Advanced Energy United Welcomes Secretary Benson’s Focus on Leveraging Clean Energy to Address Affordability

LANSING, MI – Yesterday, Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson released a policy framework that acknowledges clean energy technologies as key to making utility bills more affordable. 

Utility bills are skyrocketing in Michigan, a problem seen across the country. To tackle this challenge, Secretary Benson’s plan focuses on the need for deploying more advanced energy generation in Michigan.  

“Clean, renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy. When we invest in clean energy, we lower utility bills,” Benson’s plan explains. “Michigan should lead the nation in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and innovation.” 

Among provisions, the plan calls for: 

• Expanding community solar, 

• Modernizing the grid to make it more reliable, 

• Ensuring Michigan residents can generate their own clean energy, 

• Building more clean energy infrastructure, 

• Increasing home weatherization, 

• And making it easier for residents to drive electric vehicles. 

As an industry association representing businesses that provide a full range of energy solutions with a focus on creating economic opportunity, lowering consumer costs, and bolstering energy reliability, we welcome Secretary Benson’s focus on generating more clean energy in Michigan. 

“Secretary Benson is correct: building more renewables and modernizing our grid will lower energy bills,” United’s Michigan Policy Lead Samarth Medakkar said. “An over-reliance on fossil fuels and an unreliable grid is causing energy bills to rise dramatically in Michigan. Fortunately, the 2023 Clean Energy and Jobs Act set a strong foundation for a better future. The next governor can build on this by cutting regulatory red tape to construct new energy projects in Michigan, allow more community solar, and deploy more electric vehicles and home energy solutions like rooftop solar and storage. This would unlock thousands of new union jobs and make energy costs more affordable.” 

From day one, the next governor can address affordability and rising demand by: 

• Making it easier to get large-scale energy projects built in Michigan, 

• Allowing people to leverage the tools already in their homes, including smart thermostats and electric vehicles, to participate in virtual power plant and similar programs, which would modernize the state’s grid, 

• Ensuring ratepayer resources are not wasted on outdated, less reliable energy systems.