Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and clean energy business representatives on Tuesday celebrated growth in Michigan's clean energy industry following the release of a new report by E2, otherwise known as Environmental Entrepreneurs.
E2, a national nonpartisan group of business leaders and investors and others who advocate for policies that support the environment and business, released its eighth annual Clean Jobs Midwest report along with Evergreen Climate Innovations.
“Our report tracks clean energy jobs in five clean energy sectors: energy efficiency, renewables, clean transportation, clean fuels, and grid and storage,” said Micaela Preskill, E2 Midwest Advocate.
According to the report, Michigan leads the Midwest with 123,983 clean energy jobs, with clean transportation serving as Michigan's fastest-growing sector, growing 14.4 percent in 2022.
“Now industry growth is expected to continue as federal climate investments bring new clean energy projects. And with strong government policy growth is even more certain,” Preskill said.
Energy efficiency accounted for the largest share of clean energy jobs in the state, with 75,085 workers in the state manufacturing Energy Star-rated appliances, installing efficient lighting, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and installing advanced building materials to promote efficiency in homes and commercial buildings.
Additionally, small businesses would make up more than 75 percent of Michigan's clean energy industry in 2022, the report said.
In addition to curbing employment in clean energy jobs, the report also offered policy advice aimed at meeting the country's goals of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030, growing clean energy jobs and promoting equity in the economy clean energy.
He encouraged lawmakers to develop and fund federal and state workforce development programs to help fill job vacancies and grow industry. He also encouraged lawmakers to work with regional energy transmission agencies to build more transmission and increase access to clean energy.
The report also encouraged state lawmakers to pass clean energy policies, including adopting standards requiring 60 percent of a state's electricity generation to come from renewable energy sources, adopting a national energy storage goal and allowing greater adoption of distributed generation energy, such as solar energy on roofs and community . It also recommended policies to reduce residential and heating emissions by 17 percent and build infrastructure to support 2 million electric vehicles on Michigan roads by 2030.
Michigan lawmakers introduced many similar policies earlier this yearwith members of the Michigan Senate Energy and Environment Committee considering legislation to implement a 100% clean energy standard for energy providers by 2035 at its meeting on Wednesday.
At a press conference, Gehrist said the report confirms Michigan is on the right track, but that the state needs to do more to accelerate the development of the clean energy industry.
“When we're talking about nearly 124,000 clean energy workers, that's a big total, but I want to emphasize that this number represents the acceleration of growth in the sector,” Gilchrist said. “In fact, the number grew nearly 5% just last year to 2022, which is twice the growth rate of the overall economy in the state of Michigan.”
Additionally, Gilchrist noted that 16,000 of Michigan's clean energy jobs were hosted in rural areas.
“When we invest in this space, we are investing in all of Michigan and in economic growth and opportunity throughout our state,” Gilchrist said.
Gilchrist said he and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will continue to work to support and accelerate clean energy job growth across the state from a policy perspective, highlighting past efforts that set state carbon emissions targets by investing state dollars in clean energy, efficiency and environmental justice and supporting efforts in the Legislature to enshrine the governor's Healthy Climate Plan into state law.
“We look forward to working with the Legislature to codify it MI plan for a healthy climatethat will not only lock in the growth we've had, but propel us forward for more growth and more ingenuity for years to come and maintain Michigan's position as not only a leader in the region, but a leader in the nation,” said Gilchrist.
“We have big problems with climate change, but that means we have big ideas that will lead to big solutions and better outcomes for all our people. We have no qualms at Michigan when it comes to ambition. We have solved big problems on a global scale in the past and we can do so in the future,” Gilchrist said.
GET MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
