DTE Energy partners with automaker Stellantis to add 400 MW of solar across Michigan
Through a joint new clean energy commitment, Stellantis and DTE Energy announced they would add 400 MW of new solar projects to Michigan through the latter’s MIGreenPower voluntary renewable energy program.
Thanks to the commitment, Stellantis will be able to attribute all of its electricity use at 70 southeast Michigan manufacturing and non-manufacturing sites to solar power by 2026. Further, it will help cut its carbon emissions in North America by 50 percent and its total manufacturing facilities by 30 percent. It represents the second-largest clean energy purchase of its kind in U.S. history.
“While this day and this historic agreement are about clean and efficient power, I’d like to suggest that today is also about the power of partnerships in this new era of sustainable mobility,” Mark Stewart, COO of Stellantis North America, said. “Our success — indeed our survival – will depend more and more on how completely we embrace the values of collaboration and partnership as strategic imperatives that help us achieve breakthrough business outcomes.”
The move complements the automaker’s plans to reach net zero carbon emissions worldwide by 2038. This could benefit everyone, as just the 400 MW of conversion in Michigan means avoiding more than 670,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. For DTE, it also means a major boost to its MIGreenPower program – already one of the largest voluntary programs of its kind, with more than 800 businesses and 75,000 residential customers enrolled. This has prevented more than 3 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.
“We want to thank Stellantis for being a great partner, for joining MIGreenPower, and for supporting the development of new solar energy projects here in Michigan,” Jerry Norcia, chairman and CEO of DTE Energy, said. “Investments like this accelerate our state’s transition to clean energy, create jobs and strengthen our state’s economy. Adding 400 megawatts of new solar for Stellantis will result in a cleaner environment for Michigan families, communities, and businesses and create hundreds of jobs during project construction.”
