Shareholders of Michigan’s two major investor-owned utilities have recently rejected calls for more transparency on the companies’ contributions to tax-exempt nonprofit advocacy groups.

HOLLAND — Jolt Energy Storage Technologies LLC has received $250,000 to further advance its utility-scale energy storage solutions.

COPEMISH — On the afternoon of May 4, three days before an executive order by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allowed construction to resume statewide, Allan O’Shea was “ready to go to the party.”

Michigan needs a swift build-out of renewable energy and, in the longer term, more transmission projects to account for the energy shortfall that will grow as more coal and nuclear plants are retired.

Michigan solar energy installers have been gearing up over the past week to return to work today following an executive order by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that opens construction, real estate and some manufacturing sectors.

The coronavirus has wiped out recent statewide clean energy job gains as Michigan companies take a patchwork approach to continuing work during the pandemic.

A wave of independently owned solar projects planned in Michigan is driven largely by contracts with Consumers Energy, which has long-term plans to significantly boost its solar portfolio.

Nearly 5,500 Michigan workers in clean energy filed jobless claims last month while thousands more are expected as the coronavirus-related economic downturn continues to spread.

Four Michigan small cities rank among the top 10 of their peers nationally for energy efficiency based on the number of buildings saving electricity, costs and greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week.

GRAND RAPIDS — Kent County officials announced last week that its recycling processing facility would close to protect workers from potential exposure to and spreading of the coronavirus. 

Michigan’s two major investor-owned utilities are taking divergent paths when it comes to building new energy projects as the state escalates actions to contain the coronavirus.

Jackson-based Consumers Energy says it will suspend shutoffs for non-pay for seniors and low-income customers starting today until April 5, citing “unprecedented circumstances” surrounding the spread of coronavirus.

Michigan’s two major investor-owned utilities remain opposed to a series of bills that supporters say are needed to grow the state’s nascent solar industry.

State officials announced more than $8.7 million in grants this week for Michigan school districts to purchase buses powered by clean diesel and propane, but environmental groups say the money would have been better spent on electric models.

Over the past two weeks, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and major automakers have continued the state’s mobility shift to emphasize electric and autonomous vehicles.

Consumers Energy has upped the ante on its own long-term clean energy plan, announcing in late February it expects to hit net-zero carbon emissions for its electricity portfolio by 2040 as part of its climate change efforts.

GRAND HAVEN — The J.B. Sims power plant in Grand Haven burned its last supply of coal this month, but local officials are still debating plans for the city’s long-term energy portfolio.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to infuse $5 million into a state green bank and spend another $5 million on a revolving fund for clean energy projects at state facilities.

Ric Evans has yet to find the electric stove he wants to install in his rural Northern Michigan home, but everything else inside is powered by electricity, including the water heater and an air source heat pump.

Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell is leading an effort that would leverage $35 billion in federal funds over six years to stimulate up to $1 trillion in private spending to address climate change.

Michigan ranks among the top Midwestern states for clean energy jobs, but environmental advocates say further policy changes are needed to push the state from “good” to “great.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bills into law Thursday night ensuring small-scale residential and commercial solar projects won’t increase owners’ property taxes.

Clean energy advocates praised a Thursday announcement by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer highlighting the need to modernize the state’s power grid as it shifts from coal-fired power. 

The polar vortex early this year strained Michigan’s energy supply as the state experiences an “unprecedented shift” in the way it produces power and relies more heavily on natural gas and renewables, according to state regulators.

HOLLAND — A financing program in Holland that helps residents pay for energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades remains one of the only such programs in Michigan, and could be a model for more to come. 

Consumers Energy announced plans Thursday to purchase a majority of the output from a large-scale solar project in Calhoun County, among the first deals under the utility’s shift to renewable energy.

HOLLAND — A lakeshore company has received $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance the development of utility-scale energy storage.

Michigan has had its share of blackouts and brownouts over the years. Could “greenouts” be on the horizon? 

Michigan is one of seven states with discriminatory clean energy laws because they favor locally produced content, a World Trade Organization panel ruled last month. 

Michigan’s largest utilities are giving a substantial boost to an economic development program launched by former Gov. Rick Snyder, committing to spend billions of additional dollars with in-state suppliers over the next five years.

Fuel distributor Crystal Flash has expanded along the lakeshore with the acquisition of Kohley’s Superior Propane Inc. in Muskegon.

Some people might assume homes built by Habitat for Humanity are typical, nuts-and-bolts affordable housing adhering to basic building codes. However, that assumption would be wrong.