Michigan Adopts 10% Renewable Standard; U.S. Already There
Last month, the Michigan Legislature passed a bill mandating that 10% of the state’s electricity be generated from renewable sources by 2015, and interim targets take effect three years earlier.
However, according to a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, during the first half of 2008, renewable sources made up more than 10% of all domestic energy production.
For the period January 1 - June 30, 2008, the United States consumed 50.673 quadrillion Btus (quads) of energy - of which 34.162 quads was from domestic sources and 16.511 quads was imported.
Domestically-produced renewable energy (biomass/biofuels, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) totaled 3.606 quads — an amount equal to 10.56% of U.S. energy consumption that is domestically-produced.
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This is not a completely straightforward comparison. The Michigan RPS standard deals solely with electrical generation, while the national figure deals with all forms of energy. But electrical generation is the sector where renewables have the potential to make the greatest strides, with wind, solar, and other alternative generation systems having great growth potential. Wind power, according to the national report, increased 49% in just one year, rising from 0.164 quads in the first half of 2007 to 0.244 quads in the first half of 2008. (A quad is a quadrillion (10^15) BTUs.) However, electrical generation should be leading, rather than lagging in the use of renewable sources.
Michigan recently added two new, 100-meter tall wind turbines, each with a generating capacity of 2.5 megawatts (which, just by themselves, represent one-half percent of the total 2015 renewable energy target).
Of course, national renewable portfolio standards are a topic of discussion in the current presidential election, and a higher national target might make this move less relevant.
Related articles on EcoLocalizer:
From Yesterday’s Motor City to Tomorrow’s Solar-Cell State?
The Locavolt Movement: Homegrown Green Energy
Wind vs. Coal
via: o2 Michigan Newsletter and EcoGeek.org
image via: Mygreenweek
I liked reading that about the 10% mandate until I saw the next paragraph. I was starting to get excited about the idea of other states following suit. I guess that number needs to get to 20% before it helps, what do you think?
Michigan has been behind the curve, but, even with a mild mandate like this, it does add Michigan to the number of states which have RPSs. About half the states now have some level of RPS in place.
Continual increase in renewable production is what’s important, rather than particular numbers.