Clean Energy In the News

Despite an intense focus on jobs and economy this election season, most pundits ignored the $20-billion drain on our state in the cost of imported fossil fuels, a major drag on our struggling economy. Not only are we exporting thousands of jobs and our hard-earned dollars in order to import polluting fuels, we are not capitalizing on Michigan's enormous manufacturing and generating potential for homegrown, clean energy.

Fortunately, 87 candidates for state office stood up for energy independence by supporting a "New Energy Future" platform endorsed by more than 250 organizations nationwide. This bodes well for Michigan's energy future.

A "New Energy Future" means:

• Tapping into the renewable energy boom by investing in Michigan's clean energy manufacturing potential.

The New Energy Future platform includes investing $5 billion over the next 10 years (including existing investments such as the 21st Century Jobs Fund) to catapult Michigan into a next-generation energy leader. Michigan can and should use its unparalleled industrial power to supply wind, solar and geothermal equipment to the United States and abroad. This is essential to creating high-tech manufacturing jobs and bringing new investment to our state. If we continue to act slowly, others will fill the void -- as Pennsylvania, Illinois and Wisconsin are doing.

• Tapping into our massive potential to generate homegrown, clean electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and sustainable biofuels.

Michigan is the 14th windiest state -- with enough wind potential to power the entire state -- yet we have only three commercial turbines, less than any state in the top 20. The primary reason is that we do not have a renewable energy standard, which requires a percentage of electricity to come from renewable sources. Twenty-one other states have this standard, and the New Energy Future platform includes a standard of 25% by 2025, although even current proposals for 10% by 2015 would put Michigan on the right track.

• Saving millions for Michigan consumers on their energy bills through energy efficient homes, buildings and appliances.

The New Energy Future platform calls for a 10% reduction in energy by 2025 and for passing an appliance efficiency standards bill. Virtually every segment of Michigan's economy can use energy more efficiently, from the appliances in our kitchens to the windows in our office buildings and the motors in our factories. Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest and most reliable option to fulfill projected energy demand increases.

• Not continuing to expand the dirty, expensive, imported energy sources we currently use for electricity, primarily coal, natural gas and uranium (for nuclear plants). Unfortunately, despite the fact that 7.7 million Michiganders live in places where the air is literally unsafe to breathe and that Michigan spends more than $20 billion to import energy, the energy industry's plan is to import more dirty energy into the state. Our lawmakers and governor should say no to new coal or nukes until we maximize renewables and energy efficiency, the best choices by any measure.

Now is the time for our elected leaders to take the first steps to move Michigan toward a New Energy Future. We have a once-in-a-generation chance to change our course from old, dirty, fossil-fuel based energy to one that uses our immense potential for clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency.

All that has been lacking to date is the political will to act. Perhaps that's changed. For sure, Michigan cannot afford to wait any longer.

MIKE SHRIBERG, PhD, is director of Environment Michigan, based in Ann Arbor. Contact him at mshriberg@environmentmichigan.org.