(This interview with Shaw aired April 27, 2012, on Friday Edition, Q-90.1 FM, Delta College.)
The wolverine, a female, was found dead by hikers in a Sanilac County marsh in March 2010. The death was attributed to natural causes. The wolverine was about 9 years old.
She is now on display at the Bay City State Recreation Area in Bay County’s Bangor Township.
(Below is a longer interview with Shaw and Scott Seeberger, which also aired on 90.1 FM)
Consumers Energy provides the most green power among Michigan utilities.
A state law requires utilities to get 10 percent of their electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar by the year 2015.
So far, Consumers Energy is at 4.7 percent, according to the Michigan Public Service Commission. DTE Energy is at 2.5 percent. Across the state, 3.63 percent of Michigan’s energy comes from renewables.
Consumers Energy operates its largest generating complex, the coal-fired Karn-Weadock plants, in Bay County’s Hampton Township.
The utility has contracted for 396 megawatts of renewable energy, mostly wind power.
In other energy news, plans for Michigan-made wind turbines are off to a good start.
The Public Service Commission has approved power purchase agreements between Consumers Energy and Heritage Sustainable Energy. The agreements, totaling 41 megawatts, are for Garden Wind Farm in Delta County and Stoney Corners 2 in Missaukee and Osceola counties.
According to the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, the agreements will result in the first large-scale production of utility-scale wind turbines made entirely in Michigan by Northern Power Systems and a key supplier — Merrill Technologies Group.
Northern Power Systems will build the direct-drive wind turbines at a Saginaw plant. The company expects to employ up to 137 people by 2014.
3.
Incandescent bulbs are on their way out, in favor of more energy efficient CFLs and LEDs.
The 100-watt incandescent will be the first light bulb to be banned from U.S. stores, beginning in Jan. 1, 2012.
By 2014, most traditional incandescent light bulbs will be phased out. That’s due to a federal law passed by Congress in 2007.
CFLs contain a tiny drop of mercury, but experts say the amount of mercury they keep out of the environment is greater. Less coal has to be burned to power a CFL, for instance.
If a CFL breaks, the EPA now says the amount of mercury released as vapor is within the safe range for adults.
