Radio address highlights partnership that will help diversify state's economy

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today highlighted a partnership with Denmark that will allow Michigan to explore new development and share experiences in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and job creation.

Granholm said that Michigan's agreement with Denmark will strengthen our ability to collaborate with a country that has moved to the forefront of renewable energy technologies and put people to work in the process.

"Denmark leads the world in wind power technology, an industry employing 20,000 people in a nation with half Michigan's population," Granholm said.  "We understand how a new energy economy can be a source of increased innovation and job creation.  In fact, the Center for American Progress calculates that Michigan can create 60,000 new jobs by investing in wind, solar, biofuels and energy efficiency."

Granholm underscored some of the steps that Michigan has implemented, from putting in place a Renewable Portfolio Standard to initiating the nation's most aggressive tax incentives for research and development and manufacturing of batteries,.

"At a time when our economy is challenged and job losses continue to dominate the news, it's important to remember and to continue to invest in the steps that will diversify our state's economy and create jobs, all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people," Granholm said.

The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state.  The address is available on the governor's Web site at www.michigan.gov/gov  for download, together with a clip of the quote above.  The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm

Radio Address - Mou and Creating Jobs

March 6, 2009

Full:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov187Full_269634_7.mp3

Edited:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov187Edit_269635_7.mp3

Quote:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov187Quote_269636_7.mp3

Hello, this is Jennifer Granholm.

This week I joined Denmark's Minister of Climate and Energy Connie Hedegaard in signing a memorandum of understanding that initiated a partnership between the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy and the state of Michigan.  Together we are going to explore new development and share experiences in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and job creation.

Michigan's agreement with Denmark will strengthen our ability to collaborate with a country that has moved to the forefront of renewable energy technologies and put people to work in the process.  If you're wondering why this is important to Michigan, consider these facts as reported by the Michigan Environmental Council:  

Denmark leads the world in wind power technology, an industry employing 20,000 people in a nation with half Michigan's population. In fact, Denmark has a 2.2 percent unemployment rate.  Denmark-based Vestas, the world's largest wind turbine manufacturer, is a bright spot in a slumping world economy, reporting a 51 percent rise in operating profit for 2008.

Denmark has cut residential electricity usage to less than half of the typical U.S. household while maintaining the highest standard of living among Nordic countries. And that nation's gross domestic product doubled during the past 30 years while electricity consumption has stayed constant.

So, in a week where we saw our state's January unemployment rate rise to 11.6 percent, driven in large part by continued job losses in the automotive manufacturing sector, Denmark's story is nothing short of inspirational - 2.2 percent unemployment rate.

As Minister Hedegaard noted, thanks to investments 20 years ago, Denmark has a thriving, clean-tech industry that accounts for about 10 percent of the country's total exports and is a major source of employment.   Through pragmatic public policy, they turned a crisis into an opportunity.  And, here in Michigan, we can and will do the same.

We understand how a new energy economy can be a source of increased innovation and job creation.  In fact, the Center for American Progress calculates that Michigan can create 60,000 new jobs by investing in wind, solar, biofuels and energy efficiency.

That is why we have implemented a number of steps from putting in place a Renewable Portfolio Standard which means that we are ensuring that 10 percent of our energy comes from renewable sources. We have also implemented the nation's most aggressive tax incentives for batteries, for research and development and manufacturing of them, which will position Michigan to be the worldwide leader in battery research and development for the electric car.

At a time when our economy is challenged and job losses continue to dominate the news, it's important to remember and to continue to invest in the steps that will diversify our state's economy and create jobs, all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people.

Thank you for listening.

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