Toyota on Path to Achieve 100% Renewable Energy

Counterman · April 13, 2023

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and DTE Energy (DTE) announced Toyota’s enrollment in MIGreenPower, DTE’s voluntary renewable-energy program.

Toyota’s participation puts all of TMNA’s R&D operations in Michigan on a path to attribute 100% of their electricity use to renewable energy projects starting in 2026, according to the company. This includes the company’s R&D headquarters in Ann Arbor along with six other facilities across Washtenaw County.

TMNA’s clean-energy commitment covers a 20-year period and will have the environmental benefit equal to avoiding 29,000 metric tons of CO2 or the greenhouse gas emissions from more than 6,200 gasoline-powered passenger cars driven for a year, according to Toyota and DTE.

“Renewable-energy programs like DTE’s MIGreenPower program are crucial to helping companies seeking a reduced carbon footprint to achieve their goals,” said Kevin Butt, director of environmental sustainability for TMNA. “From our R&D facilities in Michigan to our production and corporate facilities across the nation, Toyota aims to achieve carbon neutrality throughout our operations by 2035.”

MIGreenPower is among the largest voluntary renewable-energy programs in the United States. The program enables DTE Electric’s residential and business customers to attribute an even greater percentage of their electricity use to Michigan-made wind and solar projects beyond the 15% DTE already provides.

To date, the company has more than 800 businesses enrolled in the program along with more than 85,000 residential customers. On an annual basis, MIGreenPowercustomers have enrolled 4 million megawatt hours of clean energy in the program, which has the environmental benefit equivalent to avoiding more than three million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually or the greenhouse gas emissions from more than 630,000 gasoline-powered passenger cars, according to DTE. Program participation is accelerating the development of new wind and solar projects in Michigan. By 2026, DTE will add more than 2,000 megawatts of new clean-energy projects to meet program demand, according to DTE.

“We are excited to welcome Toyota to the MIGreenPower program,” said Brian Calka, vice president, renewable sales and Project Development for DTEEnergy. “Toyota joins a growing list of Michigan-based automotive manufacturers and suppliers who are enrolling in MIGreenPower to meet their sustainability goals. Currently, more than 70% of MIGreenPower business customers are involved in the automotive sector.”

DTE is Michigan’s largest producer of and investor in renewable energy and is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In its CleanVision Integrated Resource Plan filed in November 2022 with the Michigan Public Service Commission, DTE proposed increasing investment in solar and wind energy, accelerating the retirement of coal plants, and investing in the development of new energy storage. If the new plan is approved, the company noted it will add more than 15,000 megawatts of new renewable energy projects over the next two decades.