LANSING – With the recent changes in electric regulation that included requirements for renewable power and energy efficiency and with Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s recent directive that all options be explored before issuing permits for new coal-fired generation, Michigan is poised to attract renewable power production facilities that will export that equipment at least regionally, Energy, Labor and Economic Growth Director Skip Pruss told the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee.
Pruss said the state has already attracted key battery manufacturing companies and is poised to attract wind and solar manufacturers to put power into those batteries.
“Michigan is the first to commercialize new energy storage,” Pruss said. While the two major battery manufacturers coming into the state are targeted to vehicle applications, he said the same technology could be expanded to the scale needed to power the electric grid.
He said Michigan is already ahead on the manufacturing technology needed for wind turbines. “Every turbine manufactured today is manufactured on 1950s and 1960s designed tools,” he said. “Michigan has 6 months to 12 months lead in building the next generation of tooling.”
Adding the carbon fiber technology, also widely used in the state, to reduce the weight of the turbines could increase the output of each devise by as much as double current capacity.
He said installing turbines offshore could increase availability from about 20 percent in most onshore areas to about 40 percent. That, combined with a way to store the power, would make wind power even more attractive, he said.
The state is also hoping to expand its influence outside its borders. “We are not seeking to develop manufacturing jobs to supply Michigan demand,” he said. The goal is to be able to export the various equipment at least throughout the Midwest region if not beyond.
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