This article originally appeared in Energy Smarts for Michigan Business magazine spring issue, 2025. Photos supplied by Allied Printing.
Thirteen years ago, a southeastern Michigan wind park of 69 turbines quietly signaled a turning point in energy procurement. Since then, DTE has grown its renewable energy portfolio to include 20 wind parks and 34 solar parks throughout the state – enough to power more than 835,000 homes.
Many of the company’s recent renewable energy projects are funded through MIGreenPower. The program enables DTE electric customers to attribute their home’s or business’s electric usage to renewable energy from these parks.
In January, Allied Printing Co. In Ferndale decided to join the program. Chief Marketing Officer Elly Chichester had already set up a sustainability strategy with PrintReleaf, a reforestation and carbon offset company, to offset the company’s paper usage. Joining MIGreenPower was a “no-brainer,” she says, noting that taking the first step toward carbon reduction through the program is “really easy.”
“MIGreenPower complements the sustainability practices we have already implemented,” she says. “I like the flexibility in how we can grow our enrollment into something bigger over time.”
The program offers customers the option to choose a percentage of their monthly electricity usage or a fixed dollar amount, which can be as low as $1 a month.
“We are able to support any customer in their sustainability goals – homeowners, small businesses and large institutions alike,” says Sean Gouda, director of Renewable Solutions for DTE.
MIGreenPower was designed for any DTE electric customer who wants to reduce their carbon footprint without installing equipment. “It’s a great option if you don’t have the means to bring in full-blown solar or use wind energy for your business,” Chichester says.
Since the program’s launch in 2017, over 1,600 small businesses have enrolled in MIGreenPower, and the program has tripled the amount of renewables capacity in Michigan. “We’re currently in the midst of the most active period of renewables development in DTE’s history,” Gouda says. “Our customers are asking for more clean energy and we’re going to keep building new renewable energy projects to meet that demand.”
Renewable energy development at DTE is advancing quickly, with three new solar parks coming online in the first half of 2025 and many more in various stages of development, says Gouda. By 2042, the company will be able to power approximately 5.5 million homes with clean energy.
Chichester encourages other businesses to join the MIGreenPower initiative and support this clean energy future: “It’s a wonderful opportunity to dip your toe in and start making an impact.”
To learn more about how your business can enroll in MIGreenPower, click here.