By Sarah Cormier
C & G Staff Writer

MOUNT CLEMENS — If going green is the wave of the future, then that’s a wave the city of Mount Clemens is looking to hitch a ride on. 

At a work session held on July 19, the Mount Clemens City Commission heard a brief presentation from representatives of local companies that specialize in geothermal technology. 

Geothermal technology uses energy stored in the earth to heat and cool buildings. The energy is transferred to the building through a closed-loop piping system that is installed mainly underground. The 41-B District Court in Clinton Township currently uses geothermal technology to heat and cool the structure.

The process is becoming more popular for several reasons. First, it is considered a green alternative compared to other ways of heating and cooling, since less equipment is needed and most of it is located underground. Moreover, the process saves large amounts of money for the building because it simply uses the earth’s natural temperature, and there are few equipment updates or repairs to be made.

Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Arthur Mullen said he wanted the companies to do a presentation in front of the City Commission because the idea would be a good one for the city to implement. He believes the geothermal utility areas should be set up in downtown Mount Clemens first, as a test, than expanded to the rest of the city. 

Mullen said the installation would be advantageous to local businesses.

“It makes downtown Mount Clemens more competitive for businesses to locate here because it makes operating costs lower,” he said.

The city could also then be promoted as being green.

“It will … allow businesses to turn around and say, ‘We are located in Mount Clemens, and we are green,’” he said.

The cost of installing such a system could be pricey, but right now, grant funding for the process has become much more easily accessible, making this a good time for Mount Clemens to consider the idea. 

“A lot of incentives have been added for geothermal for the last three years, and that is why all of the sudden this has become kind of hot,” explained Mullen.

Mount Clemens Mayor Barb Dempsey said the concept is certainly enticing, but a lot more research on the logistics of the plan would have to be worked out.

“I think it’s really interesting. I don’t know enough about it,” she said, adding she hopes to have the company back in for a lengthier presentation. “I think it’s something to definitely explore more. I’d like to hear more about it.”