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Ballot initiative would require energy companies use 30% renewable energy by 2030

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An environmental group launched a ballot initiative Monday to require energy companies in Michigan to use 30 percent renewable energy by 2030.

The state currently has a requirement of 15 percent renewable energy by 2021.

Energy companies have already pushed back against the initiative, calling it unnecessary.

Katelyn Carey is a spokesperson for Consumers Energy.

“We don’t need the legal mandate to do the right thing for our customers, for the state of Michigan and for our planet.”

John Freeman is with Clean Energy, Healthy Michigan, which is behind the ballot initiative. He said the state needs to have a roadmap in place to ensure energy companies invest in renewables.

“When they say they are moving in this direction and the law isn’t necessary we think to the contrary, that it is necessary. Because the only way we can get them to promote renewables is to require them to do it.”

Freeman said the initiative will need more than250 thousand signatures in order to appear on the ballot. 

He also pointed out that as renewable energies get cheaper, switching over will bring cost savings to state customers.

In the interest of disclosure Consumers Energy is a financial supporter of WCMU.

Consumers full statement can be read below:

“Consumers Energy is already a national clean energy leader among energy providers, named just last month by Newsweek as Michigan’s most green company and ninth in the nation. We retired more coal plants than any other investor owned utility in 2016, and have less than 23 percent of our energy mix coming from coal today. We are already making major investments in renewable energy and we will continue to do so in the coming years. The bipartisan, comprehensive 2016 Energy Law requires us to file a long-term electricity strategy with state regulators by June of this year.  We are working hard to develop that long-term plan, which will lay out our vision for the best electric generation mix for Michigan’s future. We do not need a legal mandate to do the right thing for our customers, Michigan and our planet. Our top focus will remain on delivering Michigan with reliable, sustainable and affordable energy for decades to come, regardless of what happens with a ballot proposal.”