All Michigan electric providers met or exceeded 2015 renewable standard, MPSC announces

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) recently released its seventh annual report on the realization of the state’s renewable standard, which found that all Michigan electric providers met or surpassed 2015’s 10 percent requirement.

“The combined efforts of the electric providers, renewable energy project developers, communities hosting renewable energy projects, renewable energy advocates and many others have contributed to the effective implementation of Michigan’s renewable energy standard,” MPSC Chair Sally Talberg said.

In 2019 and 2020, the standard will increase to 12.5 percent and in 2021 it will reach 15 percent.

“The process is now underway to implement the provisions in the new renewable energy standard as enacted in Public Act 342 of 2016,” Talberg said. “The Commission intends to build on the successful activities already in place to guide Michigan’s path to meeting the 15 percent renewable energy standard in 2021.”

The standard led to $3.3 billion of investments to bring about 1,670 megawatts (MW) in renewable energy projects online in the state through 2016, according to the report.

The report also found that wind provided 50 percent of the state’s renewable energy credits and that there were 1,575 MW of utility scale wind projects in operation in Michigan by the end of 2016.

According to the report, the collective weighted average cost of Michigan’s energy waste reduction and renewable energy programs is $34.65 per megawatt-hour, considerably less than the cost of all kinds of new fossil fuel generation facilities.