Through a new clean energy agreement with DTE Energy, Ford Motor Company will soon be able to get all of its electricity in Michigan from clean energy. This is a big step toward Ford's goal of becoming carbon neutral.

Ford will receive 650 megawatts of additional solar energy capacity from DTE in Michigan by 2025. The acquisition represents a strategic investment in Michigan through DTE's MIGreenPower initiative and is the largest purchase of renewable energy ever made by a utility in the United States. 

According to data collected by the Solar Energy Industries Association, once the arrays are constructed, the overall amount of solar energy installed in Michigan will grow by nearly 70%.

Ford Motor Company president and CEO Jim Farley said:

"This unprecedented agreement is about a greener and brighter future for Ford and Michigan. Today is an example of what it looks like to lead… to turn talk into action.”

Since 2009, DTE's efforts in renewable energy have resulted in the creation of almost 4,000 jobs in Michigan. DTE anticipates that the installation of solar panels will generate 250 temporary and 10 permanent jobs. 

The additional tax revenue generated by DTE's renewable energy initiatives benefits the communities that host them. This revenue can be used to fund community support services, such as roads, schools, libraries, and first responders.

Jerry Norcia, chairman and CEO, of DTE Energy, said: 

"We want to congratulate Ford Motor Company for its environmental leadership and commitment to clean energy. Ford was the first large industrial customer to enrol in our MIGreenPower programme in 2019, and we thank Ford for its continued commitment to using MIGreenPower to help decarbonise its operations and meet its sustainability goals.”

Through DTE's MIGreenPower programme, which is one of the largest voluntary renewable energy programmes in the country, Ford is buying carbon-free electricity. So far, more than 600 businesses and more than 62,000 homes have signed up for the programme through the company. 

MIGreenPower customers have signed up for 2.8 million megawatt hours of clean energy through the programme every year. This is the same as keeping 2.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the air. DTE is the biggest renewable energy producer in Michigan, and the company plans to support the programme by adding thousands of megawatts of new clean energy projects.

Ford makes more cars in the U.S. than any other automaker and has more hourly workers in the U.S. than any other automaker. It was also one of the first U.S. automakers to join the Paris Agreement to limit the effects of global warming.

Since its start in 1903, Ford has been based in Michigan. Since 2016, Ford has put almost $10 billion into Michigan and created or kept over 10,000 jobs there. This includes fixing up Michigan Central Station, building a new Ford Research and Engineering campus in Dearborn, making Ford's Ion Park in Romulus, and more.

Source: Ford

For more social and governance news