Company aims for 20-percent customer
emissions reduction by 2030
JACKSON,
Mich., March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Energy
and its primary business, Consumers Energy, today pledged to
protect the planet by achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions
from the company's entire natural gas production and delivery
system — including customers and suppliers — by 2050.
Achieving net zero emissions means eliminating the impact of
emissions traced to the burning of natural gas by customers and
greenhouse gas emissions caused by natural gas suppliers who
produce and transport natural gas to Consumers Energy's system.
"Natural gas is safe and affordable and now it can be even more
clean," President and CEO Garrick
Rochow said. "We're making historic, industry-leading
changes to protect our planet. This commitment is another step in
leading the clean energy transformation for Michigan."
As a next step on our path to net zero by 2050, the company will
partner with customers to reduce their emissions by 20 percent by
2030.
CMS Energy is already implementing industry-leading plans to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include:
- Modernizing its natural gas system to achieve net zero methane
emissions from its operations by 2030.
- Ending coal use and boosting renewable energy fuel sources to
achieve net zero carbon emissions from its electric operations by
2040.
- Pledging to power 1 million electric vehicles in the
communities it serves by 2030.
Pursuing a net zero goal for all emission sources,
including those from customers and suppliers, aligns the company's
efforts with Michigan's
Healthy Climate Plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by
2050 as well as the recommendations of the Paris Agreement
to limit global warming.
CMS Energy is executing and exploring a variety of pathways to
support customers and suppliers who want to reduce their
emissions.
- Carbon offsets: The company recently received regulatory
approval for a new program for residential and business customers
who want to voluntarily offset carbon emissions from their natural
gas use by investing in projects that help Michigan forests reduce the amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere.
- Renewable natural gas, or RNG: Produced from organic
wastes and other renewable sources, RNG is interchangeable with
conventional natural gas and a key technology available to reduce
methane emissions. The company recently announced an agreement with
Swisslane Farms in west Michigan
to build a biodigester facility that, with regulatory approval,
will convert agricultural waste into RNG.
- Energy efficiency: Providing customers with the power to
reduce energy waste and lower bills through a variety of energy
efficiency and demand response programs. Since 2009, we've helped
customers save about $4 billion and
prevented the emission of almost 19 million tons of carbon
dioxide.
- Emerging technologies: Potential solutions include using
hydrogen to produce energy, capturing and permanently storing
carbon emissions from natural gas combustion and using hybrid
natural gas and electric heat pump systems to heat homes and
businesses.
The company is also modernizing its natural gas operations with
a 10-year Natural Gas Delivery Plan to ensure the continued
delivery of safe, reliable, affordable and clean natural gas. The
plan includes accelerated infrastructure replacement, innovative
leak detection and key process changes to eliminate, avoid and
minimize methane emissions.
CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based company that has an electric
and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business.
It also owns and operates independent power generation businesses.
Consumers Energy, Michigan's
largest energy provider, provides natural gas and/or electricity to
6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower
Peninsula counties.
For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website
at cmsenergy.com.
To sign up for email alert notifications, please
visit the Investor Relations section of our website.
For more information about Consumers Energy, go to
ConsumersEnergy.com.
This news release contains "forward-looking statements." The
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's results to
differ materially. All forward-looking statements should be
considered in the context of the risk and other factors detailed
from time to time in CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's Securities
and Exchange Commission filings.
Check out Consumers Energy on Social
Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/consumersenergy
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/consumersenergy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consumersenergy
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SOURCE CMS Energy