Consumers Energy announced its agreements to add 300 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power 150,000 homes, from two Michigan solar projects being developed in Genesee and Hillsdale counties.
“Providing 300 megawatts of clean energy for our customers is a commitment to our planet, the people of Michigan and contributes to the prosperity of communities where solar projects are sited,” said Timothy Sparks, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric grid integration. “We are pleased to reach this agreement with a valued partner that is helping us bring to life a vision to provide a clean energy transformation that benefits Michiganders, both current and future generations.”
Timothy Sparks - Consumers Energy
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These solar developments are part of Consumers’ Clean Energy Plan that aims to dramatically increase renewable energy, eliminate coal electricity by 2025, and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. They have proposed adding 8,000 megawatts of utility-scale solar power by 2040, including 1,00 megawatts by 2024.
Both the Genesee and Hillsdale projects are being developed by Ranger Power, a utility-scale solar development company based in Chicago.
Consumers would purchase power from Confluence Solar in Genesee County and Heartwood Solar in Hillsdale, each providing 150 megawatts.
The $200 million Confluence Solar project is expected to create up to 250 jobs in Genesee County during construction and generate over $25 million in new property tax revenues over the lifetime of the project. Similarly, the $150 million Heartwood solar project will create around the same number of jobs and nearly $19 million in new property ax revenues over the lifetime of the project.
Consumers Energy is actively searching for tens of thousands of acres throughout the state, any large landowners or community officials who want to earn more about potential for sitting can visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/misolar provide information regarding their property.