Does/Will/Can Michigan have an Energy Policy?

by Bruce Goodman 

What does it take for a state (that is not California) to have an energy policy?  The question is timely because elections are approaching and one would hope the candidates would address all the important issues.  But will anyone take a public stand on unresolved energy issues: increasing the renewable portfolio standard percentage; new coal-fired generation; feed-in tariffs; standby rates; recommendations of the Great Lakes Wind Council or the Climate Action Council?  I suspect not.  Thus come January we are likely to continue with state energy policy “on the fly”, with a dash of gridlock and pinch of skepticism.  Let the Feds make the hard decisions on GHG regulation and renewable energy standards.  Term limits have done their job—left Michigan with a legislature with little institutional memory and little legislative expertise to address complicated issues such as energy.  Hey, how about energy platforms and energy debates in all the state races so that we can get these issues on the table.  Watt would be wrong with that?