SOM - Granholm Launches Meetings Across State With Alternative Energy Businesses

Surveying emerging industry, discussing plan to create more jobs

LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced she will travel across Michigan to meet with leaders of businesses doing cutting-edge alternative energy work to discuss how the state can foster further growth in the industry and create jobs.

"Finding alternative sources of energy is going to be critical for our nation, and it can mean thousands and thousands of jobs for Michigan citizens," Granholm said. "Michigan is the state that put the world on wheels, and with some hard work and a solid plan, we will be the state that revolutionizes the way we fuel our cars and power our homes."

The alternative energy meetings, which Granholm started this morning with representatives from a dozen job-creating companies and projects in the alternative energy sector, will cover nine cities. On Monday, Granholm will meet with representatives from K&M Machine Fabricating in Cassopolis. She will continue on to Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, Ann Arbor, Eaton Rapids and Midland, as well as Oakland County and the Upper Peninsula. Granholm details the meetings in her weekly radio address.

Granholm has long been committed to building the alternative energy industry in Michigan. Her 21st Century Jobs Fund, which is working to diversify Michigan's economy by developing high-growth industries, has a strong focus on the alternative energy sector. Earlier this year, Granholm traveled to Sweden, a world-wide leader in alternative and renewable energy, to build relationships with Swedish alternative energy companies that may want to expand and create jobs in Michigan. During that visit, she announced the first-ever Sweden-Michigan Alternative Energy Summit to take place early in 2008.

"With our manufacturers being hit hard by the forces of globalization, we need to focus on industries with growing demand, like alternative energy," Granholm said. "Investment in alternative energy is growing dramatically, and we are going make sure that Michigan is a hub for future growth and job creation."


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