Michigan State Energy Program Announces Renewable Energy Manufacturing RFP

Michigan State Energy Program Announces Renewable Energy Manufacturing RFP

GRANT DESCRIPTION: A total of $15,000,000.00 in funding is available through the State Energy Program Michigan to assist small manufacturing companies currently located in Michigan to diversify into high-growth clean energy sectors and invest in advanced manufacturing of renewable energy systems and components (i.e. wind turbine systems, solar technology, bio-energy equipment, geothermal heating and cooling systems). Request for funding will be accepted from July 16, 2009–August 14, 2009.

Full Proposal: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/CleanEnergyAdvancedManufacturing_Final_RFP-13_286276_7.pdf

Proposal Announcement: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/CleanEnergyAdvMan_announcement_286289_7.pdf

DOE Announces Nearly $14 Million to go to 28 New Wind Energy Projects

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the selection of 28 new wind energy projects for up to $13.8 million in funding—including $12.8 million in Recovery Act funds.

These projects will help address market and deployment challenges including wind turbine research and testing and transmission analysis, planning, and assessments. Along with the new awards, Secretary Chu announced the release of DOE's 2008 Wind Technologies Market Report, detailing $16 billion in investment in wind projects made in the U.S. in 2008—making the United States the leader in annual wind energy capacity growth, as well as cumulative wind energy capacity.

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=207

Federal Policy Updates:
Manufacturing Tax Credit:

We have word from John Parcell (Office of Tax Policy, U.S. Treasury) that the guidance for the manufacturing tax credit from ARRA is being worked on now and will be released in August as required by statute (though it was unclear they would meet this goal). When language is released I will send an update with more information on this tax credit.

IMPACT Act:

A legislative update about the manufacturing loan program that I recently sent you information about. The proposal, which will establish a revolving loan program for renewable technology manufacturers, was included in the final version of the ACES bill that passed the House on June 26 under the name IMPACT. We believe it has a good chance of being included in the Senate language when ACES is taken up in the fall by the Senate. I am attaching my original summary here, please let me know if you have any additional thoughts on this provision. Thanks to those of you who provided feedback.