The City of Munising recently completed a project at the Alger Centennial Arena, one that will save energy usage and dollars for years to come. The best part is, the project was made available free of cost or excessive administrative work from the city.

In early 2010, the competitive grant application was made available to Michigan non-entitlement communities, for up to $50,000 toward implementation of energy reducing systems. Funding for these “Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants” were made available through federal stimulus funds handed to the State of Michigan, and awarded by the state's Bureau of Energy Systems, a division of the Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth (DELEG). Around 125 total grants would be awarded, with twelve of those granted to U.P. towns.

Wed 10/13/10 6:34PM

Planning work for a wind turbine at Pioneer Bluff Apartments in Ishpeming began in 2005.
City residents have been waiting since then, through lawsuits and financial problems, and then a new company taking over the project.

But now that new company has the funding it needs to wrap things up and get the turbine prototype into production.

The U.S. Department of Energy has just given Clean Green Energy, LLC a grant of more than $750,000 to finish the turbine.

October 14, 2010

ISHPEMING - The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded more than $760,000 to Clean Green Energy LLC, one of the companies involved in the construction of the wind turbine at the Pioneer Bluffs Apartments, to commercialize and mass produce similar turbines.

Bryan Zaplitny, president and CEO of both Clean Green Energy and MTI Energy Management, said the Ishpeming turbine is continuing through its testing phase, with the possibility of being operational by the end of the year.

March 17, 2010 - Groveland Twp.- Life will be just a little more green for some township residents thanks to a grant awarded earlier this year.

Governor Jennifer Granholm announced in late January that the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth (DELEG) has awarded $17.4 million in grants to 125 cities, villages, townships, and counties throughout Michigan to support local energy efficiency projects.

The state Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) are funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).

March 18, 2010 - The village of Pinckney has approved a $50,000 energy contract with a Michigan nonprofit organization that will provide 475 residents with energy kits to both improve their energy efficiencies and track their energy savings.

The contract with the Michigan Group for a Renewable Energy Efficient Nation will be reimbursed through a block grant issued by a state agency, meaning the actual cost to the village of Pinckney is zero.

Village President Rebecca Foster said energy kits will likely be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with the likely target date being Earth Day, which is April 22.