Granholm visits alternative energy businesses

LANSING: Governor Jennifer M. Granholm last week met with local alternative energy companies to talk about the job-creating role alternative energy will play in Michigan’s economy.  The meeting, held at the Walbridge Aldinger Company in Detroit, was one in a series of meetings the governor will hold over the coming month to promote the alternative energy industry in Michigan.

The alternative energy meetings, which Granholm started last week with representatives from a dozen job-creating companies and projects in the alternative energy sector, will cover nine cities.  In addition to Detroit, Granholm will visit industry leaders in Traverse City, Ann Arbor, Eaton Rapids and Midland, as well as Oakland County and the Upper Peninsula.  Meetings have already been held in Lansing, Cassopolis, and Grand Rapids.
 
Granholm has long been committed to building the alternative energy industry in Michigan. Her 21st Century Jobs Fund, which is working to diversify Michigan’s economy by developing high-growth industries, has a strong focus on the alternative energy sector. 

Earlier this year, Granholm traveled to Sweden, a worldwide leader in alternative and renewable energy, to build relationships with Swedish alternative energy companies that may want to expand and create jobs in Michigan. During that visit, she announced the first-ever Sweden-Michigan Alternative Energy Summit to take place early in 2008.
 
“With our manufacturers being hit hard by the forces of globalization, we need to focus on industries with growing demand, like alternative energy,” Granholm said.  “Companies like Walbridge Aldinger Company that are committed to sustainability and creating jobs are proof that investment in alternative energy has unmatched potential.  We are going make sure that Michigan is the hub for that future growth and job creation.”