PHOTOS: Consumers Energy breaks ground on Michigan's first AgriEnergy Center - WWMT-TV
PHOTOS: Consumers Energy breaks ground on Michigan's first AgriEnergy Center
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Two renewable energy projects helmed by Consumers Energy are aiming to reduce methane and boost clean solar power.
Thursday, the power company broke ground on Michigan's first AgriEnergy Center near Battle Creek.
Partnering with Spring Creek Farms, the center looks to help the power company meet its methane reduction goals but also boost clean solar power as part of their clean energy transition, according to David Hicks, vice president of clean energy development, enterprise project management and real estate at Consumers Energy.
To do this, the center will house a biodigester that will convert cow manure into pipeline quality natural gas as a renewable resource, Hicks said.
This process could begin as soon as 2025, according to Consumers Energy.
In addition to the biodigester, the Spring Creek Farms AgriEnergy Center will also boast a 140-megawatt solar array capable of generating enough energy to power 25,000 homes.
"We want to create a sustainable energy resource for our community and as part of our clean energy transition, we are moving away from fossil fuels, particularly coal to clean fuels such as clean technology such a solar wind battery storage and natural gas as it is, a transition fuel, in order to maintain reliability as we transition to our clean energy future," Hicks said.
For Matt Oesch of Swisslane Farms, the partnership between the farm and Consumers Energy opened a door for his family to get involved in the project.
"In this site where we took out a dairy facility that was in retirement, and going to retire, we’re able to revitalize it put it back into service," Oesch said. "Keep it going keep employed the people in the community people have been employed in this company for a long time and then yeah just be part of that whole sustainability project."
In total, the project is anticipated to span 1,600 acres, according to Consumers Energy.
Commercial operations could start as soon as 2026.
More information on Consumers Energy's AgriEnergy Center can be found online.
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But the conference, held from Nov. 6 to Nov. 20, 2022, in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, fell short of a hoped-for agreement to speed reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.