Renewable energy sources may provide insufficient power to meet the demands of extreme winters. | stock photo
Renewable energy sources may provide insufficient power to meet the demands of extreme winters. | stock photo
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy reported that the recent energy crises in the state of Texas should serve as a smoke signal for similar risks existing in Michigan.
The Mackinac Center sent a letter to lawmakers in Michigan, specifically Sen. Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway Township) and Rep. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe), offering recommendations for how to ensure that the state does not experience the same dire result that the Lone Star State did when unusually harsh winter conditions swept through recently.
This fear is not unwarranted, director of environmental policy Jason Hayes pointed out, as Michigan suffered extremely cold temperatures in the 2019 Polar Vortex, and a major natural gas supply source failed. Despite the risks that the state faced two years ago, the concern remains that until Michigan is able to transition to a more reliable source of electricity, the same fate may befall the Wolverine State.
Jason Hayes
| Mackinac Center for Public Policy
“As the Mackinac Center noted in its recently released study, 'Electricity in Michigan: A Primer,' a mix of coal, natural gas and nuclear provided almost 90% of the state’s electricity in 2018, while wind and solar combined provided less than 5%,” Hayes wrote.
These percentages are likely to change in the near future as lawmakers work to transition the state to renewable energy sources, but the transition must be made with caution.
“As Michigan’s utilities switch to a heavier reliance on fickle energy sources, lawmakers should adopt a new reliable energy standard that requires any new electricity generation source to be fully dispatchable. Michigan residents should not have to depend on whether the sun is shining or the wind is blowing in order to have reliable electricity,” Hayes said, according to the Mackinac Center's website.
The report also outlined the ways in which energy is generated in the state, as well as how it is transmitted and ultimately used, to give individuals, residents and consumers a more educated insight into this critical area of government.
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