Consumers Energy launches Mi Clean Air program to offset carbon emissions from natural gas
Consumers Energy announced this week the launch of the Mi Clean Air program – a new offering for residential and business customers in Michigan that includes credit purchases, sustainability investments, and more – to counterbalance carbon emissions from natural gas use.
The program was divided into two areas: one for residential and small/medium business customers and another for large commercial/industrial customers.
For smaller customers, the Mi Clean Air program will provide the chance to purchase offset credits generated from a 3,700-acre Luce County forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As part of that plan, the forest’s private owner will reduce logging and manage the forest to reduce large amounts of CO2. Each credit bought could reduce approximately one metric ton of carbon emissions.
Commercial and industrial customers face a more customized system. Consumers indicated a willingness to engage with them on everything from investments in local forest preservation to international programs, depending on each customer’s sustainability goals.
“We’re looking beyond our own operations to help environmentally conscious customers voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas sources,” Greg Salisbury, vice president of gas engineering and supply for Consumers Energy, said. “We’re proud to offer the Mi Clean Air program to home and business owners to help lead Michigan’s clean energy transformation while continuing to safely deliver the energy our customers need to keep their homes warm here in Michigan.”
Roughly 10 percent of U.S. carbon emissions stem from burning natural gas for heat in homes and businesses, according to Consumers. Thus, it sees this offset effort as a major step for its own push toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions on its natural gas system by 2050.
Consumers estimated that most could offset about 30 percent of their natural gas usage for $6 worth of credit purchases each month for residential customers.
