DTE Energy continues to expand its sustainable options with the addition of a new renewable energy plant and electric vehicle power stations.
The downtown-based utility, through its Detroit Edison subsidiary, has agreed to buy 3.2 megawatts of power from the
biomass energy plant at the Smiths Creek Landfill in Kimball Township just west of Port Huron. The plant employs a septage injection landfill gas system, which pumps septic tank material into the landfill to speed up decomposition of organic waste. That accelerates the production of landfill gas which is turned into electricity.
The 3.2 megawatts will go towards DTE Energy's goal of utilizing 1,200 megawatts of renewable power, 10 percent of its total power useage, by 2015. That would allow it to meet the state of Michigan's new
Renewable Portfolio Standard. Most of the alternative energy used to meet those standards will come from wind turbines, however, DTE Energy is diversifying its renewable energy sources to include things like solar and biomass.
"They all add up," says Scott Simons, a spokesman for
DTE Energy. "You want a different kind of renewable energy product like that, which is producing on a daily basis. Wind energy is only created when the wind blows."
DTE Energy is also looking to help accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles in Metro Detroit by providing a $2,500 subsidy for plug-in electric vehicle charging stations. The subsidy is expected to cover the entire cost of the 240-volt power stations, which will be awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis until December 2013. DTE Energy is also offering a pilot program where electric vehicle users can lock in a $40 per monthly rate if they charge the vehicles during non-peek hours between 11 p.m. and 9 a.m.
Source: Scott Simons, spokesman for DTE Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke
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