While one state is making a substantial imprint in moving to alternative energy it is leaving its neighboring state in the dust. Since 2008 Michigan started passing laws requiring to get 10 percent of their energy from renewable sources and energy efficiency by 2015. Michael Shore, a spokesman for a Michigan Economic Development Corp, said “ Since the adoption of the renewable energy standard in Michigan, we have attracted more than $9 billion in new investment in new alternative energy manufacturing business." Those $9 billion dollars will create more than 9,000 job all over the state in the next 10 years. Michael Shore has targeted on alternative energy such as solar, wind, biofuels and as well as advanced batteries because they believe that those are energy source for the future. While this strategy isn’t a secret Michigan doesn’t talk much about it because if they do they won’t have much of a competitive advantage. Indiana is one of 14 states nationwide without any kind of renewable energy standard, according to the Pew Center of Global Climate Change. One of the reasons why Indiana hans’t passed any laws is because their houses couldn't agree on a compromise because one senator wanted to include a nuclear energy among the renewables. They also felt that if a certain amount of electricity had from a alternative energy source they would have to increase the rate of electricity because it isn’t as cheap as coal.
These is how Indiana compares to its surrounding states:
Illinois: 25 percent of energy from renewables by 2025 (75 percent of that from wind.) Adopted in 2007.
Indiana: None.
Michigan: 10 percent renewable energy portfolio by 2015 (some may be from energy efficiency.) Adopted in 2008.
Ohio: 25 percent of all electricity sold in 2025 must come from alternative energy (12.5 percent from renewables, half of that must be produced in state. The alternative energy may be energy efficiency and clean coal.) Adopted in 2008.
Wisconsin: 10 percent by 2015. Adopted in 2006.
There shouldn’t be any reason why any state doesn’t have a laws to adopt a certain amount of renewable or alternative energy by a certain date, especially because they couldn’t agree because a senator wanted to include nuclear energy. Nuclear energy itself isn’t possible without effecting the environment at a high cost. At this day and age all 50 states should have some sort of goal to become self sufficient in the upcoming years.
2 comments:
Any step toward enforcing renewable energy use would be a beneficial change so it seems like Indiana would want to join in. At least Michigan is making positive strides in protecting the environment.
I agree with Erin, it would be beneficial to work towards enforcing renewable energy use and I think we all should work towards it like Michigan is trying to work.
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