From: Ogar, Jon (GOV)
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 4:20 PM
To: Whipple, Deb (GOV)
Cc: Boyd, Elizabeth (GOV); Huls, JoAnne (GOV)
Subject: What the Governor's Talking about Today

Importance: High

Debbie:

 

Following is today’s edition of What the Governor’s Talking about Today. You can send it out now. Thanks!

 

What the Governor’s Talking about Today

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

 

Governor Visits Wind Energy Manufacturing Facility in Merrill

The governor today visited a company in Merrill, near Saginaw, that is diversifying into wind-energy manufacturing and creating jobs through assistance from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).

 

Merrill Tool and Machine is using a grant and an advanced-energy manufacturing tax credit (also called a 48c tax credit) funded through the Recovery Act to diversify into manufacturing and assembling large-scale, advanced composite wind turbine blades and system components.
 
In January, the White House announced Merrill had won a $22 million advanced-energy manufacturing tax credit (48c tax credit) funded through the Recovery Act.  This allowed Merrill to purchase the advanced-manufacturing equipment necessary to produce utility-scale 2.2 MW wind turbine components for Northern Power.

 

Last year, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth awarded Merrill $3 million in Recovery Act funds to develop, manufacture and test prototypes of the larger turbine components, with full production expected to begin in July 2010.  That grant built on previous state assistance: In 2005, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation supported a brownfield single business tax credit for Merrill, which allowed the company to build a $2.95 million manufacturing facility and create or retain 35 manufacturing jobs.

 

Key messages:

 

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Jon Ogar

Senior Writer/Editor

Communications Division

Office of Governor Jennifer M. Granholm

Office 517-335-6819

Cell 517-515-2743

Fax 517-335-6790