Local Michigan State Representative Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) has proposed a new bill that would require the state to achieve 2,500 megawatts of gridbased energy storage by 2030. The bill aims to codify the energy storage target set out in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan.

If passed, Hill’s bill would ensure that the grid is equipped to discharge small amounts of storage reserves to respond to fluctuations in demand. This will enable energy generation facilities to continue running at their most efficient rate, resulting in significant cost savings that can be passed on to customers across Michigan.

“Supplying our state with a robust energy reserve is going to make our supply of electricity more reliable, more efficient and more affordable,” Hill said. “This will be a major step toward energy security for the Upper Peninsula, and I’ll be working hard to get it signed into law.”

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory predicts that costs for energy storage will decrease by over 40% in the next eight years. This is due to the development of cleaner energy storage technologies, including new battery types and underground pumped hydroelectric storage systems.

Michigan has an abundance of viable sites for underground pumped hydroelectric power in its Upper Peninsula, putting the state in an excellent position to become a leader in this emerging technology. As the world moves towards more advanced energy production systems, Michigan is poised to take advantage of these promising new technologies.