WITH SEEMINGLY GOOD INTENTIONS, Michigan lawmakers, back in November of 2023, passed the Clean Energy and Jobs Act, which established new energy policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions statewide.
Like many, I subscribe to the idea of moving away from fossil fuels with more investment in cleaner, more sustainable energy production. We should always be looking for the next best thing, right? But… at what cost?
For many years, power generation in Marquette came mainly from our coal-fired Shiras Power Plant, which was officially retired back in 2019 and replaced with 3 reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) fueled primarily by natural gas. It was a step towards increased efficiency and decreased environmental impact, and, as a bonus, we were able to get rid of that belching blemish on South Lake Street,
Cut to today, where, in the lifespan of power plants, we’ve barely cut the tags off those RICE generators. And now we’re being told they’re not good enough, and it’s time to take the next step… towards total green energy generation.
Saving the Planet
Again… no problem with the forward-thinking of how to protect the planet, while at the same time providing the power we need to fuel our growth, current and future. Kudos to our state legislature.
The problem here is with the timeline. Under the new energy laws, the plan is to achieve 50% renewable energy by 2030, 60% renewable energy by 2035, and 100% clean energy statewide by 2040.
According to Marquette Board of Light and Power Director Tom Carpenter, our RICE generators should have a lifespan of 40 years or more. Which means we’ll be paying for them long after they’ve been replaced with wind and solar. “The community will spend 20 years paying off a $64 million dollar bond,” Carpenter says.
Representing the feelings of the BLP board, Carpenter concludes, “It only seems reasonable to us that we are allowed to get the benefits of that investment for the entire expected lifespan of the facility.”
I include the board in Carpenter’s assessment since they voted unanimously to support a bill currently being considered in Lansing that would create a carve-out for Upper Peninsula power providers.
The Bohnak Bill
109th District representative Karl Bohnak has introduced legislation, House Bill 4007, that would exempt the U.P.’s 13 RICE generators from the previously passed green energy legislation. According to Bohnak, “HB 4007 doesn’t disregard the green energy legislation, it just simply allows the U.P. more time to adapt to the new laws. This bill would allow these RICE generators to continue through their lifecycle and allow the U.P. more time to make this transition.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t throw food out before its “use by” date. That’s what we’re being mandated to do with our power generators unless Bohnak’s bill is approved.
Am I just short-sighted in worrying about the life of our generators when compared to the life of our earth? Maybe. But if the move to green energy means a dramatic increase in our power bills, the source of that energy won’t mean much to me if I can’t afford to use it.
And it’s not just residential rate-payers who will be impacted. According to information included in a report on the Energy Bad Boys website, power bills for commercial consumers could be as much as five times higher in 2030 and nine times higher in 2040.
Also noted are how the mandates will impact the energy costs of the mining industry. According to the report, the Tilden Mine would face increases of more than $8 million per month in 2030, and $15 million per month in 2040. Those estimates may be exaggerated, but if they’re not… that’s gonna be one heck of a light bill.
The Voters Spoke
It’s not unreasonable to think Representative Bohnak was elected largely on his opposition to the green energy mandate. His opponent, incumbent Jennifer Hill, supported the legislation, along with many of her fellow Democratic lawmakers. Bohnak’s bill to exempt power providers north of the bridge just passed through the first step of its journey, the House Energy Committee, with bipartisan support.
Why does Bohnak think the U.P. deserves special consideration? Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP, explains the justification for a U.P. exemption to the mandate. “The U.P. led in the transition away from coal to a clean fuel source, natural gas. Downstate utilities were not proactive and thus they are not being ‘penalized’ for being leaders in transitioning away from coal.”
The BLP’s Carpenter explains. “When we made the transition from the Shiras Coal plant to our new natural gas engines we made enormous progress in reducing our emissions output. We decreased our Sulfur Dioxide emissions over 99%, Nitrogen Oxide over 93%, Carbon Monoxide over 96% and Carbon Dioxide over 75%. On top of that we are no longer disposing of 17,000 tons of coal ash in landfills every year. We did all of this prior to any state energy laws that required it. We were ahead of the curve.”
As they say… no good deed goes unpunished.
What Can We Do?
Is there anything concerned citizens can do? Fittante suggests you reach out to our legislators and governor to “let them know this is important and you cannot bear the cost should an exception not be made.”
Again… I’m all for green energy. I’m also for having a couple shillings left over in my checking account at the end of the month.
Fittante sums it up… “Energy is foundational to economic development. If we do not have reliable and affordable energy, not only will it inhibit growth, it will see us take another giant step, if not fatal step, backwards, and see us unable to seize upon the opportunity that is presently in front of the region.”
In other words, if we don’t make the right decisions today, we may have to join hands and sing… “turn out the lights, the party’s over.”