Despite federal efforts to slow the clean energy transition, renewables are charging forward in Michigan, the Midwest, and the nation. Proof: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that renewables will account for 99 percent of new U.S. generating capacity this year. 

And Michigan is leading the charge. According to Clearview’s project tracker, there are 172 solar projects in development across the state — with a total capacity of 26,869 MW, enough to power roughly 4 million Michigan homes. Twenty-four of those projects are set to come online within the next 12 months. 

This forecast follows a trend established over the past two years: in 2024 and 2025, solar, wind, and battery storage made up over 96% and 92% of new US power generation capacity, respectively. The rise in renewable energy is due to a couple of factors: solar, wind and batteries are now among the most affordable forms of energy, are developed relatively quickly and help stabilize our aging grid to keep the lights on through severe weather events. 

Combine those factors with Michigan’s PA 233 passed in 2022, and “Michigan is actually going to be one of the leading states for new solar over the next couple of years,” said Dennis Wamsted, from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. “With more than 3,600 new megawatts in the pipeline and scheduled to come online by 2028, that total is the largest of any state in MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator).” This has provided real growth, as solar power in Michigan increased from 1% of our energy makeup in 2023 to 4.5% in 2025.

The simplest reason renewable energy dominates new energy generation is affordability. This is important to many Michiganders as we pay some of the highest utility bills in the country for some of the worst reliability. The good news is that the prices of solar and battery storage have both fallen by about 90% over the last decade. According to the US Energy Efficiency Agency (EIA), solar and onshore wind are our cheapest sources of energy and are only getting cheaper, especially with the development of battery storage alongside renewable energy.

Compare that with our largest energy resource, fossil gas, which is expected to cost about 16% more this year than in 2025. Energy Innovation analysis found “the primary causes of power bill increases are volatile fossil gas prices, coal plants that cost more to run than replacement with renewables, extreme weather, and transmission costs.” Those factors are expected to continue to push gas prices higher, as extreme weather increases,we retire more coal plants, and global conflicts threaten supply. The Iran war has already raised gas prices in Michigan by 60 cents.

Despite efforts to prop up the coal industry, coal is costing ratepayers in Michigan a ton of money. Due to the “Energy Emergency” executive order, the Campbell coal plant in southwest Michigan has been forced to stay open past its closure date, costing ratepayers an extra $135 million, or $600,000 each day, to remain open. In February, we saw a fourth “emergency energy” extension for Campbell, continuing the run of $600,000 daily bills to Michigan ratepayers.

Renewable energy is also winning because it can be built faster — a critical advantage as demand surges. New gas plants take five to seven years, and coal is no longer cost-competitive.

In contrast, “You can build a storage facility in 15 months and a solar project in 18 months,” according to NextEra Energy executives. For Michigan, that speed — combined with the ability to keep the lights on when it matters most — is crucial to keep up with our soaring energy demand.

As climate change intensifies extreme weather events, resilience is also critical. “Wind turbines, solar energy, and batteries often buttress the grid when extreme heat or other weather events tax it the most.” According to a report from the JEC, “Fossil-intensive grids cannot provide consistent resilience against climate risks they are simultaneously exacerbating”.

Michigan’s March 2025 ice storm proves the point: two rural cooperatives — Great Lakes Energy and Presque Isle Electric & Gas — sustained over $300 million in damage. With limited federal and state aid, the burden of recovery is on residents.

There is no perfect energy solution, and dealing with increasing energy demand and severe weather is going to cost all of us. New and effective clean energy solutions, however, are improving and are getting cheaper each year. 

The clean energy future is here. The only question is who shapes it—and who gets left out. From township trustees to rural electric cooperative boards, local leaders are making decisions right now that will determine whether Michigan communities thrive or struggle in the decades ahead. We have the opportunity to build a grid that’s cheaper, more resilient, and more equitable — but only if we act deliberately, starting today.

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