Michigan Democrats propose renewable energy requirements

Lansing - Michigan's goals for shifting to green energy could be expanded under bills unveiled Monday by House Democrats, business leaders and clean energy advocates.

The plan would require that 30 percent of the state's electricity come from renewable sources by 2025; 10 percent is already required to come from solar, wind or other green sources by 2015. The package also would require utilities to work with their customers to decrease energy use by 2 percent per year, and mandate revisions in building codes to cut down on energy use.

August 28, 2009

With stimulus monies flowing, how will the government keep track of it all? While it's a sophisticated system bound to be fraught with problems, the Obama administration is nonetheless committed to ensuring that the process is transparent and above board.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is, in fact, the largest ever government infusion into the economy. With several dozen avenues from which the money is released to thousands of recipients that range from private companies to local jurisdictions, the task before those who will monitor the situation is enormous.

August 17, 2009

As the country wends its way out of the dark recession, more pressure will be put on utilities and other businesses to invest anew in environmentally friendly technologies. While such a cause is admirable, it will still be slow in coming.

Credit markets, of course, have been tight since the downturn officially began in December 2007. During such times, the natural inclination is to hunker down, preserve cash and wait. That survival technique, though, comes at a cost. And in this case, it's taken not just a toll on jobs but also on environmental spending. Companies, in effect, feel less immediate pressure to invest in carbon-free technologies.

August 5, 2009 - With the electrification of the American auto industry in mind, Michigan has for years been positioning itself as America's new battery capital.

Wednesday, under a perfect cerulean sky, at Detroit's groundbreaking and high-tech NextEnergy Center, Vice President Joe Biden announced more than a billion reasons Michigan may just make it.

The Obama administration announced $2.4 billion in grants to accelerate the development of next-generation batteries and electric vehicles.

August 03, 2009

The one time when you can really appreciate a well-oiled bureaucratic machine is when it's pumping out money.

The administration's $787 billion economic stimulus package provides some $65 billion in grants and tax credits for an array of energy projects. These funds turn the Department of Energy, other federal agencies and state governments into an ATM machine for the industry -- if they know which buttons to push.

So the industry is swinging into action, forming a number of working groups through the Edison Electric Institute, which represents investor-owned utilities, to cash in on this government largesse.