From: Whipple, Deb (GOV)
Sent: Wednesday, December 09,
2009 2:53 PM
Subject: What the Governor is talking about today
What the Governor’s Talking
about Today
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Governor Announces Clean
Energy Advanced Manufacturing Awards That Will Create, Retain More Than 700
Jobs
This afternoon the governor announced
that five small Michigan manufacturing firms have won $15.5 million in Clean
Energy Advanced Manufacturing awards to help them diversify into advanced
manufacturing of renewable-energy systems and components. The awards,
which are funded through the federal Recovery Act, will enable the companies to
create and retain 713 jobs over the next two years
.
The companies are Astraeus Wind
Energy in Eaton Rapids, Energetx Composites in Holland, Loc Performance Products
in Plymouth, Luma Resources in Rochester Hills and Merrill Technologies Group in
Saginaw. The companies will be manufacturing either components for wind
turbines or solar panel products.
Key messages:
• Providing Recovery Act funds
to help Michigan’s small manufacturers diversify into renewable energy will help
create jobs and strengthen our economy by building on Michigan’s natural
strength which is our world-class manufacturing tradition.
• These awards also will help
Michigan meet its energy goals by expanding production of energy from renewable
sources like wind and solar.
• In the last five years,
Michigan has committed more than $1 billion to help alternative-energy and
advanced-battery companies locate and grow here, including $700 million in
advanced-battery credits, $43 million in Centers of Energy Excellence and $370
million in tax incentives to attract and grow renewable-energy
companies.
• Michigan’s No Worker Left
Behind program has enrolled more than 100,000 people in job training, and
Michigan colleges and training providers have added or updated more than 9,000
education programs to help ensure that Michigan workers have the skills they
need to transition to good-paying jobs in fast-growing sectors like
renewable-energy manufacturing.
• Recovery Act funding has been
awarded to several Michigan companies looking to grow and create jobs in the
state’s clean energy economy, including:
– Twelve projects that shared
more than $1.35 billion to support advanced-battery and electric-vehicle
manufacturing and development
– Two projects focused on
carbon capture and sequestration
– Three awards to expand
smart-grid technology in Michigan
– An alternative fuels vehicle
pilot project
– Two grants to expand research
of alternative fuels
– Research in geothermal
technologies
– An $18 million award last
week to Alpena-based American Process, Inc. to accelerate production of the next
generation of biofuels
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