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Renewable Energy Academy

Wind Turbines in a field
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Renewable Energy Academy

Contact 

Ian O’Leary
Olearyi@Michigan.gov

Zona Martin
MartinZ2@Michigan.gov

Yingxin Wang
WangY3@Michigan.gov

The Renewable Energy Academy (REA) is a one-stop-shop for large-scale renewable energy in Michigan, hosting a hub for resources, tools, and experts in the field and providing no-cost technical assistance to communities.

Additionally, through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program, the Energy Services Unit is partnering with the University of Michigan’s Graham Sustainability Institute, Michigan State University Extension, 5 Lakes Energy, the Michigan Association of Planning, and more to generate new REA materials and services to further empower the decision-making capacity of any interested party on the topic of large-scale renewable energy.

REA Workshop

Renewable Energy Academy Workshop

The Renewable Energy Academy (REA) Workshop, designed and executed by EGLE Energy Services Unit, is an effort to consolidate the expertise, resources, and shared goals in the statewide utility-scale renewable energy space into one landing point. Each workshop will be a four-hour long, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (with option to attend one hour of REA Office Hours), deep-dive into planning & zoning for renewable energy, from the basics of grid-connection to the specific zoning pathways each community should consider under the zoning and siting landscape of PA233.

Intended Audiences: Local government officials, planning commissioners, planning staff, etc. of a municipality who has been approached by developers about utility-scale renewable projects, or wants to prepare their municipality for the new siting legislation. (Interested public residents are not the intended audience for the REA Workshop, but are recommended to watch the recorded webinars)

Locations:

  • (Past) September 5, 2024 - Register for Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) Region
    (This covers Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties)
    Hilton Garden Inn, Great Lakes Ballroom, 27355 Cabaret Drive, Novi, Michigan. Maximum of 3 attendees per community are allowed. One representative per municipality shall register all planned attendees through one form.

  • October 8, 2024 - Register for West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) Region
    (This covers Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties)
    Muskegon Community College, 221 Quarterline Rd., Muskegon, Michigan. Maximum of 4 attendees per community are allowed. One representative per municipality shall register all planned attendees through one form.

  • October 10, 2024 - Register for Region II Planning Commission Region
    (This covers Hillsdale, Jackson, and Lenawee Counties)
    Adrian Tobias Center in the Ritchie Marketplace, Adrian College, 110 S Madison St, Adrian, Michigan. Maximum of 4 attendees per community are allowed. One representative per municipality shall register all planned attendees through one form.

  • October 28. 2024 - Register for Southcentral Michigan Planning Council (SMPC) Region
    (This covers Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph Counties)
    Delta Hotels by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center, 2747 South 11th St., Kalamazoo, Michigan. Maximum of 4 attendees per community are allowed. One representative per municipality shall register all planned attendees through one form.

The REA team is currently working with Council of Governments in Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, Region II Planning Commission, Southcentral Michigan Planning Council, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission for the workshops. If your region is not included in the list but have interest, please contact the REA team or your regional planning commission.

Workshop Highlights:

  • Basics of renewable energy & planning and zoning for these technologies.
  • PA 233, the Zoning Pathways, and “Workability”
  • Guided Activities
  • Q&A throughout
  • Guest speaker from the Center for EmPowering Community, University of Michigan

Renewable Energy Academy Speakers

EGLE Energy Services Unit

Guest Speakers: Graham Sustainability Institute: Center for EmPowering Communities

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) (Lead)

EGLE’s Energy Services Unit strives to promote healthy communities, economic growth, and environmental sustainability through energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption. We support individuals, businesses, and communities by providing educational awareness as well as technical, financial, and referral assistance. EGLE offers a variety of programs each year to catalyze growth and jumpstart Michigan entities in reaching their own energy goals.

Learn more about EGLE Energy Services Unit

UM Graham Sustainability Institute: Center for EmPowering Communities

Graham Sustainability Institute mobilizes the expertise and passion of scholars, partners, and decision-makers to work together and bring world-class research to real-world sustainability challenges.
Learn more about UM Graham Sustainability Institute: Center for EmPowering Communities

Michigan State University Extension

Michigan State University Extension has been helping people address critical issues, needs and opportunities by delivering MSU's vast knowledge and resources directly to individuals, communities, and businesses. MSUE has a wide reach of associated professionals & experts, has developed several community engagement events regarding discussion about renewable energy, and has written widely used guidebooks for wind and solar zoning.
Learn more about Michigan State University Extension

5 Lakes Energy

5 Lakes Energy is a Michigan-based policy consulting firm dedicated to advancing policies and programs that promote clean energy and sound water policy for a resilient environment. They have the capacity to develop useful visualizations and modeling tools in adopting and accelerating sustainable practices.
Learn more about 5 Lakes Energy

Michigan Association of Planning

Michigan Association of Planning is dedicated to promoting sound community planning that benefits the residents of Michigan, and to promoting quality community planning through education, information and advocacy, statewide.
Learn more about Michigan Association of Planning

PA 233 Guidance

Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE):

  • Navigating the New Renewable Energy Siting Legislation: Insights for Local Governments (recorded 8/21/24, 58min)
    In November 2023, the Michigan legislature passed the Clean Energy Future Package and the Clean Energy and Jobs Act, which included legislation that drastically alters the landscape of siting renewable energy projects in the state. Local governments, from cities to villages to townships to counties, play a key role in siting renewable energy and are now faced with understanding and adapting to this new landscape. How can your community prepare for these changes and approach challenges? Attend this webinar to learn about planning and zoning for utility-scale renewable energy in the context of the new siting process.
Michigan Public Service Commission:

Center for EmPowering Communities, Graham Sustainability Institute, University of Michigan

Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Guidance 

EGLE’s Renewable Energy webpage is a general hub that provides resources on solar and wind energy for many different scales and audiences, including guidance on incorporating solar and wind into community plans and ordinances. For planning and zoning for utility-scale renewable energy in particular, the following are highly relevant:

  • Michigan Zoning Database
  • Clean Energy in Michigan Series
  • Planning and Zoning for Solar Energy Systems: A Guide for Local Governments in Michigan
  • Sample Zoning for Wind Energy Systems

Renewables Ready Communities Award

The Renewables Ready Communities Award is a $30,000,000 program designed to reward hosts and permitters of utility-scale renewable energy in the state. This program will provide up to $5,000 per megawatt to Michigan municipalities that permitted, host, or expect to host eligible renewable energy projects.

Learn more about small-scale and community-scale renewable energy funding opportunities at EGLE

More resources to be added in the future, including:

  • Selected Webinars
  • MSU Extension’s Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Modules

 

Coming in Spring 2025

The Clean Energy Information Bureau (CEIB) will be a network of subject-matter experts in various fields that interact with utility-scale renewable energy development. These experts will develop materials that address common questions and concerns around their subject matter and may also be available to speak at events or meetings upon a community’s or organization’s request and depending on their availability.