Thursday, January 12, 2012

Michigan RPS Ballot Proposal: 25% by 2025

Yes! So happy to see this. From my man Paul Egan:

A group wants to amend Michigan's constitution to more than double the existing requirement for how much of the state's electricity must come from renewable sources by 2025.

Proposed ballot language filed Wednesday for the Nov. 6 election would require the state's utilities to reach 25%, well beyond the current law passed in 2008, which requires 10% of Michigan's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2015.

Consumers and DTE are already grumbling about it, but too bad. The original should have been set higher, but of course the Republicans wouldn't allow it, so it's time for the people to take matters into their own hands.

30 states now have RPS goals, most are along this line, if not higher. West Virginia, Oregon, Nevada, Minnesota, Illinois and Delaware are all shooting for 25% by '25. Colorado wants 30% by 2020. California, 33% by 2020. The big winner is Hawaii at 40% by 2030. Most states are using a combination of methods and broadening the term "renewable" to include hydro or so-called "clean" natural gas, but the point is they are doing it, and they are creating jobs and attracting industry to their states because of it.

President Obama had proposed a national 25% by '25, but with Congress being Congress, we will have to settle for this patchwork approach from the states for now. Confusing, yes, but it needs to be done. Expect the Kochs to throw a bunch of money at misleading ads (think Detroit bridge), but I sure hope the people of Michigan know better, get this on the ballot, and vote it in.