LANSING – State Sen. Mike Nofs, chair of the Senate Energy and Technology Committee, has conceded that in order to get Democrats on board with his energy policy proposal, there will be an increased renewable energy standard of 15 percent by 2021, which would put Michigan ahead of some states in the Midwest but well behind others.
According to an August 2016 analysis by the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, every state around Michigan has a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), except for Indiana, which has a renewable portfolio goal (of 10 percent by 2025). Michigan’s goal currently – which utilities have met – was to generate 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2015 (some non-renewable alternative sources are permitted as well).
Amendments to both Nofs’ bill (SB 437) and a companion bill (SB 438) by Sen. John Proos (R-St. Joseph) would increase the RPS for Michigan to 15 percent when the Senate meets again in November. It is expected the chamber will vote on energy policy right away.
Assuming the legislation is enacted, Michigan would be ahead of Wisconsin’s expired standard (10 percent by 2015) and Ohio (12.5 percent by 2026) in terms of an RPS, but it would be behind New York (50 percent by 2030) and Pennsylvania (18 percent by 2021, including some non-renewable alternative sources).
Minnesota’s RPS is 26.5 percent by 2025 (31.5 percent by 2020 for its primary utility, Xcel), and Iowa’s RPS is 105 megawatts without a timeframe, the DSIRE analysis shows.
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