DTE, Consumers Energy set clean energy goal of 50 percent by 2030

Building on an agreement with Clean Energy, Healthy Michigan, the state’s major energy companies — DTE Energy and Consumers Energy — have announced an acceleration of clean energy plans, setting a 50 percent Clean Energy Goal to be reached by 2030.

As a result of this agreement, Clean Energy, Healthy Michigan has set aside plans to submit more than 350,000 signatures they collected in support of a clean energy initiative for the ballot this year. That initiative would have called for an increase to the state’s renewable portfolio standard. Instead, DTE and Consumers now aim to achieve their green goal through a combination of investments through a mix of energy efficiency (75 percent) and renewable energy (25 percent).

“We appreciate that Tom Steyer and the sponsors of Clean Energy, Healthy Michigan have taken the time to understand our commitment to carbon reduction and how Michigan’s energy plan puts the tools in place to achieve this goal in a thoughtful and affordable manner,” DTE Chairman and CEO Gerry Anderson and Consumers CEO Patti Poppe said in joint statement. “Our two companies are overwhelmingly in favor of renewable energy and are focused on bringing additional energy efficiency opportunities to our customers. We will continue to work within the framework put forward by our legislature and regulators to build on our environmental initiatives to benefit all residents of the state.”

Current state law requires only 15 percent renewable energy by 2021. DTE and Consumers have gone a step beyond by setting the 25 percent renewable energy marker for 2030, but also, they have also agreed to include descriptions of how they will reach their 50 percent clean energy goal in their Integrated Resource Plans to be submitted to the Michigan Public Service Commission every five years.