EGLE to host October workshops with regional planning commissions to prepare local governments across Michigan for the new renewable energy siting landscape

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EGLE to host October workshops with regional planning commissions to prepare local governments across Michigan for the new renewable energy siting landscape

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is thrilled to announce we will be hosting the Renewable Energy Academy (REA), a series of free workshops in select regions across Michigan that provide local officials, zoning administrators, planning commissioners, planning staff, etc., with information to proactively prepare for the new siting landscape required under Public Act (PA) 233. Timing is important, as PA 233 becomes effective on November 29, 2024.

The REA workshop will provide attendees with a five-hour long deep-dive into local planning and zoning for large, utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage systems. The academy will cover the basics of grid-connection, as well as specific zoning pathways communities can consider under PA 233.

Register Now for Upcoming REA Workshops

October 8, 2024
West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission Workshop
Registration Deadline: October 1, 2024
Muskegon Community College, 221 Quarterline Rd., Muskegon, Michigan.
Counties in Region XIV include Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana.
October 10, 2024
Region II Planning Commission Workshop
Registration Deadline: September 30, 2024
Adrian Tobias Center in the Ritchie Marketplace, Adrian College, 110 S Madison St, Adrian, Michigan. Counties in Region II include Hillsdale, Jackson, and Lenawee.
October 28. 2024
Southcentral Michigan Planning Council Workshop
Registration Deadline: October 15, 2024
Delta Hotels by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center, 2747 South 11^th St., Kalamazoo, Michigan. Counties in Region III include Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph.

A maximum of 4 attendees per municipality are allowed at the workshops. One representative from each municipality must register all planned attendees using the registration form provided.

REA Workshop Agenda

Each REA workshop runs from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and is immediately followed by an optional "office hour" session with EGLE staff. Lunch is complimentary, and topics that will be covered include:

Basics of Renewable Energy.
Planning and Zoning for Renewable Energy Technologies.
PA 233, Zoning Pathways and "Workability” Options.
Guided Activities.
Guest Speaker Insights from the University of Michigan, Center for EmPowering Communities.
Question and answers throughout.

The academy will not focus on policy. It will provide neutral guidance and an opportunity to discuss zoning options that best reflect each community's interest in expanding access to renewable energy with EGLE staff.

Learn More

Anyone interested in EGLE's REA or local planning and zoning for large, utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage systems is is encouraged to view the following recorded webinars:

Navigating the New Renewable Energy Siting Legislation: Insights for Local Governments (58 minutes)
In November 2023, the Michigan legislature passed the Clean Energy Future Package and the Clean Energy and Jobs Act, which included legislation that drastically alters the landscape of siting renewable energy projects in the state. Local governments, from cities to villages to townships to counties, play a key role in siting renewable energy and are now faced with understanding and adapting to this new landscape. How can your community prepare for these changes and approach challenges? Attend this webinar to learn about planning and zoning for utility-scale renewable energy in the context of the new siting process.

Michigan’s $129.1M Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Award: Creating the Renewables Ready Communities Program (59 minutes)
Deploying renewable energy at scale is critical to meeting the state’s climate and energy goals, and siting is arguably the most important barrier we face to build more solar, wind, and so much more across Michigan. The purpose of this webinar is to provide an overview of Michigan’s recently awarded $129.1 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

View the REA Website to learn more about the PA 233 and find additional resources. Check out the Renewables Ready Communities Award Webpage to find funding options for expanding large, utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage systems in Michigan.

Program/Academy Questions:

Zona Martin, [email protected]or 517-930-4697
Yingxin Wang, [email protected] or 517-614-5533
Ian O'Leary, [email protected] or 517-930-4611

Registration Questions:
Alana Berthold: [email protected]
Joel Roseberry: [email protected]