IRA

Michigan’s future includes lower monthly energy costs, the freedom to live without pollution, and more good-paying jobs and a growing middle class. Michigan’s economy is surging, supercharged by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and a suite of nation-leading clean energy bills passed by the Michigan state government last November. Michigan now has more clean energy projects than any other state and is ranked fourth in the country for new clean energy jobs. Clean energy businesses, which are creating jobs and growing the state’s workforce, are the first to say it: They are planting their stakes in Michigan, largely thanks to strong climate policies. The latest analysis from 5 Lakes Energy (PDF) shows that the state’s climate legislation package, in tandem with the IRA, goes way beyond cutting climate pollution. It will create economy-wide change by saving Michigan families hundreds of dollars in energy bills, bringing more clean energy jobs and investments into the state, and protecting communities from the harmful effects of pollution.

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including polling on support for the Inflation Reduction Act, plastic pollution regulation, solar energy policies, and concern about climate impacts.

Seven in ten voters support the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) when they see a basic explanation of it. Voters support the IRA by an overwhelming 71%-20% margin when provided with the following description: “The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 invests over $430 billion in clean energy and Affordable Care Act healthcare premiums. It also allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and pays down the national debt by $300 billion.” Data for Progress also finds that the IRA continues to hold a significant amount of cross-party appeal, with nearly nine in ten Democrats (89%), more than two-thirds of independents (72%), and half of Republicans (52%) saying that they support the law based on the description that the poll provided. Advocates have a strong case that workers and lower/middle class families stand to benefit most from the law. Majorities of voters believe that workers or jobseekers (64%) and middle and lower class Americans (62%) will benefit from the IRA after learning about the law’s major climate and health care provisions.

One challenge that climate policy folks are working on is developing the supply chain to make batteries in the U.S. There has been an epic battle over the past 20 years between two types of lithium-ion batteries: nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP). While NMC still boasts better energy density, LFP is making a major comeback thanks to its safer, more accessible materials and improving performance. However, China still dominates the LFP supply chain. In this episode, CEO Vivas Kumar of startup Mitra Chem weighs in on why America needs domestic production of LFP materials.