Michigan Votes

2007 House Bill 5218 (Mandate, impose customer surcharge for alternative electricity )

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  • Introduced by Rep. Kathleen Law on September 15, 2007, to require electric utilities to connect to and pay for power generated by various types of alternative sources including hydro, landfill and sewage treatment gas, wind, solar, geothermal, biofuel, etc. The bill imposes various price levels the utilities must pay for this power, and requires them to enter into 20 year contracts with the producers. The higher cost of energy from these sources would be paid for by imposing a customer surcharge, with the amount to be determined by the state Public Service Commission.
    • Referred to the House Energy and Technology Committee on September 15, 2007.

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Comments

Introduced by Rep. Kathleen Law on September 15, 2007. New Comment

1) Once Again [by Anonymous Citizen on September 2, 2008]
If It Is So Great it won't need the iron fist of government to prop it up. The government should get out of the way and let the market work.
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2) WHY??? [by Anonymous Citizen on September 2, 2008]
Why can't Michigan have a smart, good looking governor like Alaska??? Instead we get a idiot with bumps on her face.
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3) "cause [by Anonymous Citizen on September 2, 2008]
Idiots in that state voted for the mole faced commie train wreck. Dah, even Alaskians are smarter than the twits in Michigan. So don't blame it on the cold!

Good luck
Signed,
Blown away to Florida.
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4) Come on already [by MPeltan on September 1, 2008]
Why Oh Why haven't they passed this yet? We NEED to get alternative energies up and running ASAP! They subsidized Oil, Coal, and Nuclear and still do...
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5) I think it's way PAST time to diversify our energy use. [by Anonymous Citizen on June 20, 2008]
Go girl.
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6) Some questions [by thisiuse on June 18, 2008]
I like the idea of allowing the individual get involved financially with our energy system. This is voting with your wallet!
I have some questions that the current draft doesn’t seem to address:

1. As drafted, the utility company is required to pay ‘me’ for my excess electricity and put a surcharge on all the ‘rate payers’ that use power. What about the bulk power the utility sells to ‘non-rate payers’? Do those sales also carry the surcharge to be equitable?

2. From what I have read, a typical solar system will generate at near capacity for 30 to 40 years. What obligation does the utility have to purchase the excess power from year 20 to 40?

3. How would this equipment and contract stand up to a bank evaluation / appraisal? Could I get a second mortgage for $270,000 to put this system on my house?

4. Will this excess generation payment be tax exempt? Paying even 20% federal and state taxes could turn this from a small money maker into a foreclosure for most that attempt to finance this with a home mortgage.

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7) Great News [by Anonymous Citizen on April 9, 2008]
HB 5218 would be the best thing to happen to Michigan, In Germany their Renewable Energy Act not only has reduced the carbon footprint, but also created at leas 135,000 new jobs, and that is growing every year, while continuing to further better the environment.
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8) why they "have" to [by Anonymous Citizen on January 21, 2008]
Why would you "want" to buy renewable energy in Michigan when you get paid to generate renewable energy in another state? Why would you want to buy renewable energy when it is cheaper for a power company to buy energy produced by fossil fuels. It all looks cheaper until you start adding up the environmental and health costs associated with using fossil fuels - costs that the power companies do not have to pay.

Germany transformed its energy production with just this sort of legislation. Look up "Germany" and "renewable energy" if you want to get a look at what should be our immediate future.
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9) If It Is So Great [by Anonymous Citizen on September 19, 2007]
it won't need the iron fist of government to prop it up. The government should get out of the way and let the market work.
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10) Subsidized [by Anonymous Citizen on February 2, 2008]
I do not think you may understand the ways in which fossil fuel production and other forms of energy have come into existence or are continually subsidized by the government.
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11) solar energy [by Anonymous Citizen on September 19, 2007]
This is very good. If I cover my house and garage with panels that make extra energy will the electric company have to buy it? "Have" being the critical word. Wouldn't they want to buy it? Seems to me that with the constant growth of the world and the ever growing need for electricity that they (DTE) Consumers Power etc. would want to buy it from wherever they could - providing they could re-sell it at a profit.
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