August 2026

Renewable Energy Projects Gain Momentum

Building utility-scale renewable energy projects has been a “saga with drama” in Michigan for a decade-plus. The 2023 law allowing for state-level permitting (PA 233) and the Renewable Ready Community Award grants have created a “carrot and stick” scenario that is incentivizing more projects to be locally approved. That’s a win for farmers who can sustain their businesses through lease revenues, local communities getting more tax revenue without raising taxes, and more clean energy for the grid.

Since May, 640 megawatts of renewable projects have taken key steps forward. In Saginaw County, a 200 MW battery project was approved in Tittabawassee Township. A 225 MW solar project received approval in the Freemont-Newaygo area, after initial local meetings and votes rejected the project. Wayland Township in Allegan County approved a 125 MW solar project. The first project filed under PA 233 is a 90 MW solar project in Ingham County. Notices posted in that case docket indicate all the parties are coming to an agreement to finalize the permit approval. Keeping that sort of momentum going will mean more affordable, Michigan-made energy for our state.

Texas Gets Tough on Wind Turbine Recycler

For five years there has been wrangling between various levels of the Texas government and the recycling company, Global Fiberglass Solutions, over 3,000 retired turbine blades sitting in a Texas field. The company had made many promises to get the recycling process going, but has yet to do so while accepting more blades over some of the contested time period.

The Texas Attorney General stepped in and has now filed actions against the company, setting forth a specific timetable for recycling the blades. The matter still has to be fully settled in court, but the clock is ticking faster and louder for GFS. Companies in Iowa and Missouri are successfully ramping up blade recycling processes. It is crucial that the wind industry deliver on its promises to recycle blades rather than bury them in landfills.  

Consumers Pursues Deep Injection

After years of storing coal ash and other byproducts of the Campbell generating plants on site, Consumers Energy is proposing to drill deep injection wells that would allow the safe storage of byproducts almost a mile below ground. Recent monitoring has seen elevated amounts of arsenic and other pollutants escaping the coal ash containment system, making an alternative disposal system necessary. The successful operation of such wells would allow for the disposal of any byproducts generated during the eventual decommissioning of Campbell.

Currently, some waste water and other byproducts are flushed out into Lake Michigan, while coal ash is left onsite in a “landfill.” The injection well proposal would take that material and mix it with water and deposit it below several layers of impermeable rock almost a mile below ground level, far below any drinking wells or aquifers they draw from.

Despite the presentation from Consumers Energy, many nearby residents remained skeptical of the plan. Several voiced concern this is not fully mitigating any long term impacts of the Campbell site or potential harm to their aquifer. Consumers indicated they will continue to evaluate the site and work with the EPA on any continued testing that may be necessary. 

Solar Surpasses Coal

For the first time in the U.S., solar power output has surpassed coal generation over the course of a month. This past May saw approximately 12.8% of all electric generation come from solar panels, while only 12.2% came from coal fed power plants. This happened despite the Trump administration taking action over the preceding months to keep several coal facilities online.

This year May was about 1.5 degrees warmer than the 20th Century average, seeing air conditioners kick on across the country sooner and more often than typically expected. Despite the increasing demand for electricity, solar resources were able to keep up with the demand through favorable weather and increasing solar power plants coming online.

While it may still be early to expect solar to generate more than coal every month moving forward, it continues to be the case that solar production will soon permanently outpace coal generation. Read the full report HERE.

Legislative Update

MMOP Makes the Ballot

The Michigan Money Out of Politics petition-initiated legislation cleared a major hurdle July 24th when the Michigan State Board of Canvassers voted 3-1 to certify that a sufficient number of valid signatures had been submitted. The proposed campaign finance law would prohibit gas and electric utilities, and contracted providers of government services over $250,000, from making political contributions to candidates or ballot question committees. In addition to major monopoly utilities, DTE and Consumers Energy, the prohibition would affect health insurer Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan, and many dozens of state and local contractors, including nonprofit agencies that provide social services. 

The process from here sends the legislation to the Legislature first. It has 40 days to either approve it or send it to the November ballot for voters to decide. If the legislation is approved under either scenario, it will be challenged in court as a restriction on free speech rights. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United established that political spending is a form of free speech expression.

While MICEF strongly supports reigning in the political influence of monopoly utilities, and even further, moving to a more competitive energy market, we maintain a degree of skepticism that the legislation can withstand the legal challenge. If MMOP goes to the November ballot, it will be a contentious election season in Michigan.