Subject: What the Governor is Talking About Today
What the Governor’s Talking About Today
Thursday, February 18,
2010
Governor Applauds U.S. Department of Energy
Award to Flint Center of Energy Excellence
The governor today
applauded a $951,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance the
production of biogas and biomethane at the Flint Center of Energy
Excellence.
The project is a collaborative effort among Swedish
Biogas International, the city of Flint, Kettering University and the Michigan
Economic Development Corporation on a waste-to-energy/biomethane center at the
city of Flint’s wastewater treatment facility.
Joining the
governor today in Flint for the grant announcement were Flint Mayor Dayne
Walling, Kettering University Provost Dr. Michael Harris and Swedish Biogas
International CEO Tom Guise.
Key messages:
• We are working hard to make Michigan the
clean-energy capital of North America, and today’s Department of Energy award of
nearly $1 million moves us closer toward that goal. Our investments in
green, clean-energy manufacturing are creating jobs and helping Michigan
transition to a new 21st century economy.
• The Flint Center of Energy Excellence is
one of six Centers of Energy Excellence (COEE) throughout the state originally
chartered with $43 million from the 21st Century Jobs Fund. The COEE
program, signed into law by the governor in 2008, brings companies, academic
institutions and the state together to support cutting-edge research and
development and pioneer new alternative-energy
technologies.
• The state’s additional centers are
A123Systems, Inc. and Sakti3 in Ann Arbor (advanced batteries), Working Bugs LLC
in East Lansing, American Process Inc. in Alpena and Mascoma Corporation in
Kinross in the eastern Upper Peninsula (advanced biofuels).
• Last month, the governor announced an
investment of $30 million to launch a second round of the COEE program.
Governor, Congressman Levin, U.S. Trade
Representative Kirk to Hold Business Roundtable Friday in
Warren
The governor and Congressman Sander Levin will
join U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk on Friday at the GM Tech Center in
Warren for a business roundtable discussion on trade policies and ways to
increase Michigan exports.
Among those participating in the roundtable
discussion will be businessmen and women from throughout southeast Michigan who
are interested in export opportunities.
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