Four Michigan Farms Selected to Produce Electricity with Anaerobic Digesters for Consumers Energy

New program expands sources of renewable energy

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Jul 22, 2014, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Mich., July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy is taking steps to diversify its energy supply and help the environment by selecting four Michigan farms to produce renewable energy with anaerobic digesters.

"We are excited to move forward with this new program to develop dependable, renewable energy produced here in our state for the Michigan homes and businesses we serve," said Timothy Sparks, Consumers Energy's vice president of energy supply operations. "The addition of anaerobic digestion brings more diversity to our existing renewable energy supply from wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric dams."

Consumers Energy developed this new anaerobic digester program along with Michigan State University and the state's agricultural community. Anaerobic digesters generate electricity from biodegradable material – in this case from four Michigan farms.

The farms will be offered the opportunity to generate electricity under long-term contracts that collectively provide 2.6 megawatts of electric capacity. That's enough to power about 2,800 homes.

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.

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WHO WAS CHOSEN: The following Michigan farms were selected: