Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is poised to sign Senate Bill 271, which requires electric utilities in the state to meet a 100% clean energy standard by 2040.
SB271 codifies a significant part of an executive order that Governor Whitmer issued in 2020 that directed agencies to work to achieve "economy-wide carbon neutrality no later than 2050."
Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have adopted 100% clean energy goals, comprising 53% of the US population. Michigan will join Minnesota and Delaware in enacting laws with new 100% policies this year. Information about all the states with goals is available in CESA's online Guide to 100% Clean Energy States.
"The adoption of 100% clean energy goals is the most ambitious and potentially transformative energy policy trend of the last decade," says CESA Executive Director Warren Leon. "Clean electricity has become practical thanks to the major decline in the cost of wind power, solar power, and storage batteries. And affordable clean electricity is key to decarbonizing other sectors through electrification."
According to EIA data, Michigan generates 35% of its in-state electric power from natural gas plus 29% from coal. In 2022, 34% came from resources that are considered eligible under the new bill, including 22% from nuclear and 12% from renewables, mainly wind. The bill requires utilities to get 60% of their power from renewables beginning in 2035, and all from zero-emission sources by 2040.
SB271 does more than implement a zero-carbon standard, including raising the cap on distributed generation sources such as rooftop solar to 10%, and committing to build 2500 MW of storage capacity by 2030. SB271 was passed alongside bills on clean energy siting and zoning, energy waste reduction, and workforce development.
Michigan has demonstrated leadership in clean energy and environmental justice, through initiatives such as the award-winning Michigan Solar Communities program and the MiEjScreen environmental justice mapping tool. Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), a CESA member organization, has been working hard over the past year to leverage federal funding available through the Inflation Reduction Act to bring the benefits of clean energy to underserved communities.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Samantha Donalds, sam@cleanegroup.org
About the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA)
CESA is a leading coalition of state energy agencies working together to advance the rapid expansion of clean energy technologies and bring the benefits of clean energy to all. Established in 2002, CESA is a national, member-supported nonprofit that works with its members to develop and implement effective clean energy policies and programs. CESA initiatives include the 100% Clean Energy Collaborative, which was created to assist states that have 100% clean energy goals by providing knowledge-sharing activities and analysis so that together they can address program challenges and opportunities. The Collaborative also provides information and technical assistance to states that may consider establishing similar goals. www.cesa.org
Clean Energy States Alliance
www.cesa.org
