DTE Energy’s Cold Creek Solar Park Now Operational, Enabling Ford’s Goal of 100% Carbon-Free Electricity in Michigan

DTE Energy, Michigan’s largest producer and investor in renewable energy, announced the 100-megawatt Cold Creek Solar Park near Coldwater, Michigan is now operational. The project marks an important step toward Ford Motor Company’s decarbonization goals. DTE made the announcement on October 1, 2026.

Ford agreed to purchase up to 650 megawatts of renewable energy through DTE’s CleanVision MIGreenPower program, which enables residential and commercial customers to attribute their energy use to clean, Michigan-generated renewable power.

By the end of 2027, every Ford vehicle manufactured in Michigan is expected to be assembled using the equivalent of 100% carbon-free electricity.

“Cold Creek Solar Park represents more than a new renewable energy project. It reflects what’s possible when customers and energy providers work together to accelerate Michigan’s clean energy future,” said Matt Paul, president and chief operating officer of DTE Electric. “Through MIGreenPower, we’re helping companies like Ford achieve their sustainability goals while building the renewable energy infrastructure that will power generations to come.”

DTE’s MIGreenPower is one of the largest voluntary renewable energy programs in the United States. The program supports the development of Michigan-based renewable energy projects such as Cold Creek Solar while adding clean electricity to the grid, generating tax revenue for host communities, creating local jobs and helping customers achieve their sustainability goals.

“Cold Creek Solar Park is now delivering on the promise we made when we broke ground on this project, clean, reliable energy for our Michigan operations and for the communities where we build our vehicles,” said Amir Mirshahi, director of Energy Infrastructure & Engineering at Ford. “Projects like this strengthen the resiliency of the grid that our plants, our employees and our neighbors all depend on.”

DTE operates 20 wind parks and 36 solar parks across Michigan. Together, they generate enough clean energy to power nearly 1 million homes. The projects, including those supported by MIGreenPower, are helping Michigan work toward its goal of 60% renewable energy by 2035 while supporting DTE’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

EVinfo.net’s Take: Ford Sets The Right Example With Carbon-Free Manufacturing

Kudos to Ford for committing to assemble every vehicle manufactured in Michigan using the equivalent of 100% carbon-free electricity by the end of 2027. The commitment, supported by Ford’s purchase of renewable energy through DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower program, is a significant step toward reducing the carbon footprint of vehicle manufacturing.

Every automaker should follow Ford’s lead. The transition to electric vehicles is essential, but automakers should also clean up the electricity used to manufacture them, along with gas vehicles and hybrids. Building EVs with renewable energy makes their environmental benefits even greater and demonstrates that the auto industry can accelerate decarbonization across its entire operation.

Ford’s commitment should become the standard, not the exception. If automakers expect consumers to embrace cleaner transportation, they should lead by example in how vehicles are produced.