I'm back on the road and today was in Detroit to visit Walbridge Aldinger and other companies in the metro-Detroit area who are committed to creating jobs in the alternative energy sector.

I have always said that Michigan's greatest resource is its people and their capacity to create amazing things.  From the horse-drawn buggy to fuel cells used in hybrid cars, we have been at the forefront of emerging technologies for more than a century.  And that same combination of amazing workforce and bountiful natural resources has Michigan poised, once again, to capitalize on the newest, alternative energy production.

Walbridge Aldinger has been doing business in Michigan for over 90 years, and with their environmentally friendly practices has become one of the largest construction companies in the country.  Like Cascade Engineering and many other companies in Michigan, Walbridge is seeing the value of building according to the latest environmentally friendly specifications.  Walbridge utilizes the LEED Certifications in its design and building of new construction and the renovation of existing construction projects.  Many of these environmentally friendly structures you can see right here in Michigan, including the Ford River Rouge complex, Visteon Corporation headquarters, and the Lawrence Technological University student services building.

Right now in metro-Detroit there are 794 companies that have the capacity to harness the resources to transform and expand into the growing alternative energy sector.  In the next 25 years, $20 trillion will be spent worldwide on energy production, and in the next couple of years, 850,000 jobs will be created across the country.  What does this mean for Michigan?  It means a transformation of our economy, one that is focused on tapping into our immense resources.  If just a portion of those potential jobs were in metro-Detroit, we could see up to an additional 4,000 jobs created and $600 million of investment to the area.  Already Walbridge Aldinger and other companies are tapping into this growing field, creating jobs for our highly skilled workforce. 

My visit to Walbridge was so informative and really highlighted the innovation and passion they and other companies share for this growing industry.  On Thursday, I will be traveling to Traverse City and the Michigan Technical Education Center. 
More to follow…