Clean Energy In the News

Some area Congressman, like Flint Democrat Dale E. Kildee, are pushing for legislation to create a national renewable energy standard that scientists say would recharge Michigan's economy.

Others, like U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, haven't signed on yet.

Supporters want to see utilities increase their use of renewable energy like wind, solar and biomass to 20 percent by 2020.

Nationally, about 6 percent of the nation's electricity comes from renewable sources, according to the Department of Energy.

More than 20 other states have adopted their own renewable energy standards; Michigan isn't one of them.

Ramping up to a 20 percent national standard would generate 4,800 new jobs in Michigan per year, lower electric and natural gas bills and slash global warming pollution, according to a recent analysis released by the Union of Concerned Scientists and Environment Michigan.

Several commercial-scale wind farms already are under construction or planned for construction in Michigan's Thumb.

Some developers are waiting for a state or national standard, which would spur coal-burning utilities to contract with renewable energy suppliers for more renewable power.

''I think that it makes good sense,'' Kildee said of the proposed national standard.

''I think it would be very helpful to the economy, helpful to the environment.''

Stupak, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is still making up his mind about the 20 percent by 2020 standard, proposed in a House bill sponsored by Reps. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Todd Platts, R-Pa.

''The Congressman is aware of the bill, but has not decided yet whether he will co-sponsor it,'' said Stupak spokesman Alex Haurek.

Kildee signed recently signed on as one of more than 100 co-sponsors.

Abby Rubley, field director with Environment Michigan, a statewide nonprofit in Ann Arbor, said supporters hope to see the 20 percent standard added to a national energy bill being taken up in the next few weeks by the House Energy committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn.

The Senate already has passed an energy bill that doesn't include the standard, but senators have supported a standard three times in the last five years, Rubley said.

If the House adds a 20 percent standard to this year's energy bill, a conference committee will hopefully keep the standard intact in final legislation that goes to the president, she said.

Kildee calls the House bill ''very, very balanced.''

Besides adding jobs, a 20 percent standard would represent a $377 million boon to farmers, ranchers and rural landowners who produce biomass energy or lease their land to wind developers and save state residents $160 million on energy bills by reducing demand for fossil fuels and lowering natural gas and electricity prices, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science-based nonprofit headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.

''Across the U.S., it would be equivalent to taking 36.4 million cars off the road,'' Rubley said, quoting the report.

More information on the study is online at www.ucsusa.org.

- Jeff Kart covers the environment and politics for The Times. He can be reached at 894-9639 or by e-mail at jkart@bc-times.com.