Srinergy is excited to share our first monthly update on Michigan’s latest legislative developments with you, along with other significant clean energy news that is shaping the state's energy landscape.
HB 5028: Empowering Homeowners for Sustainable Energy Choices
“A bill to invalidate certain provisions in homeowners' association agreements that prohibit the replacement, maintenance, installation, or operation of certain energy-saving improvements or modifications or the installation of solar energy systems.”
This initiative represents a critical step towards clean energy independence and promoting sustainable practices within Michigan residential communities. To those of us heavily invested in residential solar system installations, Homeowner’s Associations are a frequent roadblock to solar projects, typically denying the purchase of solar systems for purely aesthetic reasons.
“These provisions are critical for homeowners,” said Grace Michienzi, senior policy director of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council, during her testimony in support of the legislation. “Over 1.4 million Michiganders live in a community association, which should never prevent a homeowner from being able to make improvements to their home to lower their household costs.”
SB 271, SB 273, SB 277, and SB 502: Clean Energy Future Plan
On November 8th, 2023 the New York Times Reported: “The Michigan Senate gave final approval on Wednesday to a bundle of clean energy bills, transforming a state at the center of industrial America into a leader in the fight against climate change.”
The legislation, which passed both chambers of the Statehouse with narrow Democratic majorities, represents a turnaround for a state that had long blocked policies to curb pollution from the factories that have underpinned its economy for generations.
It is based on a 58-page “MI Healthy Climate” plan proposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat with a growing national profile who has promoted progressive measures on labor, gay rights, guns and the environment.”
The included package of SB 271, SB 273, SB 277, and SB 502 establish a clean energy standard, enhance energy waste reduction requirements, and attempt to reform the process for planning renewable energy projects.
SB 271: Establishes a renewable energy standard for Michigan’s electric utility companies of 60% by 2035 and 100% by 2040 and lifts the cap on distributed generation of solar energy to 10% of a utility’s average in-state peak load and mandates utilities have at least 2,500 mW of energy storage by 2030.
SB 273: Requires utility companies to make investments to improve energy efficiency by increasing Michigan’s energy waste reduction (EWR) standard from 1% to 1.5% annually beginning in 2026 and incentivizes utility companies to achieve 2% EWR.
SB 277: Creates a policy for farmers to rent land for commercial solar operations while enrolled in the PA 116 program.
SB 502: Expands the authority of the MPSC by requiring the commission to specifically consider low-income Michiganders, environmental justice communities, and our health when approving utility companies’ long-term energy plans.