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.
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…
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.
The Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth Green Jobs Conference was a rousing success attended by more than 1,400 eager participants. United States Senator’s Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin gave opening remarks about the role Washington plays in assisting Michigan’s efforts to grow its green economy, followed by an informative panel discussion including Kate Gordon of the Apollo Alliance, Skip Pruss of DELEG, and Chris Adamo from Senator Stabenow’s Washington office.
The Keynote speaker was Van Jones, President Obama’s Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation who talked about the President’s vision for economic recovery and sustained growth, with closing remarks by U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis and Governor Jennifer Granholm. Fifteen Breakout Sessions were offered on green jobs, training, education, and key developments in wind, solar, and biomass, and were conducted by leading experts in education and industry.
On April 28th, Michigan GREEN met individually with 3 State Representatives and State Senator Patricia Birkholz (24th District) to showcase our non-profit association and the initiatives we’re championing, including the innovative Project EverGREEN Schools. The 3 representatives are members of the House Energy Committee and included Chairman Jeff Mayes (96th District), Paul Opsommer (93rd District), and Dan Scripps (101st District). Senator Birkholz is a member of the Senate Energy Policy & Public Utilities Committee. Discussion centered on increasing the current 150 kW net metering limit which is one of the lowest in the country, to 1 or 2 megawatt and position Michigan with the leading renewable energy states. The legislators also listened to our points that the low net metering limit economically penalizes schools who operate an on-site renewable energy system sized to their facility, and that proposed legislation disallows 3rd party ownership, or private investment, of these systems. The meetings were deemed a great success highlighted by Representative Scripps signing our Say Yes To Green Schools petition, with support for our mission being expressed by all.
The Roosevelt Institution is a nation-wide network of student "think-tanks" representing over 7,000 students and 85 college campuses. The conference focused on environmental and energy policy issues, with university students from around the Midwest presenting their articles that appear in the Roosevelt Institution’s Spring 09 journal, "Growing a Green Midwestern Economy."
Russell served on a four-person panel discussing revolving loan funds, sharing his knowledge and experience as director of a revolving loan program for Bay College. The Northern Lights Energy Program was referenced in the journal article written by J. Cory Connolly, a junior at Michigan State University. Mr. Russell was joined on the panel by State Representative Dan Scripps, State Representative Paul Opsommer, and John Sarver from the Bureau of Energy Systems at the Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth.
