy each year.”
Byrd indicates looking forward to working with all stakeholders in Michigan’s energy future to see that we eliminate energy waste.
Source: MEECA
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