Michigan Needs Clean Energy Manufacturing Jobs
October 16, 2009
Source: Detroit News
By Jerome Ringo and Brent Short
The potential for growth in Michigan's clean energy industry is enormous. Even during a severe recession, Adaptive Materials, an Ann Arbor-based advanced battery manufacturer is expanding its operations to create nearly 200 new jobs. Eaton Rapids' Dowding Industries, a machining company that once supplied parts for the auto industry, is building a new plant so it can increase production of wind turbine components. Dowding's expansion will create more than 350 jobs in-house and across its supply chain.
But many smaller firms that seek to access clean energy markets need federal policies that will allow them to compete on a level playing field with overseas manufacturers that already benefit from significant support from their own governments.
One way to achieve this is through U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown's Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology (IMPACT) Act to create a $30 billion manufacturing revolving loan fund to provide much-needed financing for domestic firms to become more energy efficient, retool facilities and retrain workers to produce clean energy products. It will also increase funding for the national Manufacturing Extension Partnership program to help small and mid-sized manufacturing companies access clean energy markets.
More than 70 Michigan businesses have endorsed the Ohio Democrat's bill.
The IMPACT Act would help ensure that new clean energy jobs stay in America, and that Michigan has the resources to lead the American clean energy economy.
