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Huron County Seeks Clarification on Taxes

2013-05-23T13:21:19+00:00

The Board of Commissioners for Huron County have resolved to not take any more action regarding wind energy projects until Michigan clarifies the legislation and taxation of wind turbine. (See background in previous blog posts: Depreciation Methodology for Wind Turbines Challenged and Property Tax Change on Wind Turbines). Therefore, it has decided not to act on a request to release 26 acres in Windsor Township from restricted farmland preservation use to allow the building of a planned substation for the new Thumb Loop transmission line. Meanwhile, counties that have wind energy projects developed or under development (including Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola and Gratiot Counties) have formed the Michigan Renewable Energy Coalition. The MREC has been lobbying the State Tax Commission to formulate a fair process to determine accurate used turbine values and depreciation schedules. A "multiplier committee" of MREC and local equalization officials and utility representatives has been formed at the State Tax Commission to address the depreciation issue.

Graphene Technology Increases Anode Capacity for Lithium-Ion Batteries

2013-05-15T13:53:33+00:00

XG Sciences Inc. of Lansing has used its proprietary know-how to improve lithium-ion battery capacity by a factor of four over conventional anodes. Using graphene nanoplatelet anode material not only improves charge storage capacity, but it also has good cycle life and high efficiencies. The company has engineered the nano-materials and processes to produce anode materials that are available at commercially reasonable prices. The goal is to have a material that can be inserted relatively easily into the complex battery production process. This minimizes the need for major changes to electrode coating processes or assembly techniques. The most immediate application is expected in consumer electronics such as smartphones and tablet computers that use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. There is also on-going R&D focused on hybrid and electric vehicles, grid storage, military, and specialty industrial applications. “As the world’s largest producer of graphene nanoplatelets, we have the capacity and production expertise to produce battery materials efficiently and effectively, and we have global production partners," said Mike Knox, XG Sciences CEO.

Courts to Rule on Wind Issues

2013-05-13T13:06:59+00:00

Seventeen neighbors of the Consumers Energy Lake Wind Energy Park have filed a complaint in Mason County claiming the wind farm has negatively impacted property values and caused sleep disruption, headaches, ringing ears, dizziness, stress, extreme fatigue, nausea, and other physical and mental problems. A cease and desist order is being sought, together with damage awards, in a jury trial. In Clinton County, Forest Hill Energy-Fowler Farms LLC is suing Essex, Dallas, and Bengal townships for adopting ordinances that effectively block its wind farm development. The county had previously granted a special land use permit to Forest Hill Energy for its $120 million wind project, http://foresthillenergy.wordpress.com/ and the townships have moved to override that permit.

DOE Renews MSU Biofuels Funding

2013-05-08T13:02:20+00:00

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $25 million per year for another five years to fund the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. Michigan State University is a partner in the Center which is physically based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Center supports nearly 400 researchers, students and staff working in disciplines ranging from microbiology to economics to plant biology to engineering aimed at advanced cellulosic biofuels technologies.

Energy Innovation with Nanoparticles

2013-05-06T12:50:25+00:00

Grid Logic Incorporated of Lapeer is developing a low-cost superconducting wire for electric utility application. Using a new manufacturing technique, it will embed very fine particles into metals to induce superconductivity. This will reduce the cost of transmission lines, motors, wind turbines, and other electric devices. At Michigan Technological University in Houghton research on growing manganese dioxide nanorods may lead to new high performance electric capacitors. By minimizing internal resistance, such material will store more energy, allow extraction of energy more quickly, and operate longer between recharging. University of Michigan labs in Ann Arbor have added silver nanoparticles to increase solar cell efficiency by 8 percent.The nanoparticles also allow for thinner silicon layers, which means lower costs (ten times less silicon used) and flexible substrates for solar panels.

Community Solar Success

2013-05-03T13:33:07+00:00

Cherryland Electric Cooperative has installed 48 solar panels on a site adjacent to its offices in Grawn.

Individual customers have signed up to lease each panel for 25 years for a one-time fee of $470 per solar panel. A rebate of up to $150 will be given the customer to account for energy optimization credits. The customer will also receive a monthly billing credit for the electricity produced by the solar panel, which is expected to be at least 25 kWh per month. As many as 360 panels will be installed on the racking at the site, depending on customer support.

Annual Meeting of Energy Group

2013-05-01T12:25:23+00:00

The Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council held its Annual Meeting on April 17 in Lansing and elected new Board members. The meeting featured a solar industry panel discussion and a keynote address on the Department of Energy’s New Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative. The new Board is composed of top officials from Astraeus Wind Energy, Growth Capital Network, Novi Energy, Ecotelligent Homes, Dowding Industries, Advanced Energy Group, Dow Chemical Company, TOGGLED, Sakti 3, First Energy Finance, Wind Resource LLC, and Ventower Industries. These are companies already engaged in wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal, energy storage, and energy efficiency businesses. Committees on policy and advocacy, membership and marketing, and market and business development were also formed. The group participated in all seven energy forums held around Michigan in February, March, and April.

Energy Forums Concluded

2013-04-29T12:20:45+00:00

With the conclusion of the last of the seven energy forums ordered by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in November, the next stage of fact-finding is underway. The schedule describes the May-June period as the time when the two forum chairs will be “outlining reports in each program and laying out plan for development of information that is not yet available.” The following three months is reserved for “compilation/development of information.” October-November will see the release of draft reports for public feedback. Final reports will be released in the November-December timeframe. Gov. Snyder will be “making his comprehensive recommendations regarding Michigan’s energy future in December of 2013.” See www.michigan.gov/energy

Wind Buoy Goes Back into Lake Michigan

2013-04-26T13:15:14+00:00

The Grand Valley State University Wind Sentinel research buoy, one of only three in the world, will be returned to Lake Michigan this month. It will be placed about seven miles offshore, northwest of the Muskegon Channel, for its third research season. The project is running short of funding, and its future activities beyond this year are uncertain. Project partners include researchers from: Michigan Technological University, who are studying wind turbulence; Michigan Natural Features Inventory, a component of the Michigan State University Extension program, who are studying bird and bat activity (and who confirmed for the first time ever last summer that bats do fly over the Great Lakes); and the University of Michigan, who are conducting research on large data sets.

Exporting Pure Michigan: Time for Michigan’s Energy Supply Chain to Look Abroad

2013-04-24T14:09:25+00:00

Two years ago President Obama challenged the nation to increase its exports. American exports are up 34 percent since that time, with 70 percent of total exports being manufactured goods. “Made in America” still has a huge cache around the world. “Made in Michigan” can and should have significance overseas as well. Now is the time for Michigan’s alternative energy supply chain and manufacturers to look abroad for new markets, niche and otherwise. The demand for electricity is exploding in emerging markets of developing and less developed countries. The Kyoto Treaty and other international efforts are aimed at satisfying this demand with renewable resources rather than fossil fuels. With its technology, engineering, and lean manufacturing prowess, Michigan could be on the leading edge of this effort. The export market is wide open. Let’s go to work on exporting “Pure Michigan.”