Blog – Page 8 – 5LakesEnergy

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150515/NEWS/150519887/consumers-energy-gets-ok-to-add-michigans-first-community-solar By JAY GREENE Consumers Energy Co. has received conditional approval to begin a 10 megawatt community solar program —Michigan’s first — by the state Public Service Commission. The commission’s approval of Consumers’ Solar Gardens program gives individual and business electric customers the opportunity to purchase subscriptions in 0.5 kilowatts blocks, which could cost $28 to…

Details

Energy analyst: MI electricity debate needs re-focusing

Blog, Press, UncategorizedBy Admin May 22, 2015

In the coming year, nine of Michigan’s coal-fired power plants are scheduled to retire. That has environmentalists and renewable energy advocates cheering. And the state’s two major utilities, Consumer’s Energy and DTE, say they are ready to invest in a more sustainable energy future. But first, the companies say, Michigan has to return to a…

Details

Lessons in Sustainable Wine from Washington and Oregon

Blog, Insights, UncategorizedBy Admin May 11, 2015

As part of the Michigan Sustainable Wine Feasibility Study, a group from Michigan’s wine industry, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and 5 Lakes Energy spent last week meeting with wine industry members in Oregon and Washington who have been actively involved in sustainability initiatives. We met with members, managers, and participants of…

Details

Sustainability Issues and Solutions for the Michigan Wine Industry

Blog, Insights, Uncategorized, WebinarBy Admin April 24, 2015

http://5lakesenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Sustainability-Issues-and-Solutions-f.-.-.-Friday-April-17-2015-2.35.21-PM.mp4

WineAmerica 2015 National Grape and Wine Policy Conference

Blog, Insights, Uncategorized, WebinarBy Admin April 24, 2015

Last week WineAmerica held the 2015 National Grape and Wine Policy Conference in Washington, DC. The conference consisted of visits to Capitol Hill to meet with Representatives and informational panels. The panel presentations covered major legislative issues related to the United States wine industry with presentations from members of Congress, their staff, industry members, and…

Details

Energy optimization and efficiency are vital to more secure, reliable energy future for Michigan

Blog, Insights, Press, UncategorizedBy Admin April 13, 2015

on April 08, 2015 at 2:37 PM, updated April 08, 2015 at 2:53 PM by Hannah Watts “There was a lot to like in his message,” Skip Pruss tells Kirk Heinze on Greening of the Great Lakes. “He set the bar high and indicated that Michigan should meet 30 to 40 percent of its future energy needs through renewable…

Details

Time for Lansing to Catch, Not Ignore, the New-Tech Energy Wave

Blog, Press, UncategorizedBy Admin April 8, 2015

http://www.mlui.org/energy/news-views/news-views-articles/time-for-lansing-to-catch-not-ignore-the-new-tech-energy-wave.html#.VSU6EPnF-So Employing new grid technologies can weave together renewable and storage energy sources large and small, reducing the need to build additional old-fashioned,centralized, fossil-fueled plants. (Graphic: Powertown) Now that Governor Rick Snyder, state Senate and House Republicans, and Democrats in both chambers have each outlined their proposed next steps for Michigan’s energy future, it’s time…

Details

Wind gets cheaper, but energy for building turbines wanes

Press, UncategorizedBy Admin April 8, 2015

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…

Details

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

Blog, UncategorizedBy Admin April 6, 2015

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…

Details

CHP Interest Heating Up in Michigan

Blog, Insights, UncategorizedBy Admin April 2, 2015

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…

Details