Michigan’s Utilities are Meeting Renewable Energy Goals

In 2008, Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed into law comprehensive energy reforms. In addition to removing barriers to investing in environmentally friendly, new baseload generation needed by the state, the new law established Michigan’s first Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The RPS requires 10 percent of the state’s electricity supply to come from renewable sources by 2015.

Michigan’s utilities are expected to meet the 10 percent goal by 2015, at costs that have been cut in half since the 2008 renewable energy law was passed. Findings from Gov. Rick Snyder’s task force on energy showed that Michigan could generate 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035 without disruption to the energy grid.

DTE Energy reports that by 2015, it will provide nearly 1,000 megawatts of renewable-generated electricity, enough to power 400,000 homes—or a city six times the size of Ann Arbor. DTE Energy has reached 92 percent of its 950 MW goal with either operating projects or those under contract. The utility is directly investing approximately $1 billion in renewable energy, most of which are investments in wind projects. An additional $1 billion is being invested in third-party owned Michigan-based renewable energy facilities.

DexterSolar1For Consumers Energy, about 4 percent of the electricity it supplies to homes and businesses comes from hydroelectric generation and other renewable sources such as wind, biomass and anaerobic digesters. That total is about to increase dramatically as the utility plans to more than double the amount of electricity it supplies from renewable sources by 2015.

Oak Electric Service is one of southeast Michigan’s leading electrical and renewable energy contractors. If you are contemplating making energy improvements to your home or business or looking for renewable energy solutions, give us a call at (800) 964-7070. We invite you to visit our website at www.oakelectric.com to learn more about us.

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