GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The City of Grand Rapids has authorized the largest single purchase of Michigan-based renewable energy by enrolling as the largest participant in Consumers Energy's Green Generation program. The Grand Rapids City Commission yesterday approved a resolution to enroll in the program. Through this action, Grand Rapids has attained its goal of receiving 20 percent of its electric supply from Michigan-based renewable sources by the end of 2008. "This historic investment by our city's leadership strongly establishes Grand Rapids as a progressive, green community committed to environmental sustainability and the triple bottom line," said Mayor George Heartwell. "This is a positive step forward which will benefit the Michigan economy and will reduce the City of Grand Rapids' carbon footprint by an estimated 10,200 tons of carbon dioxide annually." Grand Rapids' enrollment in Green Generation has been carefully managed to be cost neutral for the city. Grand Rapids has reduced costs in its Water and Sewer enterprise funds by amounts that exceed the cost of participation. Grand Rapids and Consumers Energy are also collaborating on strategies to reduce the city's electric peak load requirements, which can result in lower power costs. "We are very pleased that the City of Grand Rapids -- the largest community we serve with electricity -- has elected to enroll in the Green Generation program," said John G. Russell, Consumers Energy's president and chief operating officer. "The leadership demonstrated by Grand Rapids will encourage other communities and organizations to support the development of Michigan-based renewable energy projects." Consumers Energy's Green Generation program is the most successful voluntary renewable energy program in Michigan and one of the fastest growing in the nation, with more than 11,400 customer participants. The program, approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission, was launched in September 2005 at a news conference at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids where Mayor Heartwell, John Russell and then-MPSC Chairman Peter Lark were the first three homeowners to sign up for the program. "Michigan is being renewed by renewable energy," said Commissioner Monica Martinez, a member of the Michigan Public Service Commission. "Today's historic announcement by the City of Grand Rapids and Consumers Energy will power Michigan into the future, a future that will provide energy and reliability, a cleaner environment, and will grow alternative energy jobs in Michigan." The Green Generation program has caused the development of several new renewable energy projects in Michigan in order to provide electricity for the program. The projects include landfill gas facilities located near Lennon, Marshall and Zeeland. The Lennon site hosts four landfill gas generating units, while the Marshall and Zeeland sites each host one landfill gas generating unit. Consumers Energy also purchases electricity for the program generated by two wind turbines near Mackinaw City and has entered into contracts with other wind-generation projects that are in various stages of development. All of the projects are located in Michigan's Lower Peninsula and all sources are Green-e certified as renewable. The Green Generation program offers Consumers Energy's electric customers an opportunity to support renewable energy by enrolling in the voluntary program and paying a small premium. Program information is available at http://www.greengeneration.com/. Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. DATASOURCE: Consumers Energy CONTACT: George Heartwell, Mayor, +1-616-456-3164; or Eric DeLong, Deputy City Manager, +1-616-456-3119, both of City of Grand Rapids; Timothy J. Pietryga, +1-616-530-4364; or Dan Bishop, +1-517-788-2395, both of Consumers Energy; Judy Palnau of Michigan Public Service Commission, +1-517-241-3323 Web site: http://www.greengeneration.com/ http://www.consumersenergy.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/203850.html

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