Posted on 11/29/2023 7:08:59 AM PST by Red Badger
On November 28, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bills that will revamp electricity generation in the state.
The new measures include a requirement for utilities to achieve a 100% clean energy standard by 2040. The measures also transfer authority over large-scale wind and solar projects from local governments to the state’s Public Service Commission.
Whitmer emphasized that Michigan is well-equipped, both in terms of its workforce and the newly enacted legislation, to foster robust economic growth in the clean energy sector. The impact of the new laws will be felt in areas such as project locations, electricity sources, and power bills, though there is disagreement about the financial implications.
Whitmer claimed that the measures would lead to a $145 annual reduction in household energy costs. Meanwhile, Republicans argued that banning fossil fuels in Michigan would make life more expensive, as renewable project costs would be passed on to customers.
Whitmer is basing her optimism on the projected decline in the cost of renewable energy generation. A UK study earlier this year forecasted that solar generation costs would decline 60% between 2020 and 2050.
The 100% clean energy requirement
According to The Detroit News, the bills will require Michigan utilities to obtain 80% of their power from clean energy sources between 2035 and 2039. By 2040, the Michigan grid must be 100% clean, and fossil fuels will be banned.
The legislation defines renewable sources like wind and solar as clean energy sources. Other power sources that are considered clean include nuclear power and natural gas systems with high carbon capture capabilities. Natural gas systems must be able to capture at least 90% of their emissions to be considered clean.
The laws have attracted criticism from environmental groups for their endorsement of carbon capture technology. Many environmentalists consider carbon capture to be an impractical solution to climate change.
Last week, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said that companies will need to spend $3.5 trillion on carbon capture to limit global warming. This is equivalent to the global oil and gas industry’s entire annual sales.
Simplifying clean energy project approval
The bills also streamline the process for launching large-scale wind and solar projects across Michigan. State officials view the growing opposition at the local level, particularly in rural areas, as a significant obstacle to the clean energy transition.
At present, local government entities such as townships, cities, and counties possess the authority to establish zoning regulations and other policies that impede the development of large wind and solar projects within their jurisdictions.
This has been a recurring issue in Michigan, as demonstrated in Keene Township in Ionia County. Township officials, who previously supported a solar project capable of generating 100 megawatts of energy across 500 acres, were subjected to a recall earlier this year.
The new laws grant the Michigan Public Service Commission, a state-level entity composed of three appointees of the governor, the authority to approve large-scale wind and solar projects. This provides developers with an alternative route to bypass resistance at the local level.
Critics argue that these changes will erode local control. However, proponents believe they will protect personal property rights, allowing landowners who wish to host wind and solar projects to proceed without obstruction.
Sounds like she wants Michigan to be a forest preserve.
This is like slaughtering all the horses when the horseless carriage is just being started.................
Keep letting them cheat and they will indubitably ruin the entire country.
...the state, this country...may not EXIST by 2040.
In Atlas Shrugged, remember John Galt worked for an Auto Company where he created his revolutionary engine, the Children of the owner took over the company and completely changed the pay structure so those who needed the money got paid more than those who already had money, it resulted in the bankruptcy of the company.
In Michigan today, similar things are happening. The Auto Industry built Detroit and Michigan, now the politicians are actively trying to put the industry out of business.
“No. It’s not idiocy.
Whitmer and her co-conspirators know what they’re doing. Their destructive acts are deliberately evil.”
Yes. To call it idiocy is to trivialize the threat. Sadly, the public supports this evil.
And the clapping seals standing around her are just as nuts!
You hit the nail on the head.
The technology isn’t there for us to transition to electric cars and clean green energy and all of that.
But liberals in positions of political power are overzealous and trying to force feed us Into this transition.
Even if, for sake of argument , you want to say that we should all be driving electric cars, there is no way our electrical grids could handle hundreds of millions of electric cars charging as of today.
Even if , for sake of argument ,myou want to say that we should have electricity generated by windmills and solar, we do not have the ability to generate all of the power that we use by those methods as of today.
Going back to the stone ages! That said, this is meaningless but should make for good campaign fodder.
Freezing in the Dark - 2040
excellent point.
Maybe someday we will have electrical generating capacity to recharge all of the electric cars that were supposed to be driving. But we are decades away from that even if it does happen in our future.
What is needed is that before 2040 politicians like Witmer are banned forever.
Beautiful, isn't it? Compared to this!
If they ban fossil fuels that would have to include tires also to say nothing of hoses and belts. Take the belts out of the electric furnaces. .
The "green energy" isn't there for us to transition to electric cars and dirty "green" energy and all of that.
All fed by the lie of ‘climate change’.
There is no ‘climate change’ that is of any consequence.
For 4 billion years the climate has changed, up and down, and all around.
Man cannot change it.
Man cannot stop it.
Man cannot affect it more than a miniscule amount.
These ignorant people are ruining everything 10 thousand years of civilization has built up.
There is no such thing a ‘green energy’ or any other color energy.
Energy is not ‘renewable’ nor is it ‘sustainable’ in any way shape or form. You either have it or you don’t.
There are long term energy sources, nuclear for instance, but that doesn’t fit their plans for total control. Cheap energy is anathema to their objectives.
These people are worse than ignorant savages in the Amazon jungles.
An ignorant savage can be educated......................
Whitmer is making sure that Michiganders will freeze in the dark and voters and those in local control cannot stop her.
“sever Michigan from the rest of the US power grid! and lets see how successful they are!”
Fine, but we have much of the water on planet Earth and we’ll see how long that lasts LOL. Seriously, it seems that every eight years we swing from totally red to totally blue on the state level, there is no purple. I’d wager that WHitler is going to be picked by Gruesome Newsome and the real good news is that Trump will reduce Whitler to one IQ point above Kamala and looking forward to that fun!
Stupid witch.
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