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Wind gets cheaper, but energy for building turbines wanes

http://interlochenpublicradio.org/post/wind-gets-cheaper-energy-building-turbines-wanes By PETER PAYETTE  Michigan has a number of wind farms because the state basically made them mandatory in 2008. That was when lawmakers decided a certain amount of our electricity must come from renewable resources, and utilities built wind turbines to comply. Now, wind energy is, by some measurements, among the cheapest ways to …

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Summer Preview: Fuel Efficiency for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks

The Obama administration is planning new fuel efficiency and carbon emission standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Later this summer, the EPA and NHTSA are expected to issue draft rules covering medium- and heavy-duty trucks and vans, vocational vehicles, and trailers sold after 2018. These new rules will save consumers and businesses money at the …

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CHP Interest Heating Up in Michigan

As Michigan policymakers consider implementing a robust integrated resource planning (IRP) process for forecasting energy supply and demand – or an integrated distribution planning (IDP) process that recognizes the accelerating deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs) and the economic benefits of demand-side energy efficiency programs (more on this from 5 Lakes Energy coming soon), attention …

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Natural Gas? Wind? Solar? New Tool Helps Michigan Choose Best Energy Options

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2015-03-24/energy-policy/natural-gas-wind-solar-new-tool-helps-michigan-choose-best-energy-options/a45276-1   March 24, 2015 LANSING, Mich. – It’s not a crystal ball, but a group of researchers say a new tool can help Michigan and other states grapple with predicting and planning for the most cost-effective and least risky ways to cut back on coal. Douglas Jester with the consulting group Five Lakes Energy …

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Crafting responsible wines

http://www.record-eagle.com/news/local_news/crafting-responsible-wines/article_1dbdb6c4-a688-5768-8ced-716c1c677b7e.html BY CAROL THOMPSON cthompson@record-eagle.com | Posted: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 8:55 am TRAVERSE CITY — A soft mechanical whirr fills the air at Shady Lane Cellars’ winery. “Listen,” said Adam Satchwell, Shady Lane winemaker and general manager. “What you hear? That’s energy.” Satchwell leans against a wine barrel inside the winery. He faces a row …

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Natural gas or renewables? New model helps states decide

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2015/03/23/natural-gas-or-renewables-new-model-helps-states-decide/ Posted on 03/23/2015 by Andy Balaskovitz Shifting natural gas prices are making it a challenge for states to place their bets on the most cost-effective and least risky ways to comply with impending carbon regulations. Those prices could likely determine whether it makes sense to replace retiring coal generation with natural gas or renewable …

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Michigan town has ‘NEAT’ idea to go 100 percent renewable

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2015/03/09/michigan-town-has-neat-idea-to-go-100-percent-renewable/ Posted on 03/09/2015 by Jeff Kart Ten percent of Michigan’s power will come from renewable sources by the end of this year. For a small community in the western tip of the state’s lower peninsula, though, that’s not enough. A group of residents in Leelanau Township, which includes the village of Northport, are finalizing …

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81 Businesses Support Energy Optimization Programs in Michigan

  March 9, 2015   Dear Senator Nofs, Representative Nesbitt, and Members of the Michigan Senate Energy and Technology Committee and Michigan House Energy Policy Committee:   We, the undersigned employers and trade associations – representing thousands of jobs within this state – strongly oppose any effort to eliminate Michigan’s successful and cost-effective Energy Optimization …

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Michigan Should Strengthen its Successful Energy Efficiency Policy

As the legislature and Governor’s office in Lansing consider changes to Michigan’s energy policy, there is one area upon which there should be consensus: the current extremely successful “Energy Optimization” policy for utility energy efficiency programs should be reinforced and expanded.  Yet remarkably, Michigan’s energy optimization may be repealed. The data on Michigan’s current PA …

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