CMS Energy Corp. and its primary business Consumers Energy Co. aim to zero out greenhouse gas emissions across their entire natural gas production and delivery system by 2050.

Multi-utility CMS Energy announced March 30 that it will eliminate Scope 3 emissions — those that can be traced to the burning of natural gas by customers — as well as emissions from its operations and suppliers, known as Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

As an interim step, CMS is exploring ways to reduce customer emissions 20% by 2030, including carbon offsets; using renewable natural gas made from agricultural waste; using hydrogen to produce energy; and encouraging the use of hybrid natural gas and electric heat pump systems to heat homes and businesses.

The Michigan-based company is also modernizing its natural gas system in a bid to eliminate methane emissions from its own operations by 2030 through accelerated infrastructure replacement and improved leak detection.

"Pursuing a net-zero goal for all emission sources, including those from customers and suppliers, aligns the company's efforts with Michigan's Healthy Climate Plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as well as the recommendations of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming," the company said in a news release.

CMS Energy's existing efforts toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions include ending coal use and boosting renewable energy fuel sources to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from its electric operations by 2040, and pledging to power 1 million electric vehicles by 2030.

On Feb. 3, CMS Energy revealed an updated five-year capital expenditure plan of $14.3 billion to support its emissions reduction efforts.

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