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History of Organization,
Mission and Goals
The
Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA) was
founded in 1991 "to promote the design, construction,
manufacture, marketing, sales, use and education of
the general public in the practices of renewable energy
sources in the Great Lakes Bioregion," and to help
other 501(c)(3) organizations achieve these goals. Our
focus since then has been to promote, educate and advocate
for:
- Solar,
wind, hydro, biomass and other clean, sustainable
energy technologies;
- Energy
efficient materials and practices;
- Passive
solar building design;
- Public
awareness of alternative fuel vehicles; and
- Distributed
generation utilizing clean fuels particularly hydrogen.
GLREA
was originally headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan,
where its members, with funding support from the Michigan
Public Service Commission, installed a 600 kilowatt
(kW) wind turbine to serve local residents and businesses
in one of the country's early green-pricing programs.
In 1995, several graduates from the Jordan Energy Institute's
Science for Renewable Energy Technology program (a four-year
degree program) were elected to the GLREA board of directors
and moved the organization's activities to Lansing,
Michigan. By that time, Detroit Edison had initiated
its green-pricing program, known as SolarCurrents®,
for supplemental solar electric service to its customers.
A Detroit Edison representative was elected to GLREA's
board, the Lansing Board of Water and Light (Lansing's
municipal utility) became involved, and other leading
energy organizations throughout the state have followed.
Now, electricity restructuring and advances in renewables
development have combined to create exciting new opportunities
for the GLREA to work with utilities and regulators
in the region to ensure that sustainable resources play
a prominent role in the Great Lakes energy future. Restructuring
legislation in Illinois, Ohio and most recently, Michigan,
has generated strong interest among many stakeholders
in establishing new structures, institutions, and financing
mechanisms to advance distributed and sustainable resources.
In 2000, GLREA became the U.S. Department of Energy's
Michigan partner in DOE's Million Solar Roofs Initiative,
in order to further our goal of identifying and removing
barriers (regulatory, financial and legal) to the economic
deployment of photovoltaic systems. Photovoltaic manufacturing
capacity in Ohio (First Solar), Michigan (Unisolar/Bekaert
ECD Solar Systems LLC ) and Illinois (BP Solar/Spire)
is close to equaling 50 percent of the worldwide capacity
that was available in 1998, making the Great Lakes region
a world center for solar photovoltaics manufacturing.
For these and other reasons, the GLREA is positioned
to make major contributions to sustainable energy development
in the region in the next several years. We have begun
this work and expect to continue it with the cooperation
and support of our members, sponsors, and event partners
representing the major constituencies:
-
Utilities
(DTE Energy, Lansing Board of Water and Light, Wisconsin
Electric Power Co. , American Electric Power, Gaylord
Gas Company)
-
Regulators (staff from the Michigan Public Service
Commission and the Institute for Public Utilities)
-
Renewable Energy Equipment Manufacturers (Unisolar/Bekaert
ECD Solar Systems LLC, First Solar, Spire Corporation)
-
Small
renewable energy businesses (numerous solar and wind
companies in Michigan, Ohio and Illinois), and
-
Advocates
for energy efficiency and renewable energy
-
State
and other organizations (Michigan Energy Office, Ohio
Energy Office, ESD The Engineering Society)
Working
together, we have established a set of common goals
by which to guide the regional strategies and program
development of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association:
-
Build regional markets that allow renewable energy,
energy efficiency and clean, small generation technologies
to compete for new power demands
-
Establish federal, state, and regional policies that
remove barriers to, or provide incentives for renewable
energy, energy efficiency and clean, small generation
technologies
-
Accelerate the commercialization of renewable energy
and energy efficiency through out-reach programs (such
as Energy Fairs, participation at community and business
events and holding technical conferences) directed
at the various consumer sectors and general advocacy
-
Promote utility scale investments in renewable energy
through issues resolution and regulatory work, and
advocacy for stable, long-term financial incentives
-
Promote cost effective and reliable energy efficiency
and renewable energy products and systems through
performance testing, monitoring and reporting
-
Promote 'green' electricity products which meet the
highest environmental standards
-
Establish
a working relationship with regulators, utilities
and businesses within each state through state and/or
local GLREA working groups and chapters as may be
necessary to accomplish the GLREA's agenda.
Through our Michigan partnership in the U.S. Department
of Energy's Million Solar Roofs Initiative as well as
through the jointly-presented national MicroGeneration
to PowerParks Conference; through our ongoing efforts
in renewable energy education and advocacy in our energy
fairs, workshops, sponsorship of the Michigan portion
of the National Tour of Solar Homes and other community
outreach programs; and through our combined years of
experience in the field of renewable energy, GLREA believes
that we are making a difference and that through our
efforts and the support of our members, sponsors and
partners, the Great Lakes region can look forward to
a sustainable and environmentally safe energy future.
Join GLREA
Go to our membership
area and find out how you can join GLREA!
Contact GLREA
Feel free to contact
us if you have any additional questions or comments.
GLREA
is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and contributions
may be tax deductable.
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