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MEDIA ADVISORY
Jeff Johnston, EGLE Public Information Officer, [email protected], 517-231-9304 Demetria Bias, Moment Strategies Communications Associate, [email protected], 248-881-4465
Michigan Climate Investment Accelerator launches with Nov. 1 media event
Initiative will scale up green lending, create clean energy jobs, lower costs, advance climate goals
DETROIT – Members of the national green and clean energy financing community will join leaders and representatives of State of Michigan agencies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the White House on Nov. 1 at Cadillac Place in Detroit to publicly launch the Michigan Climate Investment Accelerator.
The Accelerator’s purpose is to attract hundreds of millions of dollars to finance clean energy project development for Michigan consumers, businesses, nonprofits, and local governments. Event details:
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WHEN: 2:30-3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1.
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WHERE: Cadillac Place Conference Room L-50, 3044 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, 48202. Parking is available in the lot and parking garage across the street. Access the conference room through the Second Avenue, West Grand Boulevard, or Cass Avenue entrances. It is located directly off the public lobby.
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WHAT: The state is launching the Michigan Climate Investment Accelerator to channel hundreds of millions of dollars for clean energy projects. It will enable community lenders to access funding from the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), advancing Michigan’s commitment to sustainability and economic growth. Michigan is No. 1 in the nation for IRA-supported projects, with more than $26 billion in new investments across the state.
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WHO: Members of the news media are invited to attend and cover the event. Participants including the following will speak and participate as available in one-on-one media interviews for approximately 10 minutes after the close of remarks around 3 p.m.:
- Cory Connolly, chief climate officer in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Office of Climate and Energy.
- Ryan Whalen, special assistant to the President and senior advisor for states and implementation for the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
- Aileen Nowlan, EPA GGRF division director.
- GGRF national awardees Cathie Mahon, president and CEO of New York-based Inclusiv; Donna Gambrell, president and CEO of Appalachian Community Capital in Virginia; and Theresa Bedeau, chief strategy and engagement officer of the Justice Climate Fund in Washington, D.C.
- Portia Powell, chief experience officer and incoming CEO of One Detroit Credit Union.
- Zach Kolodin, director and chief infrastructure officer of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s (LEO) Michigan Infrastructure Office.
Additional information
Michigan is at the forefront of clean energy innovation, reducing costs for families, fostering good-paying jobs, strengthening advanced manufacturing, and advancing goals in the MI Healthy Climate Plan (MHCP). The Michigan Climate Investment Accelerator is pivotal to unlocking substantial funding for transformative clean energy.
EGLE’s Office of Climate and Energy will lead the Accelerator, developed in partnership with Michigan community lenders including the Michigan Credit Union League and the Michigan CDFI Coalition.
Through lenders such as CDFIs, credit unions, and green banks in Michigan, the Accelerator will offer more families and businesses access to financing for clean energy technologies.
About the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
The GGRF is a historic investment to combat climate change nationwide by mobilizing financing and private capital for clean energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction projects. The program emphasizes projects in low-income and disadvantaged rural, urban, and tribal communities. For more information on the Accelerator and the GGRF, visit EGLE’s GGRF webpage.
Michigan’s climate and clean energy leadership
In 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the MHCP as Michigan’s roadmap to achieving 100% carbon neutrality by 2050. In 2023, the Governor signed historic clean energy legislation to help implement the plan, making Michigan a national leader in the fight against climate change.
A new report from Climate Power shows Michigan continues to lead nationally in clean energy and electric vehicle manufacturing, bolstered by the IRA.
The 2024 Clean Jobs America Report shows Michigan outpacing 44 states’ numbers in the race for clean energy jobs. Michigan has nearly 128,000 clean energy jobs, with the sector growing nearly twice as fast as overall employment.
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