DTE Energy opens competitive bidding for developers to create new renewable energy projects in Michigan

DTE Energy of Michigan recently opened a competitive bidding process for developers as it seeks proposals for 1,075 MW of renewable energy projects that will support its CleanVision Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), MIGreenPower program and Michigan’s own renewable energy standard push.

As a state, Michigan intends to reach 60 percent renewable energy by 2030. That has prompted its utilities – DTE among them – to move to decarbonize quickly, and so this process will require any applicants to achieve commercial operation of their proposals by March 31, 2027.

Projects must be wind or solar-based, located in Michigan and interconnected to the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) or distribution level transmission.

“DTE is committed to transforming the way we generate energy while maintaining reliability and affordability for our customers,” Joseph Musallam, vice president of DTE’s renewable sales and project development, said. “As a result, we continue to be the state’s leading producer of and investor in utility-scale renewable energy projects. Our existing wind and solar parks are reducing Michigan’s carbon footprint while providing jobs, tax revenue and additional benefits to local communities across the state, and future developments will continue to grow our clean energy economy.”

Currently, DTE hosts 20 wind parks and 33 solar parks, and plans to add 1,000 MW of new wind and solar each year beginning in 2026. By 2024, it hopes this will lead to more than 15,000 MW of renewable energy generation capacity in its portfolio.

Bids on this latest process will be due by May 14, 2024, with contract execution to likely follow this fall.