Blog

Women & Environment Symposium – Friday, Feb. 7

On Friday 2/7, 5 Lakes Energy’s Jamie Scripps will moderate an afternoon panel on “Citizen Action” at the Third Annual “Women & Environment Symposium” to be held at the Eberhard Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  The panel will include acclaimed ecologist and author Dr. Sandra Steingraber, State Representative Winnie Brinks, Kent County Commissioner Candace Chivis, …

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Our Renewable Energy Future

A conversation with energetic Skip Pruss Patrick Sullivan – December 30th, 2013   Published in the Northern Express at:  http://www.northernexpress.com/michigan/article-6199-our-renewable-future.html Stanley “Skip” Pruss is an advocate of renewable energy with an impressive résumé — he served as director of the Department of Environmental Quality under Gov. Granholm. Later, in her administration, Pruss was director of …

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Energy Innovators Awards Gala

Join Mi-EIBC for a night of networking, awards and discussion on Michigan’s advanced energy future! Keynote Speaker: Jigar Shah, founder of SunEdison, the world’s largest solar services company, and now consultant and author. Monday, October 28, 2013 6 PM Reception, 7 PM Dinner Kellogg Center, Big 10 Room B, 219 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI Mi-EIBC’s first annual fundraising gala …

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Accepting New REC Aggregation Enrollments – Deadline Nov. 8

We are accepting new enrollments into our REC Aggregation Program through Friday, November 8. NEW OPPORTUNITY: We will accept applications from owners of small wind systems. As before, we will continue to accept applications from owners of solar systems. If you are a solar developer, please contact us for a special opportunity tailored to your …

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5LE REC Aggregation Update – Recent Transactions and Outlook

It was observed by MPSC staff in 2012 that small renewable system owners, especially those not participating in a major utility program, were not yet gaining access to the Renewable Energy Credit (REC) market in Michigan.  At that time, and after consultation with the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA), MPSC staff encouraged 5 Lakes …

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What We Are Reading this Week – Changing Utility Models Plus Solar Equals Comments from FERC Chair Wellinghoff

It is getting late on a Labor Day Friday but I wanted to chime in before I check out on What We Are Reading this week at 5 Lakes Energy: Here is a great Friday blog by Advanced Energy Economy on the coming challenges to the traditional utility model as solar decreases in cost. http://blog.aee.net/news-utilities–are-they-dinosaurs-telecoms-or-in-transition?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=10140526&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_1bB17ewITrWLps-6o0BFZGHthEPEZTqJjvDgi73oCCCNsWh-5wIZ5von8cfLavwwvPyHI59bgO0my5vGdKL8VrxXu4Q&_hsmi=10140526 …

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Continually Decreasing Cost of Wind Falls Lower

Wind is the largest portion of Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).  Our current RPS (Public Act 295 of 2008) was passed in 2008 by a bi-partisan legislature and established a requirement that Michigan investor owned utilities, cooperatives, and municipal utilities generate 10% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2015. Michigan’s investor owned utilities are …

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Disruptive Challenges in the Michigan Energy Market

The United States stands at a crossroads with regards to its energy future. New technologies, new policy mechanisms, new sources of energy, and outmoded delivery systems, as well as the increasing awareness of the need for reliable, affordable and cleaner energy, are posing additional challenges for state energy infrastructures. To help chart this future, six …

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What we are reading this week at 5 Lakes – Energy Sector Vulnerabilities to Climate Change, Intelligent Energy Efficiency, and more

The clean energy sector is always fast-moving but lately it seems like the changes are lightening paced.  Below is a sample of the latest reports and discussions we are following at 5LE: DOE recently released a study reviewing how Climate Change and Extreme Weather events will challenge the energy sector highlighting vulnerabilities. http://energy.gov/downloads/us-energy-sector-vulnerabilities-climate-change-and-extreme-weather Greentech Media …

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New Tool to Compare Public Utility Comissions from AEE

A new tool was recently announced by the national clean energy organization Advanced Energy Economy to further understanding of Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) around the country. The PUCs – in Michigan called the Michigan Public Service Commission – regulate over $100 billion of energy investments each year. To help the public better understand this complex, …

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