Consumers Energy Continues Developing Solar Power by Selecting 19 Michigan Homes to Produce Energy

More Homes, Businesses to be Chosen to Produce Solar Energy into 2015

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Sep 26, 2014, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Mich., Sept. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy continues to support the development of renewable energy in Michigan, working with 19 homeowners to produce electricity from solar panels in the next year.

"We are pleased to work with Michigan residents to provide more power from renewable sources," said Tim Sparks, Consumers Energy's vice president for energy supply operations. "Since 2010, we have signed more than 200 contracts with owners of homes and businesses to help us generate electricity from this renewable source."

Nineteen residential projects in 11 counties – Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton (2), Genesee, Grand Traverse, Ingham, Jackson (3), Kent (4), Newaygo, Ottawa (2) and Shiawassee (2) – were selected recently. The projects will provide energy directly into the electric grid.

Consumers Energy is on target to use renewable sources for 10 percent of the electricity it supplies by year end, more than a year ahead of the schedule laid out by the Legislature. Those sources include solar and wind energy, biomass, hydroelectric power and anaerobic digestion. The company's second wind farm, Cross Winds® Energy Park, will open this fall.

The company will accept more applications from customers interested in adding solar-powered generating systems Oct. 1 through Nov. 5. It will continue to choose more homes and businesses to produce solar energy into 2015.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.5 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ConsumersEnergy.

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SOLAR PROGRAMS: Consumers Energy offers two programs for homes and businesses to generate electricity from renewable sources:

EARP: Participants in the Experimental Advanced Renewable Program are selected quarterly and given one year to bring solar or other systems online. They enter into a long-term agreement to sell electricity at a fixed rate. www.ConsumersEnergy.com/earp
NET METERING: Homes or businesses that generate electricity using renewable energy sources can connect to the electric grid and send electricity back to the grid at times when their generation exceeds their own use. www.ConsumersEnergy.com/netmetering

SOURCE Consumers Energy