Opinion: State and federal policies help Michigan clean energy businesses thrive

The Biden-Harris Clean Energy Plan is reviving US manufacturing, allowing companies like ElectricFish to expand to Michigan.

The United States is in the midst of a clean energy revolution and manufacturing revival. Driven by advances in electric vehicles (EVs) and battery storage, along with solar and wind energy, the Biden-Harris administration’s clean energy plan has created more than 330,000 jobs in the past two years alone. 

That’s been powered by more than $372 billion in private sector investment, driving new factory construction in America to an historic high. You don’t need to look further than Abbott Street in Detroit, Michigan to see it. 

1358 Abbott Street is home to the Local 58 chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union, as well as their state-of-the-art Zero Net Energy Center, which boasts a diverse array of onsite, clean energy solutions including solar, EV charging, heat pumps, microgrids, and geothermal, among others. 

As part of a pilot program in partnership with IBEW and DTE Energy, my company, ElectricFish, which builds microgrid-capable fast EV chargers, witnessed IBEW’s innovative campus in action and engaged deeply with their union representatives, who introduced us to key policymakers in the Wolverine State.

The bold vision for a clean energy future outlined by Michigan’s leaders, combined with the state’s outstanding legacy in manufacturing, have encouraged us to set our sights on Michigan to expand our production and deployment. This is made possible due to an unprecedented level of federal and state investment that is helping companies like mine grow and putting people to work. 

Two years ago, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. Since then, the Biden-Harris administration’s clean energy plan in that law has helped turbocharge Michigan’s economy, creating 21,748 jobs and $26.6 billion in private sector investment. Additionally, Governor Whitmer and state policymakers have taken action to grow the clean energy sector, establishing Michigan as a national leader. As a clean energy business leader, I’m proud to be a part of this next wave of cleaner, cheaper energy choices. One of the best reasons to focus on Michigan is the many talented people ready to go to work — folks who know how to manufacture quality products and hone their craft. 

The clean energy boom is already bringing back made-in-America manufacturing and jobs here at home. These are good-paying jobs you can raise a family on, and three-fourths of them don’t require a college degree.  This boom is possible because of the investment in technological innovation that will keep paying dividends for decades to come. I wake up every day excited to help write the next chapter of America’s energy story. 

The 10-year window on many of the Inflation Reduction Act’s provisions has given businesses like mine much-needed tax and regulatory certainty. It puts us in a position to move at a rapid pace.

The incentives that are part of the Biden-Harris administration clean energy plan are good for businesses like ours, they’re good for workers, and they’re good for the environment. The more investment we see in clean energy technologies, the more accessible and affordable they get, and we’re already seeing this pay off for our economy. 

The cost of wind and solar has already dipped lower than coal, oil, and methane gas. Twelve states are now generating enough renewable energy to cover more than 50% of their annual electricity needs. Michigan has the potential to join this list, if we continue prioritizing growing our clean energy sector. 

Yet despite this undeniable progress, there have already been dozens of attempts to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act or its provisions. If these attempts succeed, it would be nothing short of an economic and national security disaster. 

Companies like ours would be hit hard and our growth stalled. Jobs would disappear. Construction projects would halt midway through. Our dependence on fossil fuels would deepen.

Allowing clean energy to become a victim of political games means allowing economic growth to become polarized and partisan. It means jeopardizing our country’s clean energy revolution. It means putting the 21,748 jobs and $26.6 billion in investment in Michigan on the line. 

Clean air and clean water shouldn’t be partisan or political, and neither should clean energy. Clean energy gives everyday Americans choices in how they drive their kids to school and how they cool their homes. Our company is helping provide these choices. It gives us the opportunity to ensure that jobs—and entire supply chains—stay here at home.

We need to harness the power of American manufacturing and innovation to continue leading globally in clean energy. ElectricFish is working to do its part to advance the American clean energy revolution from Abbott Street to all of Michigan and beyond.