LANSING – Legislative Democrats said Thursday they are introducing legislation to more than triple the percentage of electricity utilities generate from renewable sources to 50 percent by 2035, as well as double the energy efficiency standard to 2 percent starting in 2022.

The move comes months after the Legislature passed, and Governor Rick Snyder signed, bills making a variety of changes to energy laws, including increasing the renewable energy standard to 15 percent by 2021.

“Demand for clean, renewable energy is at an all-time high,” Sen. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) said at a news conference. “We should be sending a message to companies and investors like that Michigan is open for business.”

Also on hand at the news conference were Rep. Jon Hoadley (D-Kalamazoo), Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor) and Rep. Donna Lasinski (D-Scio Township). Mr. Hoadley said the legislation would accelerate market forces already at work.

DTE Energy announced in May it plans to reduce its carbon emissions in the state by 80 percent during the next 35 years from a combination of renewable power, replacing coal plants with natural gas and using the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant.

The chairs of the two energy committees, Rep. Gary Glenn (R-Midland) and Sen. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek), could not immediately be reached Thursday evening. But considering the struggle to convince Republicans in the previous term to increase the standard from 10 percent to 15 percent, going to 50 percent is likely a major uphill climb.

Democratic legislators said they saw renewable energy as having bipartisan support in both legislative chambers.

This story was published by Gongwer News Service.