ESSEXVILLE, Mich., Oct. 4, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy is taking another step toward its
aggressive clean energy goals, announcing new plans for an
85-megawatt solar array at the former Karn coal facilities, which
closed earlier this year.
"Consumers Energy put years of thoughtful work into closing the
Karn facilities, and chief among those considerations was how we
wanted the site to operate and function after the closure," said
David Hicks, Consumers Energy's vice
president of clean energy development. "Based on future use studies
and input from local stakeholders, solar emerged as the best option
to ensure we continue to be good stewards of the land and to
provide valuable tax dollars for the community while still pushing
us further toward our sustainability goals."
The solar array project is in its early stages, and Consumers
Energy continues to work closely with community members, neighbors,
and local leaders to design a responsible project that fits with
the community and continues the path toward renewable generation.
The project could provide enough power for approximately 20,000
homes and will pay local, county and school district taxes,
totaling millions of dollars over its 30-plus-year lifetime.
The project, which aims to be operational by 2026, will reflect
two foundational Consumers Energy goals: the significant scaling-up
of renewable projects — specifically solar energy — throughout the
state as part of its ambitious Clean Energy Plan, and the
commitment to making a just transition for employees as part of the
shift away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy sources.
The closure of Karn 1 and 2 in June marked continued progress
toward Consumers Energy's goal of closing all coal plants by 2025 —
15 years ahead of the original schedule. The ongoing transition
balances the responsibility to provide safe, reliable energy to
power Michigan homes and
businesses with the need to protect the state's natural
resources.
Over the next two decades, the Clean Energy
Plan should:
- Reduce Consumers Energy CO2 emissions by more than 73 million
tons — the equivalent of taking 12.4 million passenger vehicles off
the road for one year.
- Dramatically reduce emissions by criteria pollutants such as
sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury and particulate
matter.
- Generate over half our electric capacity with renewable
resources -- wind and solar energy -- by 2040.
Consumers Energy is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy
(NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7
million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower
Peninsula counties.
For more information about Consumers Energy, go to
ConsumersEnergy.com.
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This news release contains "forward-looking statements." The
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause Consumers Energy's results to differ materially.
All forward-looking statements should be considered in the context
of the risk and other factors detailed from time to time in
Consumers Energy's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings.
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SOURCE Consumers Energy