OREANDA-NEWS. December 04, 2015. Consumers Energy announced today that a Kalamazoo County elementary school is the 500th participant in its Buy Michigan energy efficiency program, joining other schools that have received over \\$10 million in cost-saving rebates from the energy provider since 2009.

"As part of our commitment to Michigan, we have worked with 75 percent of all school districts that we serve to lower their costs through energy efficiency measures," said

Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy's vice president and chief customer officer. "These schools have received over \\$10 million in energy efficiency rebates. In addition, measures these schools have installed will save them more than \\$121 million on their energy bills over the measures' lifetime."

The Parchment School District, which operates North Elementary School, has used energy efficiency incentives to reduce costs during a district-wide upgrade to its buildings. Lighting upgrades were performed using a Michigan manufacturer, which qualified the school district to receive additional Buy Michigan incentives.

The Buy Michigan program is an incentive for schools and businesses that take part in and receive energy efficiency rebates through Consumers Energy. The Buy Michigan program offers a current incentive bonus of 15 percent for energy efficient equipment that is manufactured in Michigan, and that bonus will increase to 20 percent starting next year.

Consumers Energy has paid over \\$3.4 million in incentives to business customers for Buy Michigan projects since the program started in late 2012. Learn more about the Buy Michigan program at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/mybusiness and click on "Specialty Programs."

"As a Michigan company, we are committed to supporting our state by providing energy reliably and affordably – and putting Michigan residents to work," Rochow said. "We are excited to find ways to promote Michigan that build on our company's plans to spend \\$5 billion with Michigan businesses in the next five years."

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

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IMPACT ON SCHOOLS: Consumers Energy has worked with 75 percent of all schools in its service territory to lower costs through energy efficiency. Its Buy Michigan energy efficiency incentives are one example.

Seventeen districts have received Buy Michigan incentives:

  • Onsted Community Schools
  • Columbia Central Schools
  • Birch Run Schools
  • Grant Public Schools
  • Chesaning Union Schools
  • St. Lorenz Church & School
  • Gull Lake Schools
  • Roscommon Area Schools
  • Carrollton Public Schools
  • Westwood Heights School District
  • Swan Valley School District
  • Byron Center Public Schools
  • Mount Pleasant Public Schools
  • West Branch Rose City Schools

  • Ovid-Elsie Area Schools

  • Oakridge Public Schools
  • Parchment School District