A proposal may be on the Nov. 6, 2012, ballot that will require that 25 percent of Michigan’s energy come from renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass by 2025. The following new Section 55 would be added to Article IV of the Michigan Constitution:

§ 55 Michigan’s Clean Renewable Electric Energy Standard

1. It is the policy of Michigan to promote and encourage the use of clean renewable electric energy sources. Clean renewable electric energy sources, which naturally replenish over a human rather than geological time frame, are wind, solar, biomass and hydropower.
2. Beginning no later than 2025, at least 25% of each electricity provider’s annual retail electricity sales in Michigan shall be derived from the generation or purchase of electricity produced from clean renewable electric energy sources. The foregoing clean renewable electric energy standard shall be implemented incrementally and in a manner that fosters a diversity of energy generation technologies. Facilities used for satisfying the standard shall be located within Michigan or within the retail customer service territory of any electric utility, municipally-owned electric utility or cooperative electric utility operating in Michigan.
3. Consumers shall be charged for electricity from clean renewable electric energy sources in the same manner as for electricity from other sources.
4. To protect consumers, compliance with the clean renewable electric energy standard shall not cause rates charged by electricity providers to increase by more than 1% in any year. Annual extensions for meeting the standard may be granted, but only to the extent demonstrated to be necessary for an electricity provider to comply with the foregoing rate limitation.
5. The legislature shall enact laws to promote and encourage the employment of Michigan residents and the use of equipment manufactured in Michigan in the production and distribution of electricity derived from clean renewable electric energy sources.
6. Any provision or portion of this section held unconstitutional shall be severable from the remaining portions, which shall be implemented to the maximum extent possible

What the ballot proposal does:

• Our proposal will require that a minimum of 25 percent of Michigan’s energy comes from clean renewable sources, including wind, solar, biomass and hydropower, by 2025.

Why Michigan should support a higher renewable energy standard:

• The Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs proposal will bring $10 billion of investment to Michigan, keep taxpayer dollars here in our state and create more than 44,000 jobs for Michigan workers in the fast-growing clean energy sector.
• It will help expand Michigan’s clean energy production without significantly increasing energy prices for consumers.
• Using more clean, renewable energy will help reduce pollution and protect Michigan’s air, water and land, which benefits everyone living in the Great Lakes State.

CLEAN ENERGY FACTS

• In 2011, renewable energy investments worldwide exceeded $260 billion, a new record that surpassed all expectations. The United States reclaimed the lead in renewable energy, with private investments up 33 percent from 2010 to nearly $56 billion, overtaking China for the first time since 2008, according to Forbes.  This growth is expected to continue.
• Renewable energy currently accounts for just 3.6 percent of the energy used in Michigan. As a comparison, neighboring Ontario already gets 25 percent of its electricity from renewables.
• Coal makes up 60 percent of Michigan’s energy mix, despite the fact the state has no coal reserves. Michigan spends $1.8 billion a year importing coal from other states.
• To protect consumers, our ballot proposal limits how much utilities can raise rates on consumers to no more than 1 percent in any given year, so the average Michigander will pay at most about $1.25 a month more for the renewable energy portion of their electricity bills.
• Twenty other states, including Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa, have already adopted measures similar to this initiative without significant increases in utility costs for consumers.
• Using more wind and solar energy will reduce pollution and give Michigan cleaner and healthier air and water, protect the Great Lakes, reduce asthma and lung disease, and ultimately save lives.