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Iceland Could Teach Michigan an Energy Lesson

Iceland Could Teach Michigan an Energy Lesson
by: Bruce Goodman of Varnum LLP  -  
Friday, October 26, 2012
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Michigan |

Toward the end of my first-time visit to Iceland I toured a geothermal energy plant 20 kilometers outside the capital of Reykjavik, a real “busman’s holiday.” I learned that four such plants supply 99 percent of the heating, hot water, and electric needs of the capital. There is enough excess electricity to power an aluminum smelting operation, with ore from Australia and South Africa. This effort serves as a true object lesson for energy policy: use and leverage energy resources that are at hand. In this era of “buy local”, shouldn’t the adage also apply to fuel? Especially if it is free? If there is free fuel, be creative and figure out a way to use it. Why not lock in a zero fuel price? We have many examples of energy being derived from Pure Michigan Wind, Pure Michigan Sunshine, and Pure Michigan Biomass. Surely Michigan can learn from Iceland’s lesson and aggressively act on it.

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