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Clean Energy Plan Could Create Hundreds Of New Jobs

A plan to make wind turbines in mid-Michigan could create hundreds of new jobs.

Clean energy industry leaders along with U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow met at the Dowding Industries at its Astraeus Wind Energy Plant in Eaton Rapids Monday. They met to talk about clean energy and jobs. They're hoping to take manufacturing to a whole new level.

"I don't think anybody in this room understands how big this is, not only to Eaton Rapids, not only to Michigan, but the United States," said Jeff Metts, President of Dowding Industries.

Astreaus Wind Energy is talking about the plan to bring an all new foundry facility for clean energy and wind turbines to Eaton Rapids. The Dowding plant already has made great strides.

"It's a brand new technology. There's nothing like it in the world," said Metts.

They house the only machine in the world that creates the casting for wind turbines in only 4 and half hours. Now, they're bringing on board URV USA, a company that would cast the actual parts for wind turbines just 100 feet away.

Senator Debbie Stabenow says this could mean nearly 280 jobs initially and thousands more in the future. The jobs will be in construction, engineering, and skill trades.

To do all this the Blue Green Michigan Alliance Roadmap Report, released Monday, focuses on ways to bring in more funding for clean energy opportunities. It has policy ideas such as using more money from the Invest Michigan Fund on technology like this.

"We can put people to work manufacturing this kind of equipment for not only deployment in Michigan, but also deployment all over the world. This is a huge export opportunity," said Skip Preuss, Green Map Task Force Member.

"This plant really puts us on the map that were going to be a part of this clean energy revolution…in making wind turbines and actually manufacturing them in Michigan," said Senator Debbie Stabenow.

For more information about the Green Map report, or to look at its policy framework, visit bluegreenalliance.com.