June 25, 2010
June 25, 2010
In radio address, governor says state a natural to lead in making clean energy products
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said grants and loans announced today for nine small Michigan manufacturers enhance the state's leadership in clean energy advanced manufacturing.
"As our nation moves to a clean energy economy, there is an increasing need to manufacture things like wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and all their components here in the United States," Granholm said.
"Michigan's expertise in manufacturing makes our state a natural to become a leader in clean energy advanced manufacturing," the governor continued. "And that's the goal of the Clean Energy Advanced Manufacturing initiative, which is to build new markets for Michigan manufacturers and create anchor companies that will attract other clean energy businesses to Michigan."
"Today we announced that nine small Michigan manufacturers will share $20 million in clean energy advanced manufacturing grants and loans," Granholm said. "This is a state initiative funded by the federal Recovery Act, and I'd like to thank the members of Michigan's congressional delegation who have supported Recovery Act funding to make this initiative possible."
The governor noted this is the second round of clean energy advanced manufacturing funding.
"Last year, there were five other Michigan companies that were awarded a total of $15 million," Granholm said. "And those five companies have put their Recovery funds to good use, diversifying into clean energy manufacturing and creating jobs."
"The nine Michigan companies that are receiving grants and loans in this new round of clean energy advanced manufacturing funding are going to help grow Michigan's new energy economy and create jobs," Granholm said. "And their innovations in the field of clean energy will further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available for download on the governor's Web site at www.michigan.gov/gov together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address also is available as a podcast on the Web site as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - CEAM Grants
Full: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov255Full_325748_7.mp3
Edited: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov255Edit_325749_7.mp3
Quote: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov255Quote_325750_7.mp3
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
As our nation moves to a clean energy economy, there is an increasing need to manufacture things like wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and all their components here in the United States.
Michigan's expertise in manufacturing makes our state a natural to become a leader in clean energy advanced manufacturing. And that's the goal of the Clean Energy Advanced Manufacturing initiative, which is to build new markets for Michigan manufacturers and create anchor companies that will attract other clean energy businesses to Michigan.
This is a state initiative funded by the federal Recovery Act, and I'd like to thank the members of the congressional delegation of Michigan who've supported Recovery Act funding to make this initiative possible.
Today we announced that nine small Michigan manufacturers will share $20 million in clean energy advanced manufacturing grants and loans. These nine companies stretch across Michigan, from Monroe to Manistee.
One of the companies receiving a grant and loan is Great Lakes Industry in Jackson. Like automobiles, wind turbines need gear boxes. So Great Lakes Industry is going to convert its existing gear manufacturing operations to meet the growing demand for precision gear boxes needed in large wind turbines. At the moment, there are no known Michigan companies producing these large format gears, and there are only 10 such companies in the entire United States.
This means that more than 50 percent of these gears have to be imported. So by the state and federal governments partnering with Great Lakes Industry, we can grow a Michigan company, diversify our economy, create jobs and provide a domestic source for wind turbine gear boxes.
Another Michigan company receiving a clean energy advanced manufacturing grant and loan is Ventower Industries, which recently broke ground for its new facility in Monroe. Ventower will build the structural steel towers that are used to support commercial-sized wind turbines, and they will create a projected 130 direct jobs and 40 spin-off jobs.
And a third company, URV USA - that's in Rochester - will establish a Michigan-based foundry to produce high-quality castings for advanced wind energy system components.
This is the second round of clean energy advanced manufacturing funding. Last year, there were five other Michigan companies that were awarded a total of $15 million. And those five companies have put their Recovery Act funds to good use, diversifying into clean energy manufacturing and, of course, creating jobs.
The nine Michigan companies that are receiving grants and loans in this new round of clean energy advanced manufacturing funding are going to help grow Michigan's new energy economy, and they will create jobs. And their innovations in the field of clean energy will further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Thank you for listening.
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