The onset of late spring and early summer not only signals the welcome annual warming trend, but the arrival of energy fair season in the Midwest. After making the trip to Wisconsin for the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair, members of the Inovateus Solar team attended another fair closer to our Michiana homes—the Michigan Renewable Energy Fair—on June 24-25.
Founded in 2007, the fair has become Michigan’s best event for the education, advocacy and promotion of renewable energy and sustainability. In addition to the usual workshops, keynotes and demos, this year’s fair included the Sustainable Living Summit ’16 and the Great Lakes Emergency Preparedness show.
Inovateus joined thousands of attendees and more than a hundred exhibiting companies at the Ingham County Fairgrounds in Mason, located south of the state capital of Lansing. Several of our solar installer partners were also there as exhibitors, including J. Ranck Electric, CBS Solar, and Harvest Energy Solutions.
Our network of Michigan solar installers have steadily increased their business intake and helped accelerate the clean energy transition in the Midwest. In fact, 25% of Inovateus solar supply business comes from our Michigan solar partners. In addition, Inovateus has developed, built or are building dozens of megawatts of commercial and utility projects in the state—including the 58 MWDC solar farm now under construction in Lapeer.
Besides new residential and utility solar deployment in the Great Lakes State, there’s another refreshing trend we’ve noticed: A growing number of wineries and craft breweries are reducing their energy bills and carbon footprint by going solar. (The state ranks among the top craft brew producers, by the way.)
The Michigan Renewable Energy Fair is also a testament to volunteerism, and I enjoyed being a part of that mission. Checking in folks at the front gate, I was struck by the number of new people getting more involved and thinking more sustainably about the way they live their lives. I felt a shift taking place and a warm vibe at the fair. The people there seemed to really care about each other and the growth of clean energy in the state. Among the exhibiting companies, the feeling was one of support, not competition.
That feeling of cooperation for a larger purpose reflects the work and memory of James “Jim” Carter, the late Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association board president, who died just days before the event. Mr. Carter was a great man and leader for the association, and this year’s fair was named in his memory. Our condolences go out to the Carter family. He will be missed.
That sad news aside, it was great seeing all our new and old solar and sustainability friends at the fair, and we can’t wait to do it all again next year.
By Tyler Kanczuzewski, director of solar supply, Inovateus Solar
