“State government will keep leading by example and investing in clean, renewable energy to protect Michigan’s clean air and water and save taxpayer dollars,” said Whitmer. “The bipartisan Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund will help us upgrade state buildings to cut energy costs, and we will continue finding ways to put Michiganders first as we work together to protect our Great Lakes, create good-paying clean energy jobs, and shore up our energy independence.”
“There is a lot of potential for state government to become more energy efficient,” said Acting DTMB Director Michelle Lange. “The EERF gives us the ability to act on those opportunities without having to cut into the funding we use to provide critical state services to Michiganders every day.”
The three projects include:
State Warehouse Complex Solar Array
Construct a solar array system that will generate approximately 400,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and provide 100% of the electricity needed to power the State Facilities Administration Building. This is a joint project with the Lansing Board of Water and Light.
General Services Building LED & Advance Lighting Controls Upgrade
Upgrade all lights in the General Services Building to LED with advanced lighting controls to optimize light utilization and provide savings on energy costs. The state will partner with Consumers Energy and Graybar to participate in Graybar’s Smart Lighting Turn Key Program, which streamlines the conversion to LED lighting. The estimated utility rebate for this project is about 50% of the total cost. DTMB will use 100% of the rebate funds to invest in additional LED and advanced lighting control projects. The savings will provide lighting for two additional buildings with funding from one project.
St. Louis Correctional Facility Green Prison Initiative Energy Performance Project
Complete energy conservation measures designed to reduce energy use, water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and operating and maintenance costs at the St. Louis Correctional Complex. The projects include installing two 800-kilowatt solar photovoltaic arrays, replacing florescent lighting with energy-saving LED lights, and retrofitting and replacing 1,900 toilets, urinals, shower heads, and faucets.
About Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund
Whitmer proposed and signed a budget that included a one-item allocation of $5 million to create a revolving fund that provides up-front financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at state facilities. Repayments are made when savings from the energy efficiency and renewable energy projects are realized. The revolving fund approach allows for the re-investment of resources in new projects on a continuous basis, establishing a long-term program focused on reducing the state’s carbon footprint. The Governor recently proposed expanding this fund in her executive budget recommendation.
EERF funding requests are reviewed by a panel of State of Michigan administrators to ensure that funded projects will result in long-term energy savings and a reduction of net carbon emissions. The panel consists of representation from the Governor’s Office, DTMB, State Budget Office, and the departments of Corrections, Natural Resources, Transportation, and Health and Human Services.
