Ceres has urged Michigan policymakers to preserve the state’s clean energy policies and improve electricity infrastructure, citing Amrize’s Alpena cement plant as an example of how renewable power can reduce industrial costs and emissions. The organization is working to defend the 2023 Clean Energy and Jobs Act, which directs Michigan toward 100% clean energy. It also called for policies to optimize the power grid and ease construction of transmission lines needed to transport clean electricity across the state. The Alpena plant’s 25-megawatt solar array, completed in 2024, covers 90% of its daytime energy needs and has reduced carbon emissions by 25,000 tons annually. A waste heat recovery system also converts heat from cement kilns into electricity. Together, the systems allow the plant to buy virtually no grid electricity during the day, reducing its exposure to rising electricity prices. Ceres presented the facility as a model for maintaining manufacturing competitiveness while meeting customer demand for industrial products made with less pollution.
United States' Ceres urges Michigan to protect clean energy policies and expand transmission
Ceres has urged Michigan to protect its 2023 Clean Energy and Jobs Act, optimize the electricity grid and ease transmission construction. It cited Amrize’s Alpena cement plant, where a 25-megawatt solar array and waste heat recovery system enable virtually no daytime grid electricity purchases. The solar array, completed in 2024, covers 90% of daytime energy needs and cuts annual carbon emissions by 25,000 tons.