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This case study examines Michigan's clean community financing ecosystem, highlighting how a dense network of green banks, CDFIs, and state-level initiatives can be coordinated to scale clean energy investments. It identifies key institutional actors, such as Michigan Saves and the Michigan Climate Investment Hub, and discusses the necessity of segment-specific working groups and technical assistance to overcome barriers like high electricity rates and limited specialized labor.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) conducted trials in 2012 using commercial grain and forage equipment to harvest cattails from ditches and Pelly’s Lake in Manitoba. The project successfully harvested nearly 300 tonnes of biomass, removing an estimated 240 kilograms of phosphorus. The results demonstrated that conventional equipment can be used for biomass feedstock collection, though efficiency is heavily dependent on water level management and weather conditions. Harvested materials were sent to Saskatchewan for biocarbon production and agricultural trials.

The City of Holland, Michigan, established the Holland On-Bill Loan Program in 2016 to help residents overcome high initial costs for energy efficiency upgrades. Managed by the Holland Energy Fund, the program allows homeowners to borrow between $5,000 and $30,000, with repayments integrated into their monthly electric utility bills. In its first three years, the program invested over $2 million into 116 homes. Eligible improvements must be based on a whole-home energy audit and documented in the Michigan Energy Measures Database, with renewable energy upgrades permitted only after a home achieves a Home Energy Score of eight.