Consumers Energy announces agreement to power GM plants with clean energy
Consumers Energy announced Tuesday that it will partner with General Motors to power three of its automotive plants with clean energy.
The 20-year agreement will allow General Motors to use Consumers Energy’s Renewable Energy Program to provide clean energy at the automotive manufacturer’s Flint Assembly Plant, Parts Processing Center in Burton, and GM Components Holdings Plant in Wyoming. The agreement supports an estimated 70 megawatts of emission-free renewable energy in Michigan.
“We’re thrilled to see General Motors pledge to use 100% clean energy that Consumers Energy will provide, highlighting our shared commitment to our state’s prosperity and protecting the planet,” Consumers Energy President and CEO Garrick Rochow said. “GM’s commitment builds on, and actually accelerates, Consumers Energy’s plan to power Michigan with clean energy.”
The agreement puts Consumers on a path to add more renewable power to its generation fleet. It allows GM to offset 235,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions produced by 51,000 cars, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“General Motors is committed to combatting climate change and transforming the communities where we work and live by striving toward zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion,” said Rob Threlkeld, senior manager of energy strategy and grid decarbonization at GM. “Procuring renewable energy is key to accomplishing these goals. Our collaboration with Consumers Energy brings us closer to our target of sourcing 100% renewable energy in the U.S. by 2025 and will advance our local Michigan communities’ transition to a clean grid.”
Consumers is working toward an industry-leading Clean Energy Plan to close all of its coal-fired plants by 2025 and become carbon neutral by 2040 when it plans to provide 90 percent of its energy needs with clean energy sources such as wind and solar.
