Sen. Albert: Legislation Would Restore Commonsense Energy Policy in Michigan

We received the following guest article from State Senator Thomas Albert regarding legislation introduced to repeal provisions of renewable energy laws that were enacted in 2023. Guest articles represent the views of the writer and should not be construed as an endorsement by Lowell’s First Look. 

Unrealistic, unreliable, unaffordable and unfair. Those four words summarize the energy policies Lansing Democrats and their fellow climate alarmists forced upon Michigan in the past few years.

I agree our energy policy must be environmentally sustainable, but that policy must also be grounded in reality and affordable for everyday Michiganders. Unfortunately, Michigan’s recent green energy mandates don’t make sense once put in perspective, which is why I recently joined my colleagues to introduce a plan to repeal them.

The United States has sharply reduced its carbon emissions. After peaking in 2007, emissions have been reduced to levels not seen in decades.

While this change is partially due to increased renewable energy sources, it is overwhelmingly a result of replacing coal plants with natural gas.

China is responsible for roughly one-third of global emissions, about 2.5 times more than the United States. Michigan accounts for roughly 3.1% of emissions in the United States. That means Michigan accounts for well under a half of 1% of global carbon emissions.

Even if Michigan utilities could successfully meet the recently established 100% green energy by 2040 mandate, which I argue they cannot, the policy would not move the needle in making the planet as a whole more “green.” However, it will move the needle by making energy significantly less reliable and more expensive.

This spring’s massive power outages in Spain and Portugal should serve as a wake-up call. Both countries have been increasing their reliance on renewables for power generation, and there is reasonable concern that overreliance on green energy was the main contributor to the grid failure.

A modern society simply cannot thrive without reliable energy grids. Michigan’s grid already has enough problems without trying to switch power over to more unreliable sources. Solar panels and windmills, by their very nature, are inconsistent power generators, particularly in a state with weather like ours.

Affordability also is a major concern. We do not need to hypothesize that cost increases tied to Germany’s mad dash toward renewable energy could occur in Michigan too. We can see the additional costs beginning to manifest in our utility rates.

The Upper Peninsula Power Company recently raised rates nearly 6% a month, partly in response to the state’s new green energy laws. DTE Energy this spring filed to seek a nearly 10% rate increase — citing work to generate greener energy as one of the needs for the increase. Consumers Energy residential electricity rates rose in April, and the utility already is seeking another increase that could boost rates by another 10% or more.

In order to put our state on a better path forward, I recently joined my Senate Republican colleagues in an effort to undo some of the damage caused by the Democrats’ policies.

Our plan — laid out in Senate Bills 322 through 327 — would:

• Repeal the mandate that utilities achieve 100% “clean” energy by 2040.
• Restore local control over where large-scale wind and solar projects are located. Currently, the unelected Michigan Public Service Commission can overrule a local government’s decision.
• Prohibit agricultural property enrolled in Michigan’s farmland preservation tax credit program from being rented for the installation of massive solar operations.
• Repeal provisions calling for the MPSC to consider politically influenced and subjective climate and equity goals in its decision-making process.
• Shutter the newly established Community and Worker Economic Transition Office, developed by Democrats to help offset job and wage losses associated with the switch to electric vehicles and green energy production.

Renewable energy can be a good thing, but Michigan’s current policy is going about it the wrong way. We can continue to reduce emissions without jumping headlong into unnecessary mandates.

Affordable and reliable energy is needed to create growth and opportunity. This plan will ensure Michiganders have affordable and sustainable energy for years to come.

State Sen. Thomas Albert represents the 18th District, which includes Barry County and portions of Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent and Ionia counties. 

Editor’s Note: For further reading on this topic, the MI Healthy Climate page provides information about the state’s current energy policies. The EGLE website also has more details about the 2023 renewable energy legislation.