Michigan Awards $1.9 Million for Industrial Decarbonization Studies
Five recipients will examine cleaner manufacturing, building systems and cement production at facilities across the state.
- By Danielle Naidu
- September 29, 2026
Manufacturers and other large facilities in Michigan will study potential emissions reductions through five projects receiving a combined $1,882,750 in state grants.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) awarded the funding through its MI Healthy Climate Challenge #4: Go Big, Go Clean. The studies will examine options including industrial process electrification, building and utility upgrades, low-carbon cement production and other facility-specific changes.
The awards include:
- Bell’s Brewery: $350,000 to study decarbonization options at its primary production facility in Comstock.
- Detroit Zoological Society: $260,000 toward a $320,000 project developing a net-zero energy and decarbonization strategy for the Detroit Zoo campus in Royal Oak.
- Ford Motor Company: $577,655 to evaluate decarbonization pathways at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne.
- Michigan Green Building Collaborative: $418,282 for studies involving automotive metals facilities and lower-temperature assembly operations across plastics, tooling and furniture manufacturing.
- Michigan Technological University: $276,813 to assess low-carbon cement production with Amrize’s cement plant in Monroe County.
The studies will also examine how the proposed changes could affect emissions, energy costs, workforce needs and surrounding communities.
EGLE separately announced the Michigan Industrial Clean Innovation Partnership, a peer-led coalition convened by the Great Plains Institute. The partnership will bring industrial facilities together with state agencies, nonprofits and technical organizations to share best practices, discuss technical hurdles and help move feasibility studies toward implementation.
