Michigan’s Clean Energy Future

Net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Climate change is one of the defining issues of our era. That’s why DTE Electric unveiled our 2022 CleanVision Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), our proposal to dramatically increase renewable energy and storage, hasten the retirement of our last two coal power plants and accelerate our carbon emissions reduction goals.

DTE Gas plans to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions through an innovative plan that includes both its suppliers and customers by 2050.

Our clean energy efforts are an important part of our mission in providing our customers with clean, reliable, and affordable power.

EXPLORE THE ROAD MAP
reductions in carbon emissions
  • 2023
  • 2028
  • 2032
  • 2040
  • 2050
  • WIND
  • NUCLEAR
  • SOLAR
  • COAL
  • Natural Gas
An up arrow.Slide to see target carbon emissions reduction goals over time.

How We Get There

We are in the midst of an important and fundamental transformation in the way we produce electricity in our state, accelerating coal plant retirements and investing in cleaner Michigan-made energy, including wind and solar parks, and repurposing an existing power plant at a fraction of the cost while accelerating reductions in carbon emissions. We’re also providing options for customers to save money and energy through our energy efficiency and demand response programs and are offering residential and business customers the opportunity to buy more clean energy to meet their own sustainability goals.

Like all big transformations, the shift to cleaner energy won’t happen overnight, but progress has already begun. DTE has 20 wind parks and 33 solar parks, and has cut carbon emissions by 32% since 2005.

Our bold net zero carbon emissions goal sets the framework for DTE Electric to reduce carbon emissions 65% in 2028 and 90% by 2040, ensuring our medium- and long-term plans align with the importance of achieving significant economy-wide emissions reductions by 2050.

Read highlights of the CleanVision IRP

Proposed fuel mix

(2005-2042, MWh%)

  • 2005
  • 2023
  • 2029
  • 2033
  • 2042

Our Balanced Energy Fuel Mix

Icon of a leaf representing the millions of trees for which DTE takes such good care. = Cleaner Energy Source recycling icon = Emissions Free Energy Source
  • RENEWABLES This is an Emissions Free Energy Source

    DTE’s renewable energy portfolio currently includes 20 wind parks and 33 solar farms all located in Michigan. Our 20th wind park, Meridian, is Michigan’s largest and came online in 2023. DTE’s long-term wind and solar energy plans will generate an additional 15,400 MW of renewable energy by 2042, which will be over 60% of our energy mix, and is equivalent to powering approximately 4 million homes.

    DTE’s renewable projects are generating more than clean energy. They’re also helping to strengthen Michigan’s economy. Communities around the state are receiving added tax revenue, and those who participate in our projects benefit from the extra income these projects provide. Our renewable projects offer additional, local employment opportunities before, during and after a project is built.

  • STORAGE This is a Cleaner Energy Source

    Similar to batteries found in cellphones or laptops, rechargeable, large lithium-ion batteries can support the grid by storing and discharging energy at a later time. This makes batteries an ideal partner for renewable energy, such as wind and solar, to store energy by charging the batteries when those resources are abundant. The stored energy is then used during times when wind and solar are not available. Lithium-ion battery storage is considered “short duration storage,” meaning a discharge duration of four hours or less.

    DTE’s first Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a 14 MW Lithium-ion battery system. The pilot project, Slocum BESS, is scheduled to be completed in 2024 and will replace the current five diesel “peaker” engines at the Slocum station site in Trenton, Michigan.

    DTE has also identified a potential storage opportunity at our Trenton Channel site for a 220 MW battery storage project. This would be one of the largest storage projects in the state and one of the country’s largest coal plant-to-storage transitions.

    The Ludington Pumped Storage Plant, which DTE Electric co-owns with Consumers Energy, is considered a long-duration storage facility, with a discharge duration of 8-12 hours. This hydroelectric plant, located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Mason County, also works hand-in-hand with renewable energy. The reversible turbines work as pumps when energy is plentiful and low-cost, such as when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing, and as power generators when demand is higher and renewable sources less abundant. The plant pumps water from Lake Michigan uphill to the 27 billion-gallon reservoir at low-cost times, and releases the stored water downhill through the turbines to generate electricity when energy demand is higher.

    By 2042, our plan will result in over 2,900 MW of storage to help power homes and businesses in southeast Michigan – more than doubling current storage capacity.

  • Natural Gas This is a Cleaner Energy Source

    DTE knows natural gas plays an important role in a diverse energy mix. Natural gas is abundant and one of the few energy sources that can be stored. This makes natural gas an ideal fuel source to help power the grid alongside Michigan-made wind and solar energy – particularly when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining.

    Our CleanVision plan calls for repurposing existing infrastructure at the Belle River Power Plant by converting its fuel source from coal to natural gas. The Belle River plant will only run during periods of high customer demand, such as in extreme summer heat. This economical approach will be a fraction of the cost of building a brand-new natural gas plant, reduce emissions 90-95% from current coal operations and protect electric reliability.

    This approach allows DTE to add thousands of megawatts of renewables onto the grid in advance of the first two units of the Monroe Power Plant retiring in 2028, protecting customer affordability and system reliability. In addition to the Belle River conversion, our state-of-the-art Blue Water Energy Center (BWEC) in East China Township, a 1,127 MW natural gas combined-cycle plant, already provides an always-available source of energy. It came online in June 2022 and is one of the most efficient plants in the country. BWEC supported the retirement of three coal-fired power plants in 2022 without impacting system reliability, while sharply reducing carbon emissions.

  • NUCLEAR This is an Emissions Free Energy Source

    At 1,141 megawatts of carbon-free energy, our Fermi 2 nuclear power plant accounts for about 20% of the electricity generated by DTE Electric. As our only source of carbon-free baseload, or 24/7 generation, it will continue to be an important part of our balanced energy mix. Located in Monroe County, the plant produces enough electricity to serve a city of nearly one million people.

  • COAL

    At one time, DTE Electric had one of the largest fleets of coal-fired power plants in the Midwest. DTE Electric’s energy mix was 77% coal in 2005; the Company’s new plan would reduce coal usage to only 15% coal by 2029 with a full exit in 2032. Our plan moves the retirement of coal at our Belle River Power Plant from 2028 to 2026 and starts the phased retirement of our Monroe Power Plant nearly 12 years ahead of our original plan to 2028 from 2040.

Breaking Down Our Plan

Watch this video to learn how our CleanVision Integrated Resource Plan will result in a cleaner environment for Michigan families, communities, and businesses.

The first half of our plan relies on commercially available technologies like solar, wind, energy storage and natural gas. Our plan lays out the development of supply resources sufficient to meet our customers’ needs reliably as we move toward large-scale coal plant retirements. This includes building solar and storage resources prior to the retirement of the first two units of Monroe in 2028 and the proposed conversion of the Belle River Power Plant from a coal plant to a natural gas peaking resource. The addition of 5,400 MW of solar and wind, and 780 MW of storage by 2032 will provide enough renewable energy to power 1.5 million residential homes.


The second half of our plan (2033-2042) includes the retirement of the Belle River natural gas peaking resource by 2040. Our plan also calls for the development of an additional 10,000 MW of renewables, 1,050 MW of storage, and future 24/7 emerging technologies.

Key Milestone Highlights – years 5, 10, and 20

DTE has a detailed proposal and timeline that lays out our plan.


First 5 years (2023-2027)

  • Adds 1,200 MW of new solar farms
  • Adds 350 MW of battery storage
  • Retires 1,300 MW of coal-fired operations at Belle River Power Plant and converts the plant to a natural gas peaking resource. This means the facility would generate electricity “on call” and when needed, like during the hottest days of the summer and to support high customer demand.

Second 5 years (2028-2032)

  • Adds 3,200 MW of new solar, 1,000 MW of new wind
  • Adds 430 MW of new energy storage
  • Retires half of the Monroe Power Plant in 2028 (~1,500 MW) and the other half in 2032 (~1,500 MW), ending all use of coal by DTE Energy

Last 10 years (2033-2042)

  • Adds 2,100 MW of new solar, 7,900 MW of new wind and 1,050 MW of new energy storage
  • Retires the Belle River natural gas peaking resource by 2040

Next steps

DTE will work with our customers and other stakeholders to undertake this transformational change. This includes close collaboration with the local communities who will host our new clean energy resources as well as the communities who have hosted our retiring coal assets. We’re excited for what the future holds for our company and our customers – we’re working to get as clean as we can as fast as we can, while keeping our focus on providing reliable and affordable energy to the customers and communities we serve.

FAQ

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Additional information

Additional information on the plan, as well as a link to the public docket with the Michigan Public Service Commission, can be found below:

  1. Read the IRP key highlights handout
  2. Read the original CleanVision IRP executive summary (prior to MPSC approval):
  3. Read the IRP filing and docket with the Michigan Public Service Commission here

Resources

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Blogs

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Public Open House Series

DTE invited the public to learn about the detailed modeling and scenarios that go into building a comprehensive plan to meet the electricity needs of our customers 5, 10, and 15 years into the future... READ MORE

DTE invited the public to learn about the detailed modeling and scenarios that go into building a comprehensive plan to meet the electricity needs of our customers 5, 10, and 15 years into the future. We also previewed ways DTE is delivering cleaner energy while highlighting steps our customers can take today to achieve their own sustainability goals through our clean products and services. We encourage you to join us on this journey by watching this four-part series.

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DTE Electric’s CleanVision Plan

DTE Electric’s CleanVision Plan is our journey to achieve net-zero carbon emissions for the Electric Company by 2050 while providing clean, reliable, and affordable energy to our customers. In October 2021, DTE Electric announced plans to accelerate our interim goal of 50% carbon emissions reductions, achieving that goal by 2028. We will further outline our goals to provide cleaner, reliable, and affordable energy in our next Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) filing with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC).

FAQ

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What is an integrated resource plan?

An Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is a comprehensive plan to meet electricity needs of our customers 5, 10, and 15 years into the future. An IRP details how a power company will provide reliable, affordable electric supply to its customers. An IRP evaluates things like the cost and performance of existing power generation, as well as new resources like solar and storage. It also looks at customer demand and energy efficiency, taking into consideration how business and residential customers use energy today and into the future, so the power company can plan to meet those needs with existing or new generation resources. Michigan’s power companies like DTE Electric are required to file an IRP with the MPSC at least every five years. DTE Electric is early in the IRP process and collecting inputs as it prepares detailed analyses. DTE plans to file its IRP in October 2022, about one year earlier than previously planned. The IRP will provide further detail of our CleanVision Plan.

Is there a way for me to engage with DTE in the CleanVision Plan Process?

Yes! Public input is an important part of the IRP process. You may submit feedback, comments, or questions at any time through this site by clicking this link. DTE also hosted four public open houses in the first half of this year. To protect the health and safety of attendees during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to reach people across our service territory, the DTE public open houses were virtual. Recordings, presentations and transcripts from the open houses are available on this website. We also host a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page that addresses questions frequently raised by attendees.

What kind of feedback is DTE seeking during the CleanVision Plan process?

We are seeking public input as we develop our long-term CleanVision Plan. Stakeholder input in the IRP process helps us understand what you think DTE should consider or prioritize as we plan to meet customer needs in the future. IRPs consider many factors including existing and new sources of generation and have important implications for our customers, communities we serve, our employees, and the environment. Therefore, it is expected that feedback may address a broad range of topics.

I understand DTE will evaluate adding renewable energy, like wind and solar, to the generation mix. Is DTE considering other emerging technologies?

Yes. The CleanVision Plan will evaluate emerging technologies that support a diverse, reliable mix of generation resources that may be needed to serve our customers. This evaluation may include technologies, like batteries, longer-duration storage technologies, hydrogen, carbon capture and sequestration, and small modular nuclear reactors. To learn more, please see the resources from the February 22, 2022 Open House.

How is DTE thinking about employees and communities that are impacted by coal plant retirements and transitions?

The sequential retirement of our coal-fired power plants is a key part of our CleanVision Plan. These plants make up a significant portion of our generation fleet, and we recognize that these plants, and the employees who operate them every day, have been a part of the communities they’re in for nearly 100 years. With that in mind, we want to make sure that we put forth a thoughtful, dignified transition of these power plants for our employees and their host communities. We call our vision retire with PRIDE- which stands for People, Respect, Integrity, Dignity, and Engagement. To learn more about the Retire with Pride initiative, please see the resources from the April 19, 2022 Open House.

What programs does DTE have available for customers wanting to support renewable energy, save money, and reduce carbon emissions?

DTE has a number of customer programs supporting cleaner energy and customer savings. To learn more, please see the resources from the March 22, 2022 Open House. You can also find out more about each program on this website under Join Us or via the links below: Energy Efficiency MIGreenPower Electric Vehicles DTE Insight Rooftop Solar and Private Generation | DTE Energy CleanVision Natural Gas Balance Energy Assistance

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Open Houses

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Resources

Welcome to the DTE Efficiency Hub. From seasonal energy-saving tips to programs, rebates and energy efficient products, the Efficiency Hub shows simple ways you can start saving in your home today.

Visit our virtual Energy Efficient Home and explore room by room tips, rebates and programs that can help you save energy in every room of your home.

Welcome to DTE Energy's virtual field trip! See a wind turbine and two solar parks and learn about cleaner, renewable energy. These types of energy sources are carbon free resources and play important roles in combatting climate change. Also check out our latest wind park and discover how wind turbines work in cold weather.

STEWARDSHIP Our Home
is Our Habitat

We work to take care of the land, water and living creatures both within our service territories and beyond. As one of the largest landowners in Michigan, we maintain thousands of acres in its natural state and provide habitat for hundreds of species of birds, mammals, fish and insects. We have more than 30 sites certified under the Wildlife Habitat Council, a nonprofit organization that helps companies manage their property for the benefit of wildlife.

The

Aggressively Reducing Water Withdrawal During Power Production

Of the water used for cooling and other purposes at our power plants, less than 2% was actually consumed (water largely lost through evaporation) and more than 98% was returned. By retiring coal plants and shifting to cleaner and more efficient generation sources, DTE has aggressive targets to reduce water withdrawal by 40% by 2023, 60% by 2030, and 90% by 2040.

This bar chart shows our plan and our commitment to produce the cleanest air possible in our futures.

Cleaner Air Results and Projections

Since 2005, we have invested more than $2 billion each in emission controls and renewable energy. These investments have cut carbon emissions by 25% and significantly reduced other emissions, including mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter – contributing to Metro Detroit’s best air quality, according to EPA data.

This sturgeon reflects our commitment - in partnership with others - to restore their habitat.

15,000 Ton Sturgeon Sanctuary

Loss of rocky habitat in the Detroit and St. Clair River systems, which has occurred since the 1800s due to industrialization, has contributed to a decline in the lake sturgeon population – a state and provincially threatened species. DTE Energy provided limestone needed for restoration of the reef—about 15,000 tons. We’re proud to support the restoration efforts and to rebuild native fish communities throughout the Great Lakes region.

DID YOU KNOW? It’s All in the Mix

We currently use many energy sources as fuel to produce electricity for our customers, including coal, natural gas, wind, solar, nuclear, biomass and hydroelectric. A diverse mix of energy sources is an important part of our strategy to provide customers with safe, secure, reliable, affordable and cleaner power.

see how it works

DID YOU KNOW? Our App Helps You Conserve & Save

The DTE Insight App is a mobile app providing customers with real-time home energy usage data by connecting their home’s smart meter to their smartphone. Our customers can use this data to make decisions about home energy usage — from heating and cooling, to the use of appliances and even home weatherization. The app helps customers save energy and reduce energy costs.

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DID YOU KNOW? Natural Gas Fuels a Fleet of Our Vans

Since 2010, we’ve replaced over 250 of our fleet vehicles with new Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs). Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is the cleanest burning transportation fuel on the market today because it burns cleaner than petroleum-based products due to its lower carbon content. CNG produces 20 to 30 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions and 95% fewer tailpipe emissions than petroleum products. On average, the carbon footprint for an NGV will be 25% to 28% less than its gasoline or diesel-powered equivalent.

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Join the Journey

We all need to do our part to help protect the environment for our families and generations to come. Reducing carbon emissions is a key to combatting climate change. DTE offers several opportunities to you to make a difference at a local or state level, at home or on the move.

  • Image of a home, highlighting our commitment to supporting yours.
    Transform Your Home

    From windows and insulation to smart home devices, we have the resources you need to increase your energy efficiency. DTE Energy’s residential and business customers will save nearly $400 million on their cumulative lifetime energy bills thanks to their participation in the company’s efficiency programs.

    GET STARTED
  • Illustration of a car that shows you just how easy owning and driving an electric vehicle can be.
    Drive an Electric Vehicle

    You can reduce your carbon emissions by 60% when you switch to driving an electric vehicle. DTE Energy is here to help you on the road to owning an electric vehicle with Charging Forward, our EV charger incentive program that provides qualified EV drivers with $500 back.

    TAKE ME THERE
  • The MIGreenPower icon, representing our commitment to using renewable energy to provide all of your power needs.
    Join MIGreenPower

    DTE’s popular MIGreenPower program enables customers to attribute up to 100% of their energy use to Michigan-made wind and solar, whether they own or rent their home or office space. Nearly 500 customers are joining MIGreenPower each week, reducing their carbon footprint and bringing more clean energy onto the grid. MIGreenPower subscribers have already enrolled 1.8 million megawatts of clean energy in the program, reducing 1.4 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

    JOIN TODAY
  • This picture of a washer and dryer are reminders that you can recycle old appliances with us and even get paid for it!
    Recycle Your Old Appliances

    It’s the easy way to clean up and save. If you have an old refrigerator or freezer that still works, DTE Energy will recycle it for free and you’ll receive a $50 check. Plus, save more when you recycle other appliances.

    TAKE ME THERE
  • The BioGreenGas logo shows that we’re constantly at the forefront of new, innovative ways to meet your power needs.
    Enroll in CleanVision Natural Gas Balance

    Natural Gas Balance is an innovative program that allows DTE gas customers to offset up to 100 % of the average household greenhouse gases created using natural gas. For as little as $ 4.00 a month, you are protecting Michigan forests that naturally scrub greenhouse gasses from the environment as well as supporting the development and use of renewable natural gas created from waste emissions.

    LEARN MORE