WASHINGTON DC ? The Department of Energy will give grants to three Michigan organizations to help make solar energy systems more cost effective. The three organizations to receive awards are: * Cascade Engineering, Grand Rapids, $602,623: Racking system for commercial rooftops using polymers. * Raymond Tinnerman Manufacturing, Rochester Hills, $1.67 million: Bracket system for commercial
LANSING ? Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and his colleagues in most of the other Great Lakes states have said they are expanding a coalition to try to seal off a connection between the lakes and the Mississippi River that has allowed for invasive species to travel between the waterways. While the issue of preventing
LANSING - Consumers Energy has paid Michigan companies $2.8 million and awarded $71 million in multi-year contracts in the first three months of its involvement in the state's new Pure Michigan Business Connect initiative. The public/private initiative announced in June could mean as much as $3 billion would be available to Michigan businesses. The utility
DETROIT? DTE Energy is more than halfway to its renewable energy goal with a contract to purchase 120 megawatts from a wind farm in Tuscola, Bay and Saginaw counties. The $485 million contract with Tuscola Bay Wind LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, was approved Thursday by the Michigan Public Service Commission. DTE Energy will
DETROIT - NextCat, developed with Wayne State University technology and incubated at TechTown, was awarded nearly $500,000 from the National Science Foundation, bringing total investment in the biofuel company to $1.3 million. The $498,830 grant was a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research award. NextCat is working to advance a biofuel catalyst technology developed at
LANSING - The Public Service Commission's approval of a settlement agreement regarding Detroit Edison's 2010 uncollectible expense true-up mechanism will result in a $7 million credit to customers. The Public Service Commission approved the settlement Thursday (Case No. U-16574), meaning an average residential customer will see a one-time credit of $1.24 on September's bill. ALPENA
LANSING - What was billed in 2009 as the largest renewable energy corporate complex in the United States - on the site of the former Ford Wixom Assembly Plant - is still waiting for a transformation and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is also waiting. The Detroit Free Press this week chronicled how Xtreme Power
NOVI - The Battery Show, to be held October 25-27 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, is not only a platform to showcase products and services, but also a forum for industry leaders and stakeholders to gather and discuss critical issues. In its second year, the show offers a two-track conference on battery business
LANSING - Moving from coal to natural gas to power Michigan homes and businesses would have a positive economic impact on the state, increase employment levels and add to state and local tax revenues, contends a study by Michigan State University. MSU marketing economist Bill Knudson did the study that was paid for by The
ROCHESTER HILLS - General Motors Ventures made its sixth investment last week, investing $7.5 million into solar panel maker Sunlogics to build solar-powered electric charging stations for the Chevy Volt electric car. GM Ventures, the venture capital arm of General Motors, has invested $45 million into a variety of start-ups, mostly in cleantech and vehicle