Residents of Calhoun County in Michigan will soon be able to power their homes with sustainable energy as Consumer Energy, their utility company, has finalized a deal to buy energy from the Calhoun Solar Center. The deal involves 140 megawatts of power generated from solar panels. It will be enough to supply 70,000 homes.
Pending approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission, Invenergy has been tapped to design and build the solar plant. The facility will generate 200 megawatts of electricity. Construction is expected to be concluded by 2023. The site will be in Convis Township and require 1,200 acres.
This deal will make Calhoun Solar Center one of the largest solar energy supplier to Consumer Energy. It will last for 25 years.
Consumer Energy is aiming to achieve zero carbon emission in all its operations by 2040 by shifting to renewable energy sources. It is targeting a portfolio of 1,100 MW of solar energy before the end of 2024.
Tim Sparks, vice president of electric grid integration at Consumers Energy said “We are proud to team with Invenergy as we continue to create a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Michigan. We are committed to protecting the planet while providing the energy our homes and businesses need for decades to come.”
Invenergy is based in the Midwest and focuses on designing, building and operating facilities for generating energy sustainably.
“Great progress is being made by Consumers Energy to foster sustainable communities in Michigan, and Invenergy is pleased to support this commitment by providing clean, reliable energy from our Calhoun Solar Center,” said Mick Baird, senior vice president, renewable development at Invenergy
Consumer Electric however has 8 other solar projects in other counties that are already generating power, outputting a total of 16 MW. The company, whose parent company is CMS Energy, services about 6.7 million residents of Michigan State.