In November, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a landmark energy law that sets an ambitious goal for the state to generate 100% of its energy from renewable resources by 2040. With the law, Michigan joins its neighbors in Illinois and Minnesota, as well as a dozen other states, in moving toward 100% clean, carbon-free energy. It also comes as the Biden administration is pushing the implementation of its signature climate law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which includes at least $370 billion in tax incentives to expand renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, as well as electric vehicles.
But it will be a challenging transition, especially for Michigan, which currently generates only 12% of its energy from renewable sources. That is the backdrop for a new survey of local government officials in Michigan, which looked to gather local leaders’ views on expanding energy infrastructure in their jurisdictions.