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.

October 20, 2009

Cooler temperatures, gray skies and even the raindrops could not dampen the high spirits and enthusiasm of the 100 Lowell elementary students.  The essays and drawings were wonderful.  The smiling faces of students, school faculty, community members, and parents added to the wonder of the day.

Michigan GREEN, a non-profit organization advancing the cause of energy efficiency and renewable energy, has developed a program to support community action agencies in Michigan that are operating Weatherization Assistance programs.
 
Kevin Cook, one of the founders of Michigan GREEN and currently serving on the board of directors, has helped put together an alliance that includes Michigan GREEN members MTI Energy Management / Lighting Specialists, Inc. and Niagara Conservation Group. MTI is a Michigan-based company and was selected by Niagara to supply, warehouse and distribute materials needed for weatherization programs in Michigan.

Special pricing has been negotiated with the manufacturer that is designed to be competitive with other national bulk suppliers of energy efficient products. A website has been setup to sell products and service Weatherization Programs in Michigan. Custom services for programs are also available.

As more and more people use the internet as their primary mode of communication for messaging and news gathering, it’s noteworthy that www.michigangree.org recently passed the 500,000 page views milestone. In addition to current news, topics, videos, and the Michigan GREEN Pages, you’ll find a treasure trove of articles listed in Stories Archive that date back more than two years, and learn upon a 2nd reading they are still very relevant and informative. This year’s articles are no exception and you’re invited to review The Top 12 highest read articles of 2009 and 3 Editor Favorites…

EDITOR:

The unofficial start of summer sounded the start of the race to bring clean energy jobs to Michigan and the nation through comprehensive climate and energy legislation. After several drama-filled weeks of negotiation, the House Energy and Commerce Committee emerged with a blueprint and an expanded coalition of members of Congress ready to make the U.S. the world's clean energy leader.

by Doug Russell of Michigan Green, and Gary Zaplitny of MTI Lighting Specialists

Michigan GREEN (Group for a Renewable Energy Efficient Nation), a non-profit energy organization, recently completed an energy audit for Pinckney Community Public Library (PCPL) through a grant from the state energy office. This energy audit, which included a utility bill analysis of electric and natural gas consumption, identified opportunities for energy conservation. Based on the audit, Michigan GREEN recommended that the Pinckney Library move forward with an energy efficiency upgrade.