DTE Energy has expanded its renewable portfolio by 40 percent this year.
The Detroit-based utility added 535 MW, including three wind parks and a solar park in Michigan. The three wind parks will begin operating in spring and the solar park will be online by the end of this year.
With the capacity addition, DTE Energy’s portfolio will grow to 1,862 MW of utility-scale wind and solar, sufficient to power nearly 700,000 homes. The added capacity will benefit DTE energy’s customers, the environment and the state’s economy, says DTE Energy CEO and President Jerry Norcia.
Meanwhile, DTE Energy will launch new MIGreenPower program options in the first half of 2022, including opportunities to support enrolments for income-qualified customers. The MIGreenPower program enables customers to attribute up to 100% of energy usage to wind and solar projects. The firm intends to launch more flexible enrolment options to enable customers to attribute a percentage of their energy use or opt for a fixed-price subscription option.
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Additionally, DTE Energy is working with local organizations in Detroit, Highland Park and River Rouge to set up community solar projects. DTE Energy will fund part of the projects and find a third-party organization to provide the rest of the funding.
Across the state in Saginaw and Midland Counties, DTE is developing Meridian Wind, a 225-megawatt project that will be the largest wind park in Michigan when it begins commercial operation in mid-2022. Southfield-based contractor Barton Malow is building the project for DTE and has more than 200 Michigan workers at the job site. When completed, the park’s 77 turbines will be able to generate enough clean energy to power 78,000 homes.
The additional renewable energy capacity that will be added to its portfolio will help DTE Energy achieve its net-zero emissions goal by 2050, the utility said.