September 18, 2019
Michigan

DTE to request bids for solar and wind projects

Evan James Carter | The Detroit News | Sept. 16, 2019 | www.detroitnews.com

One of Michigan’s largest utilities is looking to purchase electricity from solar- and wind-powered producers to help meet government-mandated and its own renewable energy goals.

DTE Energy is seeking to buy 25 to 200 megawatts of electricity from solar projects and 100 to 200 megawatts from wind projects, the company said. The company will consider projects reaching commercial operation between 2021 and 2023. The open bid will look for participation from large and small developers, the company said in a news release Tuesday.

The Detroit-based utility has proposed adding up to 775 megawatts of renewable electricity-generation capacity to its overall generation portfolio between 2021 and 2023.

The utility said the additional renewable electricity capacity will be used to comply with Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard mandate, which, according to the Michigan Public Service Commission, requires the utility to supply 12.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2019 and 2020, and 15% from renewable sources in 2021.

The utility also said the additional renewable electricity capacity will source its voluntary renewable energy programs and deliver on its commitment to reduce carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2040.

DTE is Michigan’s largest producer of renewable energy, with 1,200 megawatts from 14 wind farms and 31 solar parks in its portfolio. The majority of the utility’s renewable portfolio comes from its wind farms, according to the Public Service Commission.

Over the next five years, the utility plans to invest an additional $2 billion in renewable energy assets and more than double its renewable electricity-generating capacity.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/09/18/dte-to-request-bids-for-solar-and-wind-projects/