DETROIT, March 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DTE Energy
Chairman and CEO Gerry Anderson has
been selected as the recipient of the Individual Climate Leadership
award by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) and The
Climate Registry for driving DTE Energy's goal to reduce carbon
emissions by more than 80 percent by 2050.
Presented at the eighth annual Climate Leadership Conference in
Denver, Anderson is among the
first energy company CEOs to win the prestigious award, which
honors exemplary corporate, organizational, and individual
leadership in reducing carbon emissions and addressing climate
change.
"Gerry Anderson is extremely
deserving of the Climate Leadership Award," said Chris Kolb, president, Michigan Environmental
Council. "His recognition that climate change is one of the
defining public policy issues of our era and the defining issue
within the energy industry is critical to the future health of the
state of Michigan. He recognized
the need for DTE Energy to take the lead in moving Michigan and the country forward to cleaner
sources of energy that still provide reliable and affordable power
for customers."
DTE Energy is Michigan's
largest investor in renewable energy, having driven investments of
$2 billion in wind farms and solar
arrays since 2008, providing enough clean energy to power 450,000
homes. These investments helped DTE cut carbon emissions by nearly
25 percent in 2017 since 2005.
By continuing to incorporate substantially more renewable
energy, transitioning its 24/7 power sources from coal to natural
gas, continuing to operate its zero-emission Fermi 2 power plant,
and improving options for customers to save energy and reduce
bills, DTE plans to reduce carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030,
75 percent by 2040 and more than 80 percent by 2050. These plans
define a long-term shift by DTE to produce over three-quarters of
its power from renewable energy and highly efficient natural
gas-fired power plants.
"Fundamentally addressing climate change is among our greatest
responsibilities," Anderson said. "Reducing our company's carbon
footprint and developing cleaner sources of energy is a key
priority for us. Over time, I suspect this work will also bring
great opportunity – for example, when we invest to enable electric
vehicles to drive similar transformation in the transportation
sector."
DTE studied the engineering and the economics of Michigan's energy future for two years before
announcing its 2050 carbon reduction goals – a timeframe that
aligns with the target scientists broadly have identified as
necessary to help address climate change.
"We've concluded not only that the 80 percent reduction goal is
achievable, it is achievable in a way that ensures Michigan's power is safe, secure, affordable,
reliable – and sustainable," Anderson said. "There doesn't have to
be a choice between a healthy environment and a healthy economy,
although the debate often gets framed that way. We can have both,
if we invest in a smart way."
DTE's plans include:
- The construction of an additional 4,000 megawatts of renewable
energy capacity – enough to supply the energy for nearly 2 million
homes – supplementing the 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy DTE
has built since 2008.
- The steady retirement of the company's aging coal-fired plants,
which continued in 2016 with the announced shutdown of 11 coal
units by the early 2020s.
- The construction of a highly efficient, state-of-the-art
natural gas-fired power plant of about 1,100 megawatts on existing
company property in East China
Township, Mich., that will, beginning in 2022, supply 24/7
power and ensure reliability as the coal plant retirements
proceed.
- Continued investment in energy efficiency and energy waste
reduction, helping customers to both save money and take greater
control over their energy use.
- The investment of $5 billion over
the next five years to modernize the electric grid and gas
infrastructure, ensuring reliability while creating and supporting
more than 10,000 Michigan
jobs.
- An aggressive plan to reduce energy and water within DTE's own
facilities by a minimum of 25 percent.
The annual Climate Leadership Conference is dedicated to
professionals addressing global climate change through policy,
innovation, and business solutions. The conference gathers
forward-thinking leaders from business, government, academia, and
the non-profit community, to explore energy and climate related
solutions, introduce new opportunities, and provide support to
leaders taking action on climate change. The Climate Leadership
Conference is hosted by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
and The Climate Registry.
About DTE Energy
DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company
involved in the development and management of energy-related
businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an
electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas
utility serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy portfolio includes
non-utility energy businesses focused on power and industrial
projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy
marketing and trading. As one of Michigan's leading corporate citizens, DTE
Energy is a force for growth and prosperity in the 450 Michigan
communities it serves in a variety of ways, including philanthropy,
volunteerism and economic progress. Information about DTE Energy is
available at dteenergy.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and
facebook.com/dteenergy.
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SOURCE DTE Energy