Michigan GREEN conducted breakout sessions at the Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO) First Annual Energy Solutions Symposium on March 12th at the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center in Grand Rapids. The keynote speaker was Dr. Imad Mahawili, Executive Director of the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, who discussed Michigan’s energy resources and the role that renewable energy can play in meeting energy needs, and the financial impact it can have on Michigan.
Dr. Mahawili provided the 100+ attendees with an overview of current United States oil consumption of 21 million barrels per day which 70% is imported, translating to a cost of $1.2 billion per day at $60 per barrel.
Electricity generation in the State of Michigan finds that 60% comes from coal burning power plants, 24% nuclear, 12% natural gas, and 2% from wood and hydroelectric. Furthermore, 93% of the needed fossil fuels are imported from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, at a cost of between $16 and $26 billion dollars per year.
A byproduct of using fossil fuels to generate electricity is the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which leads to global warming.
Dr. Mahawili focused on biomass and wind energy as the two plentiful, renewable energy resources that Michigan can develop. Biomass, specifically, anaerobic digestion is currently being utilized by a dairy farm in Ravenna to produce its own electricity.
Wind power generation is at the infant stage in both the United States and in Michigan, but is further advanced in Europe. With the continued technological advancements, Dr. Mahawili foresees both biomass and wind as viable growth opportunities for generating power.
Michigan GREEN presented at its breakout sessions how Michigan schools can take advantage of an integrated renewable energy system, and discussed the renewable energy curriculum under development by our organization via the innovative Project EverGREEN Schools by Michigan GREEN member Clean Green Energy.
Michigan GREEN also highlighted both the national and statewide petitions being circulated relative to renewable energy net metering limits and standby charges. This past October, Michigan legislators passed PA 295 which established the Renewable Portfolio Standards, setting a net metering limit of 150kW for onsite electrical generation. Our state petition seeks relief from standby and other charges, and to raise net metering limits to 2 MW, to allow for schools to enjoy the economic benefits of operating a larger system. The national petition being circulated in conjunction with Partners GREEN, calls for a national energy policy to raise net metering limits and exempt schools from standby charges.
