Viewing Grant Proposal: Lansing Board of Water & Light_Justice40 Communities Hometown Energy Program (Planning)
Lansing Board of Water & Light seeks a planning grant to develop an innovative community-based
approach to support Justice40 communities by reducing energy burdens, integrating greenspace and
education into company projects and programs, developing a framework for retrofits of aged housing
stock, and performing electrification readiness. Our team includes the City of Lansing and multiple
community-based organizations (CBO) partners. The goal is to create a repeatable framework that
holistically aligns community solar, building retrofits, and electrification readiness programs while
directly engaging neighborhoods and disadvantaged communities to reduce energy costs and carbon
emissions while protecting Michigan’s environment.
Comments
Comment Date: | Comment: |
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3/29/2024 10:48:21 AM |
I applaud LBWL’s efforts to promote home electrification and energy efficiency for its customers. The benefits of electrification (particularly for removing unvented gas stoves and replacing them with more effiicent induction stoves, for replacing outdated boilers and electric resistance heaters with heat pumps, and for providing access to inexpensive solar energy) are crucial to energy justice in the Lansing area.
However, I noted that the proposal made some unfounded claims about LBWL’s energy portfolio as a whole. Currently the energy mix for LBWL is at 13% renewables. LBWL is planning on adding 260 MW of new solar and 289 MW of wind, as well as 160 MW of battery capacity, which will substantially improve the current energy mix for the region. However, with these additions, it is implausible that LBWL’s energy mix would be more than 40% renewable energy (given the average generating capacity of solar and wind in the region), unless LBWL is planning on reducing its current fossil fuel dependency.
Instead, LBWL is a planning on adding a 110 MW RICE plant, fueled by natural gas, to its portfolio. I noted that this is not mentioned in the proposal. LBWL filed for an air permit for this facility last August. According to that air permit application, this would be a substantial source of air pollution and climate emissions, and further erode LBWL’s ability to reach 50% renewable energy, much less carbon neutrality. In addition, the RICE plant is being sited upwind from a substantial section of the disadvantaged communities LBWL is seeking to help with this grant.
I would urge you to help LBWL reconsider its RICE plant plans given the environmental justice concerns it raises and the extent to which it will make reaching clean energy goals unattainable.
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