January 2025

 
 

MICEF Sets Legislative Priorities

2025-26 Session has divided government

The new legislative session has commenced in Lansing with Republicans now controlling the state House, while Democrats hold the Senate and Governor’s chair. Hence, any energy policy enacted this session will require bipartisan cooperation. That fits MICEF’s legislative goals just fine as our technology driven, All-of-the-Above agenda already enjoys bipartisan support.

Three packages of legislation with bipartisan sponsorship not enacted last session are expected to be reintroduced soon and should receive early legislative action. Bills to advance nuclear energy development, including training the needed workforce, should be queued up early in the House. A package to authorize carbon capture technologies will get attention in the Senate. Lastly, bills to authorize Community Solar programs in Michigan are a MICEF priority. Unfortunately, these bills have been around almost a decade and have not been able to overcome monopoly utility opposition.

Undoubtedly there will be other bills and some state budget expenditures that MICEF will support this session. But we will remain focused on these top-priority, achievable policies important to diversifying Michigan’s clean energy options.

 

Our Energy Vision & Technology Lens

It’s not “Green New Deal” or “Drill Baby Drill”

Each election cycle and each change of elected leaders or majority parties comes with policy changes large and small, often accompanied by ramped up political rhetoric. At MICEF, we view the advancing of our energy systems through the lens of technological advancement more so than through policy. Policies can prompt investment in new technologies, like solid state batteries for EVs or small modular nuclear reactors. But until any given technology meets an energy need/demand at a price that draws market response, policies will not carry the day – technological advancement will. See the story below about DeepSeek and Artificial Intelligence.

That being said, government policies should not get in the way of advances either. Cumbersome regulations, slow permitting processes, picking winners and losers among technologies, or outright banning certain technologies, like gas-powered vehicles or offshore wind, represent the worst of government policy approaches. If government officials, regardless of party, take that path, we will offer a different vision. Let innovation, entrepreneurialism and free market competition do what it has always done for our nation – give us cleaner, secure and more reliable American energy options. 

MICEF Leads on Next Level Renewable Siting 

Michigan Homegrown Power effort advances

Because of MICEF’s unique expertise in promoting renewable energy project siting via our Land & Liberty Coalition® work, a substantial amount of funding has been directed our way in the past year. In the wake of new state laws to rebalance the local permitting process (Public Acts 233 & 234), MICEF will continue its work helping local governments and communities navigate these laws. One example of our increased role in siting renewables includes publishing a permitting guidebook written specifically for local government leaders.

MICEF is also spearheading the MI Homegrown Power project, which is focused on educating communities about the benefits renewable energy projects can bring to them. Dozens of volunteers are signing up to join the project, with the objective of keeping the permitting of projects at the local level as often as possible. 

Will DeepSeek Change Energy Trajectory?

AI-Data Center energy demand a huge unknown

The expected rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence operations in data centers, which is projected to require huge amounts of electricity, was thrown in doubt almost overnight by a single announcement of a new AI platform – DeepSeek. The Chinese AI company claims to have “trained” the DeepSeek-R1 model at a fraction of the typical cost, due to its highly efficient algorithms, models and microchip performance.

While the financial side of DeepSeek’s proclaimed breakthrough has completely upended the AI investment world, the disruption to the energy space could be equally dramatic. Will DeepSeek’s advances mean far less energy will be needed? Will major tech companies like Mircosoft, Meta, Google and others that have been preparing to invest heavily in next-generation nuclear energy pull back on those plans? This is a perfect example of how technology, not policy, will dictate how our energy systems evolve. It’s best to let the market define the trajectory and not the government.

Michigan Sends Two New Pro-solar Leaders to the U.S. House

Barrett & McDonald Rivet sponsored state solar laws

Michigan had two of the most nationally-watched and expensive races for open seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Former State Senator Tom Barrett (R-Potterville) and current State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) won in these competitive districts. Interestingly, both sponsored legislation to advance solar energy in Michigan during their tenures in the Michigan Senate. Pragmatic energy policy has bipartisan appeal.

Barrett, a past recipient of MICEF’s Clean Energy Champion Award, sponsored legislation to prevent homeowners from getting an increased property tax bill if they install solar at their home, a practice some municipalities had implemented. McDonald Rivet sponsored legislation that preserves farmers’ ability to make some of their land available for solar development while keeping it enrolled in a longstanding farmland preservation program. A key element of the solar component is to ensure that the land can be returned to agricultural use at end of the solar facilities lifecycle. 

In other news…

  • The state of Michigan is providing bond inducements totally $67 million to allow biodigester operations to obtain private funding for building/enhancing biodigesters in two Michigan communities. The facilities will help with waste management of food scraps and animal waste, while producing renewable energy biogas to burn for electricity generation.

  • So what's the hot EV battery technology item of late? Silicon anodes. Claims of successfully crafting a silicon anode and finding a solution to structural expansion of the anode during charging are pointing to massive increases in energy density and charging speeds. Read about these developments from the battery tech company ProLogium and Pohang University in South Korea.