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February 2009 - Dow Corning Corporation, a leading provider of materials to the solar and wind energy industries, announced an agreement to purchase more than 14 million kWh of Green-e certified wind energy through Consumers Energy’s Green Generation program, making it the largest participant in the program. The purchase was equivalent to nearly 100% of the electricity needs of Dow Corning’s Corporate Headquarters in Midland, Michigan, a site with more than 1100 employees and home to the company’s global research and development center. Power for Consumers Energy’s Green Generation program is derived from wind projects located in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, including John Deere Renewable Energy’s Michigan Wind Park I and two wind turbines near Mackinaw City.
Dow Corning also announced that it is investigating the installation of a solar array at its corporate headquarters. In addition to generating power, solar panels at the site would be used to test products, and to demonstrate the potential of alternative energy to area students and the general public. In 2006, the company, together with its joint venture, Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation, donated 168 solar panels for Dow Diamond, a minor league baseball stadium in Midland, Michigan.
News Release - Dow Corning Announces One of the Largest Private Purchases of Renewable Energy in Michigan
December 2007 - The Grand Rapids City Commission approved a resolution to obtain 20% of its electricity from Michigan-based renewable energy sources next year by enrolling in Consumers Energy's Green Generation program. To offset the cost of the renewable energy, the city is exploring strategies with the utility to reduce its peak load requirements.
Power for the Green Generation program is supplied from several Michigan-based landfill gas facilities and two wind turbines located near Mackinaw City. Currently, 11,400 of the utility's customers participate in the Green-e certified program, which was launched in September 2005.
News Release - Grand Rapids Enrolls In Consumers Energy's Green Generation Program: Largest Participant In Michigan-Based Renewable Energy Effort
City of Grand Rapids Contacts:
George Heartwell, Mayor, (616) 456-3164
Eric DeLong, Deputy City Manager, (616) 456-3119
Consumers Energy Contacts:
Timothy J. Pietryga (616) 530-4364
Dan Bishop (517) 788-2395
September 2005 - Consumers Energy, a combination electric and natural gas utility serving more than 1.7 million homes and businesses throughout Michigan's Lower Peninsula, announced that it has reached agreements with five independent developers to supply the utility's new Green Generation Program. Under the program, customers can purchase 150-kWh monthly blocks of renewable energy for $2.50—a rate premium of 1.67¢/kWh—or can choose to meet 100% of their monthly electricity use with renewable energy at the same price. A typical homeowner who uses 655 kWh per month would spend an extra $10.92 per month to participate at the 100% level. The program is partially subsidized through a monthly non-bypassable charge of 5¢ per meter on all customers.
The power purchase contracts cover approximately 238,000 MWh (~27 average megawatts) of annual supply from new wind (75%) and landfill gas (25%) facilities to be located in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The new program replaces a green power pilot program that the utility operated from 2001 to 2004.
News Release - Consumer's Energy's "Green Generation" Program Kicks Off, Customer Enrollment Will Help Grow Renewable Energy
News Release - Consumers Energy Secures Electric Capacity to Support New Green Generation Renewable Resources Program
News Article - Renewable energy projects planned for area
May 2004 - On May 18, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) issued an order requiring Consumers Energy to implement a new renewable resources program to meet customer demand for renewable energy. The program is to include a "phased-in approach" to adding renewable energy capacity to more closely match customer subscriptions. The MPSC also ordered the utility to implement a non-bypassable charge of 5 cents per meter per month on all customers as a "funding mechanism to recover green power program costs not covered by contributions of customers who agree to pay a premium for green power."
Since October 2001, Consumers Energy has operated a green pricing pilot program, under which residential and business customers can purchase green power to meet 10%, 50%, or 100% of their electricity needs at a price premium of 3.2¢/kWh. The initial 1.8 MW of wind energy supply was quickly subscribed and no new renewable energy supplies have been added to meet continued customer demand. The pilot program is scheduled to expire on December 31.
News Release - MPSC Directs Consumers Energy to Fund Renewable Energy Resource Program
News Article - MPSC renders green energy decision - No longer online White Lake Beacon
More Information - Michigan PSC Order U-13843
MPSC Contact: Tom Stanton (517) 241-6086
July 2001 - Consumers Energy, an investor-owned utility that provides electricity to about 1.7 million consumers in Michigan, has received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) to offer a "Green Power Pilot Program" to its residential and business customers. Starting in October, customers can sign up on a first-come, first-served basis to purchase 10%, 50%, or 100% of their energy from power generated by "independently certified" renewable energy facilities at a price premium of 3.2¢/kWh. Participants must subscribe for a minimum of one year.
The utility plans to procure up to 50 MW of new, zero-emission, Michigan-based renewables for the program, and has entered into a contract with Bay Windpower to purchase power from a planned 5-MW wind project. The program will be offered for three years after which the PSC will decide whether to extend the pilot or make it permanent.
News Release - Consumers Energy Proposes Green Power Pilot Program
Consumers Energy Contact: Scott Brockett (517) 788-0906
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