Since the passage of PA 233 in 2023 there has been much progress in siting renewable energy projects in Michigan. Representatives of developers of utility-scale solar projects in Michigan say that the financial incentives in this bill have motivated communities to accept solar developments in their community. So far, the state has awarded $24.3 million out of $30 million set aside under the Renewables Ready Communities Award (RRCA) program. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/5d5c6ee565444e02bb7e1734cd18809e A renewable ready community is one that has adopted a compatible renewable energy ordinance (CREO). A CREO is an ordinance that is no stricter than the criteria as outlined in the Michigan Law PA 233.
Many townships have elected to pursue a route called a workable ordinance. This is where the township passes an ordinance that does not adhere to all of the parameters as outlined in PA 233, however, a developer finds their ordinance acceptable enough where they can build a solar or wind farm that can be profitable.
A good example of this happened recently in Raisinville Township in Monroe County. Prior to the passage of PA 233, the township had such a restrictive ordinance that developers decided not to pursue projects there. During the public comment period of the township board meeting around the proposed new ordinance, there were numerous comments opposing a loosening of the current restrictive criteria, as well as a significant number of comments in favor of the solar development.
At the end of the public comment period, the chair of the township board explained to the audience that it was in the township’s best interest to negotiate with the solar farm developer. He said that if they worked with the developer, they could get terms more in line with the township’s desires. If they let it go to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), like many in the crowd advocated for, they would end up with the mandated requirements in the state law. It appeared that the supportive statements in favor of renewables made during the public comment period made it easier for the board to stand their ground, which was adopted in November 2024. https://www.raisinville.org/mt-content/uploads/2024/11/solarzoamend50mw_finaladopted_11-18-2024.pdf
A proposed solar development in Genesee County has an interesting but not unusual situation. A proposed solar project by EDF Power Solutions crosses the borders of Forest and Thetford townships. Several members of the Nepessing 5 Rivers Group (N5RG) met with members of the Thetford Township planning commission and board for a frank discussion about the barriers to the project. The N5RG was able to come up with suggestions to overcome almost all the barriers, however Forest Township has been dead set against the development. Unless both townships come up with a workable ordinance, the proposed project will go to the MPSC for approval. This type of situation is not the only one in the state.
One common misconception is that the expansion of renewable energy projects is only happening in rural areas where solar and wind farms are being sited. This is not true. To create a reliable energy source from solar and wind projects, batteries need to be part of a system. There are many brownfield sites throughout the state that are zoned for industrial development, and most of these sites are in urban areas. Frequently, they have a high voltage electrical line nearby that previously serviced an industrial facility. This is ideal for utility-scale battery placement. Michigan is poised to be the U.S. leader in battery energy storage systems. https://graham.umich.edu/media/files/BESS-guide.pdf
In the recently passed federal budget reconciliation bill (HR 1), the tax credits for wind and solar developments are scheduled to end for projects put in service after December 31, 2027. There is an exception for projects that started construction within 12 months of the bill’s enactment. This will certainly slow down progress on transitioning to clean energy that PA 233 has created. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/republican-tax-bill-credits-china?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=canary
Eliminating support for utility-scale solar and wind under HR 1 would be a catastrophic mistake, effectively surrendering America’s leadership in the global clean energy race to China, which already holds a commanding lead. This move would cripple our ability to compete in one of the most critical industries of the 21st century, threatening our economic future and energy security. It would also lead to sharply higher utility bills for American families. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/unpacking-the-feoc-provisions-in-the-senate-finance-reconciliation-bill/
We cannot rest on our laurels. The opposition to clean energy is doing all they can to overturn our hard-fought achievements. We should be able site a significant number of clean energy facilities in Michigan in the next two years. This is a critical time to build momentum to ensure a strong, sustainable clean energy future for Michigan, and to increase the demands for moving our state forward in the fight against climate change.
Your help is needed to speed the siting process along. You can help in several ways, including writing letters to the editor, tabling at gatherings, posting on social media, speaking at township meetings or many other ways. There are a lot of options to help with this effort, and we want you to do what you are most comfortable doing. If you want to help, contact Mike Buza at theoriginalzuba@yahoo.com.