by Bruce Goodman

Pro Renewables of Portage, Michigan plans to make it possible for industry to use wasted energy to produce its own electricity. As the Midwest distributor of the 50 kW Green Machine produced by ElectraTherm Inc., the company will be selling and installing the equipment which can capture heat normally wasted in manufacturing and use that heat to create electricity. The ROI on the $150,000 to $200,000 equipment is anticipated to be five years or less (without applying any incentives).

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by Bruce Goodman

Earlier this month, I had total replacement surgery on my right hip. Nagging pains that started ten years ago gradually developed into stronger, sharper pains, causing me to walk off-kilter. I knew it was time for corrective action and thanks to my skilled surgeon, I now look forward to a future free of pain. Michigan’s alternative energy development efforts are kind of like that: we are off kilter and surgery is needed. Ever since 1978 and PURPA, standby tariffs in Michigan have taken the incentive out of self-generation projects that make economic sense. This “nagging pain” must be corrected by the MPSC before self-generation developers give up on Michigan. Adding to the pain is the refusal of the major utilities to use their purchasing power to attract an established wind turbine OEM to Michigan. Our legislature gave the utilities a gift of half the RPS action; the quid pro quo should have been to use that gift to bring an OEM to Michigan. Whether it is the MPSC, the Governor, or the legislature, someone needs to find the political will to make this happen, before the utility wind turbine orders are placed. Where is our political team of surgeons?

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by Bruce Goodman

Yesterday I was invited by Southwest Michigan First to make a presentation on Legal/Permitting Processes relating to the electric power industry.   It was interesting to have Consumers Energy and American Electric Power on the same panel discussing alternative energy options.  I know that for every independent power supplier contract they sign they are reducing their own chance to “build that capacity.”  And only when a utility is building is there a return on investment for the shareholders.  Nonetheless, they appear to be genuinely ready to buy third-party capacity.

There was a lively discussion on reliability and speculation on the future of electric rates.  I tried to focus the discussion on reserve margin and backup capacity issues, but that was a little too advanced for this stage of the discussion.  A few people wanted to talk about these issues, and the pros and cons of natural gas backing up wind energy (a la T. Boone Pickens), but the time constraints of the program prevented that.

Very interesting presentation on the Kalamazoo Valley Community College wind turbine technician program.

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