Key provisions in Michigan’s energy law will continue
into the new year, despite requirements that electric utilities meet renewable
energy and efficiency targets by the end of 2015.
Even though lawmakers haven’t adopted bills to update the
state’s 7-year-old energy policy, those standards don’t sunset — meaning
utilities only will have to maintain current benchmarks unless or until a new
law is signed.
Without changes to policy, Michigan’s standards for
renewable energy and energy efficiency don’t increase; utilities won’t be
required to meet stricter goals than what they’ve already achieved.
Under current law, utilities have to generate at least 10
percent of their electricity from renewable sources — a target they’ve met —
and to offer energy efficiency programs to customers with savings equal to 1
percent of total electric sales.
