GLREA News
Since 2009, Michigan customers that generate their own renewable electricity and feed it back into the grid received the full retail rate (i.e. “net metering”). This changed with the 2016 passage of Public Acts 341 & 342, which replaced net metering with a “Distributed Generation” (DG) tariff for new customers. Existing net metering customers are grandfathered for 10 years from when their system came online. New DG customers are paid a lower “outflow rate” for energy they sell back to the grid.
Back in May, Indiana-Michigan Power (I&M) filed a rate case with the MPSC. Most of I&Ms customers are in Indiana, but their service territory includes parts of Southwestern Michigan. I&M’s application proposed that DG customer outflow would be paid at wholesale electric rates (in utility parlance, “Locational Marginal Price”, or LMP). That rate is about 3 cents/kWh. GLREA intervened in the case, and worked with other organizations to negotiate a settlement agreement with I&M.
As part of that settlement, I&M DG customer outflow will be paid at I&M’s “power supply” cost, including transmission. Based on the standard residential tariff, that works out to 11.375 cents/kWh. Solar customers that switch to I&M’s Time-of-Use tariff may come out even better. The credit will apply to the entire bill, except for the fixed monthly charge. Not only is this several times more than the company proposed, it is also better than the DTE DG outflow rate, which is computed at their power supply cost minus transmission costs, 7.477 cents/kWh. Consumers Energy will file their rate case (which will determine the DG outflow rate) around February 28th. The GLREA will be active in that case as well.
At the January GLREA board meeting, Melanie McCoy was elected President, Mark Clevey was elected Vice-President, Cary Church was elected Treasurer, and John Sarver was elected Secretary.
Michigan News
MPSC Administrative Law Judge has issued a 197-page opinion recommending the Commission insist on major revisions to DTE’s Integrated Resource Plan. Environmental and consumer advocates argued successfully that DTE’s proposed plan undervalued energy efficiency and renewables while also unnecessarily lengthening the life of coal plants. Among ALJ Sally Wallace’s 15 recommendations to the MPSC was a critical finding that DTE's IRP is "not a workable remedy" and that the company should therefore "be required to file an updated IRP 24-30 months after the Commission issues its order in this case."
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A2Zero was launched in November by the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations following a City Council resolution to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. A2Zero addresses energy, mobility, resource reduction, and adaptation and resilience. The initiative will encourage a transition to renewable energy, design a zero-carbon transportation network and minimize waste. In collaboration with more than 50 partners, A2Zero plans to host dozens of public events, run online public engagement, and work with 4 technical advisory committees.
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Legislation To Increase Michigan’s Clean Energy Standard has been announced by state Rep. Yousef Rabhi (D-Ann Arbor) and state Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit). Under the bills, Michigan utilities would have to use renewable sources to generate 25% of their energy by 2025, 50% by 2032, 75% by 2040 and 100% by 2050. Currently, Michigan has a renewable portfolio standard of 15% by 2021. The eligible technologies include wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric power, geothermal electric and heat pumps and anaerobic digestion.
Tesla has reached an agreement with Michigan’s Attorney General that will allow the company to sell its cars directly in the state, bringing a multiyear legal battle to an end. Because of a state law that forces automakers to work through dealers, would-be Tesla customers in Michigan have had to travel to neighboring states to buy a Tesla. Tesla owners had to do the same to get their vehicles serviced. But that will now change. Tesla will now be able to make deliveries in Michigan, and also walk customers through the buying process at its lone showroom in the state. The company will also likely open more showrooms and service centers.
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Beyond Michigan
Kansas will begin issuing new personalized license plates that celebrate the state’s status as a power player for renewable energy. The new design features wind turbines profiled against a sunrise. Wind power in Kansas grew six-fold from 2009 to 2018, and a report last year found that Kansas had more than 36% of its total electricity coming from wind power.
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Denmark sourced 47% of its power from wind in 2019, setting a new wind energy record for the country. That’s up from 41% in 2018 and 43% in 2017. Denmark leads Europe in wind energy, with Ireland coming in second, sourcing 28% of its power from wind in 2018. In the EU, wind power made up 14% of energy consumption in 2019. Offshore wind turbines provide 18% and onshore turbines provide 29% of Denmark’s power.
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Los Angeles’ first commercial building to implement solar-generated technology into a building’s façade can be seen on Sunset Boulevard. Designed by Gensler and developed by Hudson Pacific Properties, the building, named EPIC, comprises 13 stories of creative office space, and will be the home of streaming giant Netflix starting late spring 2020.
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O3 Energy is moving ahead with a 12-month regulatory sandbox pilot program for its Brooklyn Microgrid project. The pilot program will allow participants in the microgrid project to trade energy attributes on LO3 Energy’s software platform. LO3 has run Brooklyn Microgrid as a test project since 2016. The project began in the Park Slope neighborhood as a way for tenants with solar power panels to track their solar output and eventually to swap energy among participants.
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Microsoft intends to be “carbon negative” by 2030 and pledges that by 2050 it will have removed enough carbon to offset all its emissions since the company was founded in 1975. Microsoft plans to shift to 100% renewable energy by 2025 and electrify its corporate vehicle fleet by 2030. The company is also changing an internal carbon tax that its corporate divisions have been paying since 2012. The tax, $15 per metric ton of carbon, will be expanded to apply to emissions across Microsoft’s supply chain and include the emissions related to customers’ use of products. Microsoft uses the tax to pay for initiatives to reduce emissions.
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Events
Energy 101: Understanding the Basics of Renewable Energy Options in Michigan will be presented on February 11, 2:30-4:00 pm at GVSU DeVos Center, 401 Fulton Street West, Lecture Hall 138-E. Margrethe Kearney & Bruce Goodman will talk about how energy generation, sales, and use are regulated in the state of Michigan and how advocacy can be more effective.
Community Solar Project presentation, sponsored by Michigan Energy Options (MEO), will be held on Feb. 20, 6:00-7:00 pm at the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Rd. John Kinch, Executive Director of MEO, will provide an overview of the East Lansing Community Solar Park.
The Grid: 2020 webinar will be held on Feb. 20, 10:00-10:45. What is the current shape of our transmission and distribution grid? What upgrades are being made or need to be made in order to handle all the renewable energy being developed? Gretchen Bakke, PhD, has literally written the book on
The Grid. Subtitled “The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future,”
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Establishing Pollinator Habitat at E.L. Community Solar Park presentation, sponsored by MEO, will be held on Feb. 27, 6:00-7:00 pm at the E.L. Public Library, 950 Abbot Rd. Esther Durnwald has owned and operated Michigan Wildflower Farm with her husband Bill since 1996. She will talk about seeding of native wildflowers and prairie grasses at the E.L. Community Solar Park and why certain species were chosen.
Climate Leadership Conference will be held on March 4-6 in Detroit. The annual conference is North America’s premier event dedicated to addressing the climate crisis through policy, innovation, and business solutions.
https://climateleadershipconference.org/
Michigan Climate Action Summit will be held in Ann Arbor on March 12. The 2020 Summit will focus on how Michigan can make the most just and rapid transition to renewable energy.
Solar Storage Informational Training will be held on March 12, 8:45-11:30 am at CBS Solar, 16880 Front St., Copemish. Tesla Power Wall possibilities will be discussed. To sign up, call 231-378-2936 or email
vicki@cbssolar.com
The NetZero Build Summit will be held at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi on March 25-26. The Summit is designed to facilitate networking with the sustainable build community and allows the latest projects to be showcased.
Solar Basics for Homeowners, sponsored by MEO, will be held on March 26, 6:00-7:00 pm at the E.L. Public Library, 950 Abbot Rd. John Sarver, GLREA board member, will talk about solar basics, things to consider before buying a solar system, community solar as an option for homeowners, and resources available to help the potential solar owner.
Michigan EIBC’s 8th Annual Energy Innovators Conference will be held April 22, 8:30-5:00 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing. The event brings together leaders in Michigan’s advanced energy industry, utility executives, policymakers, regulators and others.
Join ASES at SOLAR 20/20: Renewable Energy Vision, June 23-26 at George Washington University in Washington D.C. ASES looks forward to seeing everyone with an interest in clean energy, driving a new renewable economy, and implementing sustainable policies. Learn more and register at
ases.org/conference.
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