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 Governor Granholm continues to work tirelessly to diversify Michigan's economy. One of the most promising areas the Governor has identified that holds the promise of thousands of new Michigan jobs is alternative energy.
In her State of the State Address the Governor called for and has now signed into law, new tax credits for "anchor companies," which are the first of their kind in the nation. Under this program certain alternative energy companies can be designated as "anchor companies," making them eligible for additional incentives if they partner with the state to bring that company's suppliers or customers to Michigan.
It's a win-win. A company like Hemlock Semiconductor, which is the world's leading producer of a key component of solar panels, could bring hundreds of new jobs from other solar companies and create a new Silicon Valley in the Saginaw Valley.
The Governor is also working to capitalize on Michigan's incredible expertise in our world-class research universities by creating "Centers of Energy Excellence." These centers will bring university researchers on-site to a growing alternative energy company. The state's first Center of Energy Excellence will be centered around Mascoma -- a company that Governor Granholm today announced is going to build the country's first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Chippewa County in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
The Mascoma plant will be one of the first of its kind in the nation and is just the latest alternative energy investment that stands to put Michigan at the forefront of renewable, next-generation fuels.
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- Associated Press: "...will convert wood chips and other non-food fibers to make about 40 million gallons of wood ethanol a year..."
- Detroit Free Press: "The UP's vast tracts of sustainable forest land, plus equity stakes in Mascoma taken by GM and Marathon, ensure that resources and expertise in fuel distribution and vehicle design are available."
- Detroit News: Granholm: "Making bio-fuels here will mean cheaper gas for Michigan motorists."
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Long before the current run-up in gas prices, the Governor declared Michigan's intention to lead the nation in alternative energy production. That's why this week's announcement by the Massachusetts-based Mascoma Corporation was greeted with such excitement.
You've probably heard the rush to produce billions of gallons of ethanol from corn has been pushing up the price of food, something no one wants. But Mascoma will produce ethanol that can power a vehicle from wood chips and other non-food related materials. This clean energy technology is critical to producing ethanol more quickly, efficiently and economically. And it's cleaner burning.
Not only will this project bring as much as a quarter billion dollars in investment to the U.P.'s Chippewa County, it will create hundreds of jobs in logging and transportation as well as the construction jobs needed to make the plant a reality. Mascoma is just the latest alternative energy investment that stands to put Michigan at the forefront of renewable, next-generation fuels.
During her recent investment mission to Sweden, the Governor announced that the Swedish-based Chemrec and the Ohio-based NewPage Corporation will partner in Escanaba to explore using waste from the region's paper industry to create clean, consumer-friendly fuel. That project is now underway.
And in Flint, Swedish Biogas is working with Kettering University to take waste from the waste-water treatment process to create biogas that could be used to fuel our vehicles, too. All three projects are working to transform resources that are abundant in Michigan into alternative fuels.
Michigan's economic strategy is to establish and advance high-tech industries that will accelerate sustainable alternative energy production and pave the way for new jobs for Michigan workers. |
