Recently, two of the world’s biggest automakers—and two of its biggest consumers of fossil fuels—made major announcements concerning renewable power. GM and Ford will now power some their biggest facilities with wind power generated by a local utility.

In late February, GM announced a partnership with DTE Energy for 300,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of wind energy in the state of Michigan. Once complete, the energy sourced will be enough to power 100 percent of the electricity needs of GM’s global technical center in Warren and its Detroit-based operations at the Renaissance Center. GM will source the wind power through an agreement with DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower, a renewable energy program that enables DTE customers to attribute up to 100 percent of their energy use to DTE clean energy projects in Michigan.

One week earlier, Ford Motor Company, announced a similar arrangement. Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant, its Raptor Assembly Plant, several new buildings on its Research and Engineering Campus, and its Corktown campus will soon all be powered by 100 percent locally sourced renewable energy. The Dearborn Plant is home to the F-150. The Raptor facility is home to the new 2020 Ford Ranger

This collaboration is part of a commitment by Ford to a substantial renewable energy procurement through the DTE MIGreenPower program. It will provide 500,000 MWh of locally sourced Michigan wind energy in the automaker’s Southeast Michigan portfolio.

In January 2019, DTE received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission to offer a MIGreenPower program designed for major Michigan corporations and industrial companies who want access to more renewable energy to meet corporate sustainability goals.

Already the state’s largest provider of renewable energy, DTE plans to build additional renewable energy projects and expand MIGreenPower to meet increasing customer demand. The company will more than double its renewable energy generation capacity, investing an additional $2 billion in wind and solar by 2024.