Consumer's Energy was honored this week by Newsweek magazine as the number one company in Michigan for being "green."
They landed in ninth place nationwide.
Newsweek's "Green Rankings" are a reflection of a company's commitment to environmental principles that are good for its home state of Michigan and it's customers.
“This independent, national recognition affirms our efforts to protect the planet we all cherish while providing the energy Michigan needs,” said Patti Poppe, Consumers Energy’s president and chief executive officer. “We are excited to be recognized for our commitment to providing energy from increasingly clean energy sources and taking actions that preserve the natural resources of Michigan.”
When choosing the companies Newsweek looked at environmental performance such as clean energy, reduction of carbon emissions and efforts to reduce and divert waste.
These are some of the actions that Consumers has taken that were recognized with this award:
Closed seven coal-fired power plants last year – a higher percentage of its coal plants than any investor-owned utility in the U.S.
Provides over 10 percent of the electricity that its Michigan customers use from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power.
Opened solar power plants in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. CMS Energy will install another in Lansing in 2018.
Has helped Michigan homes and businesses save over $1 billion on bills through energy efficiency since 2009.
Has already reduced water used to generate electricity by 17 percent and expects to reach a 20 percent reduction by 2018. That should save over 100 million gallons of water per year.
Committed to a cumulative waste reduction goal of one million cubic yards of landfill space avoided by 2019, and met that goal in 2017.
“Our mission is to do what’s right, not only what is required, to strengthen the environment and provide clean, reliable energy for our customers,” Poppe said.
Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
