New research shows Michigan could actually profit from Clean Power Plan compliance

My home state of Michigan recently released two reports summarizing how Michigan could comply with EPA's Clean Power Plan requirements. As has been the case with numerous other analyses, they found energy efficiency to be a core strategy for reducing the total costs of Clean Power Plan (CPP) compliance. In fact, the modeling showed energy efficiency would help Michigan achieve excess carbon credits, which could be sold to other states. As a result, a Michigan compliance plan would cost less than a "business as usual" future with no CPP policy at all!

The importance of energy efficiency was emphasized by the executive director of the Michigan Agency for Energy, Valerie Brader. She noted that expanding Michigan's utility energy efficiency programs beyond the current statutory 1% annual savings requirement "is absolutely key to our energy future", and would result in lower total costs to ratepayers than a business as usual path. She added: "This is absolutely vital to control Michigan's energy costs in the future. It is saving us literally billions of dollars..."