Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization focused on driving multi-sector economic development in the Ann Arbor region and across the state of Michigan, is known for being a catalyst for innovation. Ann Arbor SPARK knows what it takes to help both new and established companies grow their business and attract and retain talent.
In the last five year alone, Ann Arbor SPARK has helped nearly 200 established businesses invest over $926 million in the Ann Arbor region. These businesses created over 5900 jobs. For their earliest stage companies, Ann Arbor SPARK has helped 716 companies. All totaled, SPARK’s work has resulted in more than $15 million in investments, grants, and funding to companies growing in the region.
When the team at Ann Arbor SPARK learned how they could reduce their carbon footprint and support more renewable energy with DTE’s MIGreenPower program, enrolling in the program at 100% fit right in with the organization’s values and goals.
“Enrolling in MIGreenPower was an easy decision for our organization,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. “The program provides us with the ability to make an immediate impact on the environment and contribute to the clean energy economy. Increasingly, easy access to renewable energy is a major draw for companies to open or relocate to a community. Programs like MIGreenPower help us attract and retain businesses that help drive continued economic growth and technological innovation.”
DTE’s MIGreenPower program enables customers to choose the percentage of their energy use they would like to attribute to renewables beyond the 13% wind or solar power DTE already provides every customer in their energy mix. More than 16,000 DTE Electric residential and small business customers have already joined in the program since its launch in April 2017.
Enrolled MIGreenPower customers are reducing their carbon footprint by participating in DTE’s Pinnebog Wind Park, Lapeer Solar Park and O’Shea Solar Park. Together, these renewable energy projects offset 186,357 tons of CO2, the greenhouse gas equivalent of taking more than 36,500 passenger cars off the road for a year.*
“Partnering with an outstanding economic development organization like Ann Arbor SPARK is a tremendous opportunity for DTE,” said Trevor Lauer, president of DTE Energy’s electric company. “SPARK has consistently demonstrated their ability to help drive economic development in the Ann Arbor area and across the state of Michigan. Today, companies of all sizes are interested in accessing more renewable energy to meet their sustainability goals. By enrolling in MIGreenPower, both business and residential customers can reduce their impact on the environment and help accelerate renewable energy development in Michigan.”
DTE’s MIGreenPower program is on track to be one of the largest voluntary renewable energy programs in the country thanks to the positive response it has received from customers – residential, small business and corporate and industrial. General Motors, Ford Motor Company and the University of Michigan were the first three large customers to enroll in the program.
The best news is that there is no limit on MIGreenPower program enrollment: DTE plans to build additional renewable energy projects and expand MIGreenPower to meet customer demand. As the state’s largest producer of renewable energy, DTE will more than double its renewable energy generation capacity, investing an additional $2 billion in wind and solar by 2024 and has a goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Customers can join MIGreenPower by visiting www.migreenpower.com or calling DTE’s MIGreenPower enrollment hotline at 855-613-4445.
*Avoided emissions and equivalencies are based on the Environmental Protection Agency equivalencies calculator.