By Mike Buza
Michigan has made serious progress in clean energy legislation. The state eliminated many barriers to the development of utility-scale, clean-energy developments. For instance, legislation expedites rooftop solar installation by removing the cap on people’s ability to participate in distributed generation (DG) programs run by utilities. Homeowners’ associations can no longer ban rooftop solar in their communities. A bill on community solar, which has progressed in the legislature, would allow more renters and others to install their own renewable energy systems.
The Michigan legislature still needs to address the use of microgrids. Microgrids are local electrical grids that can operate independently of the larger utility power grid in case of a power outage. Microgrids have their own power source or sources, such as solar or wind, often backed up by a fossil fuel source, such as a diesel generator. With advances in battery technology, microgrids are becoming less dependent on fossil fuels, a trend expected to continue.
Microgrids offer many benefits. Currently, they protect critical resources like hospitals and police stations. Businesses find value in investing in microgrids to protect their ongoing operations as the weather becomes more unpredictable and severe. Neighborhoods are seeing the benefits of microgrids to lower energy costs. In addition, microgrids deliver increased cybersecurity.
The World Economic Forum states that microgrids provide additional benefits such as reducing reliance on fossil fuel, enhancing local resiliency, reducing energy losses in energy transmission and distribution, promoting sustainable energy sources, reducing carbon emissions, reducing energy losses due to lengthy transmission, and additional benefits.
Michigan has experienced extended power outages from the state’s two biggest utilities. Microgrids could protect our critical, safety infrastructure. Puerto Rico, whose electrical grid was virtually destroyed twice by hurricanes, has come to literally celebrate the completion of microgrids. Michigan's two biggest utilities are taking action to improve the resilience of the grid. Will their actions cope with the ravages of increasingly violent and frequent storms? There is certainly room for doubt.
We need to start planning ahead. California and Hawaii have passed laws that enable microgrids. California passed a law in 2018 enabling microgrids. By 2022, the state’s first 100% renewable energy microgrid was operational. It takes time for a statute to be interpreted through the regulatory process so businesses have a clear idea of how to pursue a project consistent with the new policy. Once the policy provisions are clear, a company must go through the planning and permitting process before they can then start construction, all of which takes time. This planning is crucial for the successful implementation of microgrids.
Michiganders cannot afford to delay the process of introducing legislation any longer. It often takes years from the introduction of a bill until it is signed by a governor and becomes law. The impact of climate change is becoming increasingly more destructive every year. We need to fortify our infrastructure to prepare for this turbulent future. Microgrids need to be part of the solution. The decentralization of electrical capacity provided by microgrids can play a crucial role in achieving an affordable, clean and resilient power system. Nature will not wait for us to develop the needed resiliency that microgrids will help provide now.
Questions or comments about this article can be directed to Mike Buza at theoriginalzuba@yahoo.com.