LANSING – Renewable energy facilities located in Michigan renaissance zones would include places where agricultural crops are used to create energy under legislation being considered by the House Agriculture Committee.
Rep. Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City), the committee chair, has introduced HB 5100 , which adds “agricultural crops” to the definition of renewable energy facility.
Currently “residues from agricultural products” is included in the definition, but Mayes said that wouldn’t include a crop like corn that is used for energy but isn’t a byproduct of something else.
Mayes said the bill isn’t a response to any facility currently looking to locate in the state, but it opens the statute up to more opportunities for alternative energy in the future.
The bill will likely receive a hearing before the committee sometime this fall, he said.
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