Michigan Clean Energy Business Supply Chain

2019 Update

Michigan Clean Energy Business Supply Chain:Good for Manufacturing Jobs, Good for Economic Growth,

and Good for Our Environment

Michigans’s Clean Energy Supply Chain

The Environmental Law & Policy Center identified 316 companies in Michigan that are engaged in the clean energy industry supply chain. Many of these companies serve both the wind and solar industries, and many companies perform multiple roles as part of the interconnected clean energy economy. The numbers below incorporate that overlap of services.

Michigan clean energy businesses play a wide range of roles in the supply chain including:

249 Michigan companies are engaged in the solar energy industry supply chain

152 Manufacturers that build or assemble clean energy equipment or key components for solar energy, wind power, and/or energy storage.

Smart policies, technological innovations, and declining costs have accelerated Michigan’s robust clean energy economy. To ensure continued growth in the renewable energy sector, Michigan should:

137 Michigan companies are engaged in the wind energy industry supply chain

103 Contractors/Installers that install, maintain, or repair clean energy equipment and physical systems.

170 Professional Services/Other that provide essential professional services to support clean energy deployment, including design, finance, legal, insurance, tax, communications, and marketing; also includes alternative retail electric suppliers.

Report Findings At A Glance:

1. Pass legislation and adopt regulatory standards to accelerate distributed solar projects, including rooftop and community solar installations, by providing fair compensation from electric utilities and other incentives.

2. Require electric utilities to fully and fairly consider clean energy resources, such as solar, storage, wind, and energy efficiency, when developing their long-term plans to meet future electricity demands.

3. Adopt standards to support renewable energy projects that suit community needs, including shared solar, low-income solar, and integration with other land uses like agriculture, pollinator plants, and water quality buffers.

Table of Contents

Michigan’s Clean Energy Economy ...................................................................1

Clean Energy Policy Landscape .........................................................................2

Recommendations & Next Steps .......................................................................5

Clean Energy Sector Spotlights .........................................................................10

Solar Energy ............................................................................................11

Wind Energy ............................................................................................15

2019 Michigan Clean Energy Business Directory .............................................19

Margrethe Kearney, Senior Attorney

Lena Reynolds, Communications Writer

Lucas Stephens,Senior Research Analyst

Paul Dailing,Media Relations Specialist

Brad Klein,Senior Attorney

Howard Learner,President & Executive Director

Mary McClelland,Director of Communications

Steve Connell, Steve Connell Graphics

Angel Rodriguez, Policy InternAriel Salmon, Policy InternSamantha VanDyke, Policy InternMeghan Ward, Communications InternNora Zacharski, Communications Intern

Isabel Abbott, Policy InternMargaret Allen, Policy InternJack Jordan, Policy InternIsa Kaminsky, Policy InternTatiana Krzesicki, Policy Intern

American Wind Energy Association

Energy Sage

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Momentum Technologies LLC

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Solar Energy Industries Association

Solar Reviews

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory

U.S. Geological Survey

Authors

Interns

Designer

Data providers

Contributors

© November 2019. All rights reserved. Full reproduction permitted. This report is available at ELPC.org. ELPC requests acknowledgement, in print, on any information or excerpts reproduced in another publication. Important: The information contained in this document is for general guidance only, and with the understanding that ELPC is not providing any specific legal, accounting, tax, or other professional advice.

Front cover photo credits: Solar Up, Hancock. Peninsula Solar, Marquette. Heritage Sustainable Energy, Traverse City. J. Ranck Electric, Mount Pleasant. Back cover credits: J. Ranck Electric, Mount Pleasant, Heritage Sustainable Energy, Traverse City. Harvest Solar, Jackson.

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Michigan’s Clean Energy Economy Smart energy policies and economic development are making Michigan a hub in the growing clean energy economy. This report highlights 316 local companies that are accelerating solar energy and wind power in Michigan.The growing clean energy economy encompasses companies and communities of many types across Michigan. In this report, we focus on wind and solar power in particular. We recognize that Michigan’s clean energy economy also includes jobs in energy storage, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, energy efficiency, and many other related industries and services. Many companies perform multiple roles to support both the wind and solar energy industries as part of the interconnected clean energy economy.

Clean energy supply chain businesses include:• Manufacturers: Companies that build or assemble

clean energy equipment or key components for solar and wind energy industries.

• Developers/Designers/Contractors/Installers: Companies that initiate, design, or coordinate clean energy projects, including architectural and engineering design and technical consultants. They install, maintain, or repair clean energy equipment and physical systems.

• Professional Services/Other: Companies that provide essential professional services to support clean energy deployment, including design, finance, legal, insurance, tax, communications, and marketing.

Wind and solar energy businesses are located in all 14 Congressional districts, in all 38 State Senate districts, and in 91 of the 110 State House districts. New clean energy technologies and services provide growth

opportunities to Michigan companies while helping to reduce pollution. Communities of all sorts – rural, suburban, and urban – benefit when local businesses supply growing clean energy markets, and we all benefit from better environmental quality and public health. According to Clean Jobs Midwest, wind and solar businesses employ more than 9,500 renewable energy workers in Michigan.

Michigan can and should be a leader in advancing the Midwest’s clean energy economy. State government is actively accelerating new and existing policies to promote renewable energy deployment. Consumers Energy, Michigan’s second largest utility, is moving forward with a plan to build 5,000 megawatts (MW) of solar by 2030. Municipalities, businesses, and universities are pledging to power their operations using clean, renewable energy. As the public commitment to renewable energy grows, Michigan can maximize its benefits by supporting projects located within the state.

Michigan’s policymakers should guide the state in transitioning from old coal plants to more new renewable energy technologies. State leaders have recently taken some initial steps to strengthen clean energy growth, but more work needs to be done. Michigan’s clean energy economy will benefit from a robust and stable policy framework to accelerate solar power, energy storage, and wind power resources.

Hemlock Semiconductor, Hemlock

Michigan’s Renewable Energy HistoryMichigan has a long history of innovation, helping to drive the region’s economic growth through manufacturing and invention in the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the world’s first hydroelectric power plants began operation in 1880 in Grand Rapids, running 16 streetlamps from the Wolverine Chair and Furniture Company’s water turbine. Many hydroelectric projects followed across the state. Wind and solar power have grown rapidly since the start of the 21st century. The state’s first renewable portfolio standard (RPS) passed in 2008, requiring utilities to obtain 10% of their electricity from renewable energy resources by 2015. This first RPS resulted in 1,500 MW of new renewable energy in Michigan.

Michigan’s clean energy economy received a boost from legislation passed in 2016. Public Act 432 improved the state’s RPS from 10% to 15% and added an aspirational target of 35%. The 2016 energy legislation also created an Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process, which can level the playing field for clean-energy alternatives at a utility scale. In 2016, the Michigan Public Service Commission also updated the way that avoided

costs are calculated under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), which resulted in thousands of MWs of solar energy projects in utility interconnection queues. This growth demonstrates the economic viability of solar energy in Michigan, and it encouraged Consumers Energy to propose its own plan for developing 5,000 MW of solar projects by 2030.

Michigan’s Policies & ProgramsStrong, modern renewable energy policies should reflect technological innovation and help remove regulatory barriers to accelerate renewable energy development.

Renewable Electricity Standard The Renewable Electricity Standard, also known as the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), requires that a minimum percentage of the utilities’ energy supply be provided by clean renewable resources like wind and solar. Michigan’s RPS requires electric providers to achieve a retail electricity supply portfolio that increases from 10% in 2015 to 15% in 2021. There is an interim compliance requirement of 12.5% in 2019 and 2020.

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Strong supportive federal and state policies are vital to encouraging investment in renewable energy industries. Michigan is poised to become a clean energy leader, thereby creating jobs, economic growth, and environmental benefits.

Clean Energy Policy Landscape

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Integrated Resource Planning The Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process requires utilities to develop a long-term generation resource plan to cover the next 20 years. Investing in renewable energy resources makes sense as the technologies continue to improve and costs decline. These favorable economic conditions are pushing utilities beyond the RPS mandate. For example, Consumers Energy’s recently approved IRP puts the company at 42% renewable by 2040, far beyond the 15% Michigan’s RPS will require. Over the next 10 years, Consumers Energy will purchase 5,000 MW of new solar through a competitive bidding process, with half of the projects owned by third parties. This creates jobs, diversifies the energy supply, and saves consumers money.

Community Solar and “Voluntary Green Pricing” ProgramsMichigan utilities have developed a few small community solar pilot projects over the past several years, but there is no statewide community solar program. Community solar or “shared solar” projects allow multiple electric consumers to own or subscribe to a share of a solar energy project and receive credit for the output. Michigan law also requires all electric utilities to offer customers the opportunity to participate in new “green pricing” programs to access higher levels of renewable energy. That includes rate-regulated utilities, municipally-owned utilities, cooperatives, and alternative electric suppliers. Green pricing participants both cover the costs and accrue the benefits of these voluntary programs, and utilities have a large degree of flexibility in structuring their offerings. Michigan’s programs allow third-party ownership, community solar, and low-income customer components. While the two largest utilities have begun to implement programs, there is ample room to make these programs more affordable, transparent, and customer-driven.

Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act IncentivesMichigan’s implementation of the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), with more appropriate avoided cost measures, facilitates solar energy project development. Utilities have resisted development of independent PURPA projects, although Consumers Energy recently signed a settlement agreement that

should result in almost 600 MW of independent solar projects over the next several years. While the full impact of PURPA implementation in Michigan remains uncertain, the initial cases at the Public Service Commission demonstrated the economic viability of renewable energy projects in Michigan.

Distributed Generation Tariff (formerly Net Metering)In 2016, the new Distributed Generation Tariff (DG Tariff) replaced Michigan’s retail net metering program. Net metering allows customers who generate their own renewable electricity to receive a bill credit for selling their excess back to the grid. Under the first new DG Tariff, however, Michigan customers will receive less than the full retail rate for excess power they generate and send to the grid. The Public Service Commission staff concluded that an inflow-outflow model would most effectively reflect equitable cost of service, but the program design and implementation need improvement in order to provide full and fair compensation for DG Tariff customers.

Interconnection StandardsMichigan law requires standardized legal and technical requirements for customers proposing to interconnect new distributed generation projects to the grid. Michigan’s existing interconnection standards, however, are more than 10 years old and are now outdated. The Michigan Public Service Commission has proposed new interconnection standards that, if adopted, will streamline the process for new projects going forward.

Energy Storage and Distribution System Planning New technologies like batteries, smart thermostats, and rooftop solar energy installations can all play an important role in modernizing the electric grid and can defer the need for costly investments in the utility distribution system. The Michigan Public Service Commission has directed utilities to develop and submit five-year distribution investment and maintenance plans in order to better provide an effective and resilient system of distributed electricity generation for the future.

Property Assessed Clean Energy Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing uses the local government’s taxing authority to enable property owners to better finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Participants can spread the project cost of a project over 15 to 25 years by payments as part of their property tax bills. Thus far, 25 counties and 17 cities and townships in Michigan have implemented PACE financing programs.

TaxationProperty tax exemptions for small-scale alternative energy systems expired in 2013 after 10 years on the books. For several years, small solar installations were treated as real property in some taxing districts, thereby increasing property owners’ tax bills. The Michigan Legislature recently passed a new law to see that rooftop solar is not treated as real property

Rural Energy for America Program The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) is a federal Farm Bill program that drives renewable energy and energy efficiency investments in Michigan and nationally. REAP provides competitive grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to cost-share purchase of renewable energy systems and to make energy

for tax purposes, providing much-needed clarity for the solar industry and Michigan customers. Governor Whitmer signed the bill into law in November 2019.

Farm-Friendly SolarThe Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced a new policy allowing commercial solar energy development on 3.4 million acres of land currently enrolled in Michigan’s Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program (PA 116). This new policy removes obstacles for solar developers by no longer requiring landowners enrolled in PA 116 to repay tax credits taken before the property was used to generate solar energy. Landowners must comply with the Department’s regulations and the land must be returned to agricultural uses at the end of the solar agreement.

efficiency improvements. It also funds an energy audit and technical assistance program. The 2018 Farm Bill once again demonstrated that REAP enjoys strong bipartisan support. To date, Michigan’s farmers and rural small businesses have received over $16 million in REAP grants, about $1.6 million worth of loan guarantees, leveraging nearly $65 million in private investment.

In December 2016, Congress passed multi-year extensions of three renewable energy tax credits that provide predictability for developers and are important to progress in Michigan. Advocates are pursuing routes to further extend these tax credits to ensure supply chain growth does not falter.

Production Tax Credit (PTC). Prior to 2017, the PTC provided a credit of 2.3 cents per kilowatt-hour for wind power projects. The funds are paid over time as the wind project produces electricity. PTC funds ramped down between 2017 and 2019, so this option will no longer available to developers, but it has provided critical foundational funding for the early years.

Investment Tax Credit (ITC). In lieu of the PTC, the ITC offers an immediate tax credit equal to 30% of the expenditures for solar energy and small wind energy projects. This tax credit is received as soon as the solar project starts operation. The credit ramps down to 26% in 2020 and 22% in 2021. Thereafter, the credit will decrease to 10%.

Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit. Homeowners can receive a personal income tax credit for up to 30% of the cost of a solar thermal or photovoltaic system (100 kW or less) installed on their residence. This credit decreases to 26% in 2020, 22% in 2021, and then expires.

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Recommendations & Next Steps This report shows that Michigan businesses and workers have already benefited from clean energy growth. Strong targeted policy actions will help accelerate Michigan’s progress into a clean energy future. The following policy recommendations provide a strategic approach for Michigan to promote cleaner, forward-looking technologies.

Open Clean Energy MarketsAdministrative hurdles, regulatory barriers, and unnecessary costs prevent many Michiganders from investing in renewable energy. Opening up markets sparks entrepreneurship and business growth.

• Fix the Distributed Generation Tariff. Michigan’s new DG Tariff was designed to replace net metering in the state, but customers now receive less than full retail rate for excess power sent to the grid. If solar energy is not properly valued, that will constrain growth of jobs and this market into the future. The Public Service Commission (PSC) should redesign the DG Tariff so that it doesn’t constrain renewable energy growth and development.

• Update Interconnection Standards. Michigan’s standards for connecting distributed generation to the grid are outdated, leading to unnecessary costs and delays for project developers. The PSC should complete the proposed new interconnection standards to streamline the process for new projects going forward.

Fuel the Growth of Michigan’s Clean Energy EconomyMichigan has great unrealized potential to develop more in-state renewable energy capacity, boosting its clean energy economy.

• Support Comprehensive Integrated Resource Planning. Some Michigan utilities are still relying on old ways of thinking and outdated dirty fossil fuels. The PSC should require utilities to fully and fairly consider renewable energy as a viable option to support the state’s energy needs into the future.

• Update the Renewable Electricity Standard. Michigan updated its RPS in 2016 with the new goal of reaching 15% renewable energy by 2021. While this is an improvement, it could be better updated to match neighboring states such as Illinois and Minnesota, which are working to reach at least 25% renewable energy by 2025. This longer-term, more ambitious RPS can help spur strong growth in Michigan as well.

J. Ranck Electric, Mount Pleasant

Renewable Energy for All With the right policies, everyone can join the growing green energy economy. Tumbling prices are making it even more accessible to invest in clean energy across Michigan.

• Make Community Solar Accessible. Michigan utilities have developed a few small community solar pilot projects, but Michigan lacks a statewide, competitive community solar program. The legislature should adopt a new statewide community solar program to ensure renewable energy access for all, including those living in Michigan’s lower-income communities. In the meantime, the PSC should encourage utilities to offer community solar access through their voluntary green pricing programs.

• Support Access to Wind Power and Solar Energy for Low-Income Populations. Renewable energy provides stable costs, because customers do not have to pay for imported fuels amid volatile international markets. Low-income populations tend to bear more health burdens from

fossil fuel combustion pollution; they should have the opportunity to be part of the solution.

• Integrate Renewable Energy with Other Land Uses. With no statewide policy on siting renewable energy resources, Michigan has begun to see some local discussions around how to best integrate renewable energy projects into existing or planned land uses. Many cities, such as Grand Rapids, are working to become more “solar friendly,” but uncertainty and inconsistency in zoning regulations and a patchwork of local authorities can present challenges for developing solar projects. Statewide incentives through a Brownfield Redevelopment program could help direct development to underutilized sites, demonstrating the value of renewable energy development in rejuvenating contaminated and blighted properties. Michigan should also consider setting standards for “pollinator-friendly” or “farm-friendly” solar projects to promote compatible land use, environmental benefits, and community acceptance.

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J. Ranck Electric, Mount Pleasant

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Michigan Wind Energy & Solar Energy Companies(U.S. Congressional Districts)

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The energy market changes quickly, but this research is as accurate as we could reasonably ascertain as of July 2019

ELPC identified wind & solar energy companies in all 14 congressional districts.

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Michigan Wind Energy & Solar Energy Companies(State House Districts)


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ELPC identified wind & solar energy companies in 91 of the 110 State House districts.

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Detroit & Grand Rapids Wind Energy & Solar Energy Companies (State House Districts)


Detroit & Grand Rapids are hubs for clean energy in Michigan.

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Clean Energy Sector Spotlights: Solar Energy

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The Environmental Law & Policy Center identified 249 businesses that participate in Michigan’s solar energy supply chain. These companies are engaged in projects of every size, ranging from small residential installations to utility-scale projects. Small businesses have always been central to the Michigan economy, and they are also helping to bring renewable energy to communities across the state. Some companies manufacture parts, while others provide design, installation, financing, and/or repair services. According to Clean Jobs Midwest, the solar industry employs more than 5,000 workers in Michigan.

Updated avoided cost tariffs resulted in thousands of MW of solar projects in the utility interconnection queues. The Lansing Board of Water & Light’s 24 MW Delta Solar Project was the largest single-axis tracker, third-party owned solar project in Michigan

when it went into operation in 2018. As developers move into larger-scale projects, communication with residents and local government is proving important. Ranger Power is now planning a 149 MW project in Sheridan Township, scheduled for completion in late 2020. About two-thirds of the output from the project was acquired by Consumers Energy through a competitive bidding process. The growing Michigan solar energy industry creates jobs. Michigan’s educational institutions offer opportunities for students interested in solar energy. For example, Macomb Community College offers a specialty certificate in Renewable Energy designed to complement an associate degree program. Muskegon Community College offers a Wind & Solar Certificate focusing on installing clean energy generation equipment designed for use in residential and light commercial environments.

Turtle Island Solar, Cassopolis

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SOLAR ENERGY COMPANY PROFILES

Hemlock Semiconductor, Hemlock

Michigan Solar Solutions, Wixom

“Whether it’s the iPhone in your pocket, the computer on your desk, or the solar powering the electricity on your house, all of it is built on Hemlock’s polysilicon. It’s a really exciting story for our community in Michigan that we get to supply the world-wide market for all of those products, and we get to be the refinery of the 21st century moving forward.” – Phil Rausch, Business Development Manager

“Electricity is a national security issue. Our current grid is our Achilles heel, it’s our weakest point. Generating solar energy domestically is the best way to ensure a safe and healthy future for the United States.” – Mark Hagerty, Founder

Hemlock Semiconductor is one of the world’s largest producers of polysilicon, a fundamental material for solar panels, in addition to computers and cell phones. The company was founded in 1961 as an electronics supplier. It has since grown to employ about 1,500 workers at a large manufacturing facility and corporate office in Hemlock, Michigan.

There are only a few suppliers of semiconductor-grade silicon in the world, so Hemlock estimates that it produces 1/3 of all electronic chips in the world. The company’s solar-grade polysilicon is used to make mono- and multi-crystalline ingots and wafers for solar panels and arrays, producing enough for about 5 GW of solar each year, or roughly 16 million solar panels. The company’s interest in solar technology was originally market driven. “We saw more and more demand for solar polysilicon starting in the early 2000s, and really have expanded our business substantially in Michigan, just to meet the worldwide demand,” said Rausch.

Michigan Solar Solutions offers a variety of solar services, including solar electric design, procurement, and installation. Founded in 2007, the company currently has 35 employees and three offices throughout Michigan in Riverdale, Wixom, and Grand Rapids.

Michigan Solar Solutions is currently working on several upcoming projects: for example, a 195 kW array on an old Jeep plant, a 110 kW array on a veterinarian’s office, and three arrays on hotels, each around 95 kW. They are also looking forward to the possibility of tapping into the state’s many large manufacturing companies as solar resources. Because of the steep fall in solar prices, Michigan Solar Solutions will soon be able to install large arrays on top of manufacturing facilities, which have the potential to provide much more electricity than the company’s typical arrays.

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Harvest Solar, Jackson

Peninsula Solar, Marquette

Helios Solar, Kalamazoo

“At Harvest Solar we place our customers at the heart of what we do, investing in the communities, and creating local jobs.” – Erin Stewart, Marketing Coordinator

Harvest Solar is a Michigan-based, full-service Midwest provider of solar energy systems with about

“Solar benefits a triple bottom line: It is generally something that is good for individual people, it can lower costs for homeowners and businesses, and it is environmentally responsible.” – Ian Olmsted, Founder

Peninsula Solar offers photovoltaic panel installation and energy solutions throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and beyond. Founded in 2011, the company today has seven employees and completes about 50 installations per year.

By offering energy storage solutions like batteries, the Peninsula team can help customers store solar energy for use when the sun is not shining, bringing self-

“We got into the solar business to make the world a better place. We all had other options – I’m an attorney, my son and my partner are electrical engineers, but we wanted to do this.” – Samuel Fields, Chief Financial Officer

50 employees. Established in 2006, Harvest Solar manufactures, sells, installs, and services solar projects for residential, commercial, and utility applications.

Manufacturing is housed in their Jackson location, where Harvest provides full-service fabrication, assembly, powder coating, and packaging. This manufacturing capacity supports local companies in renewable energy and other industries, but many products go directly into Harvest installations, such as their solar racking systems. Harvest Solar is proud of the recent 2.2 MW Heritage Project in Traverse City, which took significant coordination between various stakeholders to get going. This new utility project will help Traverse City reach their goal of using all renewable energy to power the municipality by 2020.

sufficiency and resilience to their clients. Peninsula Solar’s community impact and visibility is reflected in the company’s installation of rooftop solar panels on the Arts Tavern in Glen Arbor and in the Old Art Building in Leland

Helios Solar is a panel development and installation company. Founded in 2009, the company mainly works on projects within 50 miles of Kalamazoo. Helios Solar expects to complete 20 installations this year with capacities of 150 kW or less. Helios undertook Michigan’s only landfill solar installation in 2008 in Eaton Rapids, converting the city’s old landfill into a 535 kW solar energy facility that now helps power municipal utilities.

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Michigan Solar Energy Companies(State House Districts)


ELPC identified 249 solar companies statewide.

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Detroit & Grand Rapids Solar Energy Companies (State House Districts)


Solar energy companies employ over 5,000 workers in Michigan, from small towns to big cities.

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Clean Energy Sector Spotlights: Wind Energy

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The Environmental Law & Policy Center identified 137 businesses engaged in the wind energy industry in Michigan. According to Clean Jobs Midwest, businesses in wind energy employ more than 4,500 workers in Michigan.

These companies span a wide range of business activities and functions. Project developers identify viable site locations and coordinate project design and business models for utility-scale and smaller wind installations. Michigan businesses are producing many parts that go into assembling a wind turbine,

while wind turbine contractors handle installation and support. Repair and remanufacturing keep Midwestern wind farms in peak condition over time.

Wind power continues to be the primary source of alternative energy in Michigan. While most wind development has taken place in the Thumb area, there are other areas of Michigan that are also highly rated for wind resources and utility scale development. For example, Invenergy’s new Pine River 160 MW wind park recently began operation in Gratiot and Isabella Counties.

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WIND ENERGY COMPANY PROFILES

PSI Repair Services, Inc, Livonia

SES Flexcharge (Seelye Equipment Specialists), Charlevoix

Wind is important to our company, because it has had a significant contribution to our overall revenue growth. Recently we surpassed 40,000 wind component repairs shipped over the last 10 or so years.” – John Greulich, Director of Sales

I guess that near 70% of the projects in Antarctica run on our controllers. For quite a while we also had some light beacons that used our controllers at the base of the Hoover Dam. It’s hard to put a number to where our products are because they’re just everywhere.” – Don Seelye, Owner

PSI Repair Services, Inc. provides repair services for wind turbines across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and some parts of Europe. Founded in 1967, the company began servicing wind turbines in 2008 when they realized the need for an independent repair service provider. Wind energy has since become a significant part of the company’s business profile. PSI often provides repair services to utilities, ensuring larger electricity companies can remain reliable.

PSI predominantly repairs pitch and yaw systems in wind turbines, which are needed to adjust the turbine to different wind directions and speeds. While PSI continues to provide maintenance services for other industries, getting into the wind industry has expanded the company’s business opportunities.

SES Flexcharge manufactures the power controllers that make solar and wind energy possible. Using a patented charging algorithm, their controllers maintain battery voltage peaks to prevent voltage peaks from ruining an energy system’s batteries. The company began in 1967 and transitioned to manufacturing power controllers in 1985, as the alternative energy market began to take off. SES Flexcharge is a family-owned, family-run business that sells its patented controllers around the world.

The company’s controllers are valuable tools for alternative energy systems because they ensure that 99.8% of the electricity generated by wind and solar installations gets to the battery. Seelye says customers have been using them in personal installations in their homes, boats, and a variety of other uses. Flexcharge controllers are popular on open-ocean sailing vessels using wind and solar power for clean, efficient, and dependable energy.

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Michigan Wind Energy Companies(State House Districts)


ELPC identified 137 wind companies statewide.

WIND

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Detroit & Grand Rapids Wind Energy Companies (State House Districts)


Wind energy companies employ over 4,500 workers in Michigan, from small towns to big cities.

Detroit

Grand Rapids

Adrian Wacker Chemical Corporation X X 7 17 57Albion Patriot Solar Group X X 3 19 62Almont Innovation Electric X X 10 31 82Ann Arbor ArborWind X X 12 18 55Ann Arbor Archiopolis Architects X X 12 18 53Ann Arbor Arsenal Venture Partners X X 12 18 55Ann Arbor Homeland Builders of Michigan X X X 12 22 52Ann Arbor Homeland Solar X X X 12 22 52Ann Arbor Howard and Howard X X 12 18 53Ann Arbor LNA Solutions X X X 12 18 53Ann Arbor Michigan Aerospace Corporation X X 12 18 55Ann Arbor NSK Corporation X X 12 18 55Ann Arbor Phoenix Environmental X X X X 12 18 55Ann Arbor Preissner Engineering and Consulting X X 7 22 52Ann Arbor Renovo Power Systems X X 12 18 55Ann Arbor Shepherd Advisors X X 12 18 55Ann Arbor SUR Energy X X 12 18 53Auburn Dow Corning Corporation X X X 5 31 98Auburn Hills Fata Automation X X X X 11 12 29Auburn Hills Guardian Industries X X 11 12 29Auburn Hills Legend Valve X X X X 11 12 29Auburn Hills Nexteer Automotive Corporation X X 11 12 29Auburn Hills Uni-Solar - United Solar Ovonic X X 11 12 29Battle Creek Cosma International X X 3 19 62Battle Creek Digital Highway Inc. X X X 3 19 62Battle Creek Toda America X X 3 19 62Bay City B's Electric X X X 5 31 96Bay City Gougeon Brothers X X 5 31 96Bay City Kerkau Manufacturing X X 5 31 96Bay City Mersen USA BN Corporation X X 5 31 96Bear Lake Q Cells X X 1 35 101Belding Robroy Enclosures X X 3 19 86Belleville Ricardo Inc. X X 12 6 12Belleville Sumpter Solar Services LLC X X X 12 6 17Berkley Strategic Energy Solutions X X 9 13 27Beulah J.D. Stratton Electric X X X 1 35 101Bingham Farms Power Distribution Inc. X X 9 12 35Bloomfield Hills The Interactive House X X 9 12 35Bloomfield Hills Van Acker Associates X X X 11 13 40Boyne City Industrial Magnetics X X 1 37 105Breckenridge Invenergy X X X 4 33 93Brighton CGE Energy X X X X X 8 22 42Brighton Fronius USA X X X 8 22 42Brighton Nikon Metrology X X 8 22 42Brighton The Green Panel X X 8 22 42Bruce Township Rauhorn Electric, Inc. X X X 10 8 36Buchanan Bosch Rexroth X X X 6 21 78Burton Adaptive Manufacturing Solutions X X X 5 27 50Byron Center Great Lakes Heavy Haul X X 3 28 77Caledonia Non-Destructive Testing Group X X 3 29 86Canton Lotus International X X 11 7 20Canton Mechanical Energy Systems X X 11 7 21Canton Yazaki North America X X 11 7 20

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Cassopolis K&M Machine Fabricating X X 6 21 59Cassopolis Turtle Island Solar X X 6 21 59Charlevoix SES-Flexcharge X X 1 37 105Charlotte Miars Electric X X 7 24 71Chelsea Renewable Energy Solutions, LLC X X 7 22 52Chesterfield POWERHOME Solar X X X 10 8 32Clare Advanced Battery Concepts X X X 4 33 97Clinton MTM Scientific X X 7 17 57Clinton Township Excel Industrial Electronics X X X 9 10 24Coldwater H.C. Stark X X X 7 16 58Commerce Charter Township Solar King X X X 11 15 39Commerce Charter Township Three M Tool X X 11 15 39Comstock Park Williams Form Engineering X X 3 28 74Coopersville Agathon Solar X X X 2 30 88Copemish Contractors Building Supply (CBS), Inc. X X 1 35 101Davisburg Automation & Modular Components, Inc. X X 8 14 44Davison Solar Sales of Michigan (Salvatore Contracting) X X 5 14 51Davison Sunsiaray, Inc. X X 10 31 82Dearborn Kearns Brothers X X 12 3 15Detroit Amphenol Industries X X X 14 1 6Detroit DTE Energy X X X 13 1 6Detroit General Motors X X X 14 1 6Detroit Ghafari Associates X X X 14 1 6Detroit Greenlancer Energy X X 14 1 6Detroit Lean and Green Michigan X X 13 1 6Detroit Midwest Solar Consultants X X 13 1 4Detroit Motor City Electric X X X X X 14 1 4Detroit NexTek Power Systems X X X 13 2 4Detroit Primrose Alloys X X 14 2 4Detroit Quaker Chemical Corporation X X 13 3 7Detroit Schreiner ProTech North America X X 14 1 6Detroit Strawberry Solar X X X X 13 1 4Detroit Walbridge X X X 14 1 6Detroit Walker Miller Energy Services X X X X 13 2 4Detroit White Construction, Inc. X x x 13 2 4Dexter K-Space Associates X X 7 22 52Dexter Sohner Plastics X X 7 22 52East Grand Rapids Ammen Design X X 3 29 73East Lansing Huntsman Advanced Materials X X X 8 23 69East Lansing Scion Plasma X X X 8 23 69Eastpointe Eco-Green-Energy X X X 9 9 18Eastpointe Skyline Electrical Contracting X X 9 9 18Eaton Rapids Dowding Machining X X 7 24 65Eaton Rapids RLS Energy X X 7 24 71Eau Claire Hofmann Industries Inc. X X 6 21 78Elberta Eco-Building Products X X 1 35 101Ellsworth Paradigm Energy Services, LLC X X 1 37 105Erie Heidtman Steel Products X X X 7 17 56Erie Ort Tool & Die Corporation X X X X 7 17 56Fairgrove NextEra Energy X X X X 10 31 84Farmington Hills Akebono Corp. X X 14 11 37Farmington Hills Chola Power X X X 14 11 37Farmington Hills EMAG X X 14 11 37

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Farmington Hills Nabtesco Motion Control X X 14 11 37Fenton Creative Foam Corporation X X 5 14 51Ferndale ZeroBase Energy X X X 9 11 27Flint American Ecoenergy X X X 5 14 50Flint Global Energy Innovations X X X 5 27 49Fowlerville American Chemical Technologies Inc. X X 8 22 47Grand Haven GTI Power X X 2 30 89Grand Haven Jan Watercraft Products X X 2 30 89Grand Ledge ETM Enterprises X X 7 24 71Grand Rapids Alro Steel Corporation X X X 2 26 72Grand Rapids Ameresco Solar X X 3 26 72Grand Rapids Betz Industries X X 2 28 74Grand Rapids Burke E. Porter Machinery Company X X X X 3 29 76Grand Rapids Cascade Engineering X X X 3 29 86Grand Rapids Cascade Renewable Energy X X 3 29 86Grand Rapids Coffman Electrical Equipment Co. X X X 2 28 77Grand Rapids Fabory X X 3 29 86Grand Rapids Franklin Energy X X 2 28 74Grand Rapids GE Renewable Energy X X X X X 3 29 86Grand Rapids Lach Diamond x x 2 26 72Grand Rapids PM Environmental X X X 3 29 75Grand Rapids Proos Manufacturing X X 3 29 76Grand Rapids Quality Solar X X 2 28 77Grand Rapids Solaronna X X 3 29 76Grand Rapids Weiss Technik X X X 2 26 72Grandville Harlo Products Corporation X X 2 28 74Hancock Blue Terra Energy X X 1 38 110Hancock Solar Up X X 1 38 110Harper Woods Safety One Electric X X 14 2 1Harrison Charter Township Enerex X X X X 10 8 24Harrison Charter Township Hot Watt Solar X X 10 8 24Hartland Hartland Electric X X X 8 22 47Hemlock Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation X X 4 32 94Highland Modern Curved Solutions X X 11 14 44Holland Genzink Steel X X 2 26 80Holland Global Battery Solutions X X X 2 30 90Holland LG Chem X X 2 26 80Holland Solar Street Lights USA X X 2 30 90Holland Thermotron X X 6 26 80Holly GEO-Renew Systems X X 8 14 51Howell Turbo Spray Midwest X X 8 22 42Hudsonville ESPEC North America X X X X 2 30 90Iron Mountain M.J. Electric X X X X 1 38 108Ithaca Greater Gratiot Development X X X 4 33 93Jackson Aladdin Electric X X 7 16 65Jackson Consumers Energy X X X 7 16 65Jackson Harvest Energy Solutions X X X X 7 16 64Jackson Miller Tool & Die Company X X X 7 16 64Kalamazoo Cypress Creek Renewables X X X X 6 20 60Kalamazoo Eco-Friendly Contracting X X 6 20 61Kalamazoo Helios Solar X X X X 6 20 60Kalamazoo Kerwin Electric X X X 6 20 61Kincheloe Superior Fabrication Company X X 1 37 107

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Kingsford Smith Castings X X 1 38 108Lake Orion Wind Secure X X X 8 12 46Lansing Alternative Electric, LLC X X 8 23 68Lansing Eckhart X X X X 4 24 93Lansing Evosolar X X 8 23 68Lansing FD Hayes Electric Company X X X 8 23 68Lansing Syncreon X X 8 23 69Lapeer Lapeer Industries X X 10 31 82Lawrence Four Elements Energy X X X X 6 26 66Lincoln Park BASF Catalysts X X X 12 4 14Linwood Cobblestone Homes X X 5 31 98Livonia A123 Systems X X X 11 7 19Livonia Advanced Electrolyte Tech X X 11 7 19Livonia American Ring and Tool Company X X 11 7 19Livonia Aristeo X X X 11 7 19Livonia Hooper Corp. X X X 11 7 19Livonia Ideal Fabricators X X 11 7 19Livonia Johnson Controls X X X 11 7 19Livonia PSI Repair Services X X 11 7 19Livonia Spark Building Energy Solutions X X X 11 7 19Livonia Tower International X X 11 7 19Lowell Mackinaw Power X X X X X 3 29 86Macomb Ascent Aerospace X X 10 10 33Madison Heights Brasco International X X X X 9 11 26Madison Heights Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association X X X 9 11 26Madison Heights Greenwire Systems X X X 9 11 26Madison Heights Mcnaughton- Mckay Electric Company X X 9 11 26Madison Heights RLE International X X 9 11 26Madison Heights Sika AG X X X X 9 11 26Manistee Dr. Shrink X X 1 35 101Marlette Muxlow Surveying X X 10 25 83Marquette Peninsula Solar LLC X X X 1 38 109Michigan Center ADCO Products X X 7 16 65Middleville Bradford White Corporation X X 3 19 87Middleville Event Horizon Solar and Wind X X X X X 3 19 87Midland 3i Supply Company X X 4 36 98Midland Cabot Corporation X X 4 36 98Midland Currin Corporation X X 4 36 98Midland Dow Chemical X X 4 36 98Midland Fulcrum Composites X X 4 36 98Midland XALT Energy X X X 4 36 98Milford New Energy Solutions, LLC X X X 11 15 44Monroe Ventower Industries X X 7 17 17Mt. Clemens Aeolus Energy Systems LLC X X X X 9 8 31Mt. Clemens Clean Light Green Light X X 10 8 24Mt. Pleasant J. Ranck Electric X X 4 33 99Mt. Pleasant RESco Energy X X X 4 33 99Mt. Pleasant Rural Electric Supply Cooperative X X 4 33 99Munising Phoenix Navigation and Guidance X X X 1 38 109Muskegon Chart House Energy X X X 2 34 92Muskegon Great Lakes Finishing X X 2 34 92Muskegon Newkirk Electric X X X X 2 34 92Negaunee Upper Peninsula Fabricating X X X 1 38 109

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New Boston Harris Battery X X 12 6 23Niles Niles Steel Tank X X 6 21 78Niles Selge Construction Company X X X 6 21 78Norton Shores Great Lakes Material Handling X X X 2 34 91Norton Shores Harding Energy, Inc. X X 2 34 91Norton Shores Kaydon Bearing Solutions X X X X 2 34 91Novi Comau X X X 11 15 38Novi IMC DataWorks X X 11 15 38Novi Novi Energy X X 11 15 38Novi Solutia X X 11 15 38Novi Srinergy X X 11 15 38Novi Underwriters Laboratories X X X 11 15 38Oak Park Barton Malow Rigging Co X X 14 11 27Orion Charter Township Sensor Developments X X X 8 12 46Oxford Eco Energy Solutions X X 8 12 46Oxford Power Panel X X X 8 12 46Pigeon Geronimo Energy X X X 10 25 84Pinckney Solectriq X X X 8 22 42Pleasant Ridge Fisher Unitech X X X X 9 11 27Plymouth Atlas Tube X X 11 7 20Plymouth Glassline X X 11 7 20Plymouth Great Lakes Gear Technologies X X 11 7 20Plymouth Loc Performance Products X X 11 7 20Plymouth Metro Consulting Associates X X 11 7 20Plymouth Rofin-Sinar X X 11 7 20Plymouth Rudolph Libbe X X X 11 7 20Plymouth Techman Sales X X 11 7 20Plymouth TRUMPF X X 11 7 20Pontiac Lee Industrial Contracting X X X 14 12 29Pontiac The Solar Raq X X X 14 12 29Port Huron packIQ X X X 10 25 83Powers Upper Peninsula Machine and Engineering Co. X X 1 38 108Redford Charter Township Alpine Power Systems X X X 13 5 10Redford Charter Township Steel Industries X X 13 5 10Rochester Hills A Raymond Tinnerman Manufacturing X X 11 13 45Rochester Hills ADCO Circuits X X 11 13 45Rochester Hills FANUC Robotics America X X 8 13 45Rochester Hills Jenoptik Laser Technology X X 8 13 45Rochester Hills Luma Resources X X X X 11 13 45Rochester Hills PGF Technology Group X X 11 13 45Rosebush Apex Clean Energy X X 4 33 99Royal Oak Distributed Power X X X 9 11 26Royal Oak Greenwire Systems X X X 9 13 26Royal Oak Modern Mill Solar X X X 9 13 26Saginaw Merrill Technologies Group X X X 5 32 95Saline Kyocera Unimerco X X 12 18 55Saline Sunventrix Solar X X X 12 18 55Sand Lake Highpoint Electric X X 3 28 74Schoolcraft Chem Link X X 6 20 61Shelby Charter Township Cone Drive X X 10 8 30Shelby Charter Township IPR Robotics X X 10 8 36Shelby Charter Township Zon Led X X X 10 8 36Shelbyville Solar Winds Power Systems, LLC X X 6 26 80

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Shepherd Highland Plastics, Inc. X X 4 33 99Southfield Atwell Group X X X 14 11 35Southfield Barton Malow X X X X 14 11 35Southfield Durr Systems X X X X 14 11 35Southfield Eaton Corporation X X X 14 11 35Southfield J King Solar Technologies X X 14 11 35Sparta Swanson Electrical Services X X X 3 28 74Spring Arbor Scholl Electric, LLC X X 7 16 64Spring Arbor Vivid Solar Solutions X X X 7 16 64St. Clair Energy Components Group X X X 10 25 81St. Joseph GLE Solar X X 6 21 79St. Joseph Parasol Solar X X 6 21 79Sterling Heights Conti Corporation X X X X 10 10 30Sterling Heights Hegenscheidt MFD X X 10 10 30Sterling Heights Industrial Control Repair X X 10 10 30Sterling Heights MAG IAS X X 10 10 25Sterling Heights Systems Integration Specialists Company X X X 10 10 30Sterling Heights Tunkers-Mastech X X 10 10 30Taylor Fairfax Electric X X 12 6 12Traverse City ConeDrive X X 1 37 104Traverse City Heritage Sustainable Energy X X X 1 37 104Traverse City Panoramic Electrical Contracting, LLC X X X 1 37 104Traverse City R. M. Young Company X X 1 37 104Traverse City Traverse City Light & Power X X X 1 37 104Traverse City Traverse Solar X X X 1 37 104Troy Alvarez and Marsal Valuation X X X 11 13 41Troy Ecojiva X X X 11 13 41Troy Empower Energies X X X 11 13 41Troy Energy Power Systems (EPS) X X 11 13 41Troy EOS Technologies X X X 11 13 41Troy Etxe-Tar USA Corporation X X 11 13 41Troy Ovonic Battery Company X X X 11 13 41Troy Solar Joint Ventures LLC X X X 11 13 41Troy SRG Global X X 11 13 41Troy Tesla X X X 11 13 41Van Buren Charter Township General Electric X X X X 12 6 12Walled Lake Kinetik Partners X X X 11 15 39Warren Hotz Development Company X X X 9 9 28Warren Kuka Systems Corporation North America X X X X 9 9 28Waterford Township Oak Electric X X X 11 14 43Wayland Windemuller X X X X 6 26 72West Olive Hunter Energy Resources X X X 2 30 89Willis National Pole and Structure X X 7 18 55Wixom Honeywell International X X X X 11 15 39Wixom Michigan Solar Solutions X X 11 15 39Wixom The Straits Lighting X X 11 15 39Wixom Wolverine Power Systems x x x 11 15 39Wyandotte BASF Corporation x x 12 1 14Wyandotte CRESIT Energy x x 12 1 14Wyoming Roman Manufacturing x x 2 28 77Ypsilanti A J Leo Electric and Solar x x x 12 18 54

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Environmental Law & Policy Center

headquarters35 East Wacker Drive, Suite 1600Chicago, Illinois 60601(312) 673-6500www.ELPC.org [email protected] /ELPCenter @ELPCenter

regional officesColumbus, OHDes Moines, IA

Grand Rapids, MIMadison, WI

Minneapolis, MNWashington, D.C.

Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks

The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization. We develop and lead successful strategic advocacy campaigns to improve environmental quality and protect our natural resources. We are public interest environmental entrepreneurs who engage in creative business deal making with diverse interests to put into practice our belief that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together. ELPC’s multidisciplinary staff of talented and experienced public interest attorneys, environmental business specialists, public policy advocates and communications specialists brings a strong and effective combination of skills to solve environmental problems.

ELPC’s vision embraces both smart, persuasive advocacy and sustainable development principles to win the most important environmental cases and create positive solutions to protect the environment. ELPC’s teamwork approach uses legal, economic, scientific and public policy analysis, and communications advocacy tools to produce successes. ELPC’s strategic advocacy and business deal making involves proposing solutions when we oppose threats to the Midwest environment. We say “yes” to better solutions; we don’t just say “no.”

ELPC was founded in 1993 after a year-long strategic planning process sponsored by seven major foundations. We have achieved a strong track record of successes on both national and regional clean energy development and pollution reduction, transportation and land use reform, and natural resources protection issues. ELPC brings a new form of creative public advocacy effectively linking environmental progress and economic development that improves the quality of life in our Midwest communities.

Michigan Clean Energy Business Supply Chain

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