Consumers Energy Co. pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, the CMS Energy Corp. subsidiary announced Feb. 24.

In its 2019 Clean Energy Plan, the company presented a road map for how it plans to reduce carbon emissions by 90% from 2005 levels. The new net-zero goal challenges Consumers Energy to eliminate the impact of carbon emissions produced by the electricity it generates or buys for customers.

"We don't have all the answers yet, but our Clean Energy Plan is a great start," Consumers Energy President and CEO Patti Poppe said. "We have the know-how and the time to continue innovating and creating to solve this problem."

Consumers Energy expects that more than 4,000 MW of capacity will come off its system due to scheduled power plant retirements and expiring power purchase contracts.

The company plans to retire the Karn 1 and 2 coal-fired projects in 2023, followed by the Campbell 1 and 2 coal-fired projects and the Karn 3 and 4 natural gas and oil-fired projects, which generally run as peaking units, in 2031.

Finally, the Campbell 3 coal-fired facility will be retired by 2040, marking the end of coal use by Consumers Energy.

Consumers Energy joins several other major electric utilities that have committed to net-zero emissions or zero-carbon power supply targets, though a deadline of 2050 is more common in the industry. Consumers Energy has not declared plans to replace retiring coal capacity with new natural gas power plants or infrastructure, as several major U.S. investor-owned utilities plan to do.

Aside from phasing out coal in its generation portfolio, the company also plans to add 550 MW of wind and more than 6,000 MW of solar projects, with a ramp-up during the 2020s. The company forecasts renewable capacity of 42% by 2030, increasing to 56% by 2040.

The company may use other technologies and strategies such as battery storage, grid modernization tools, landfill methane capture and carbon sequestration to reach its net-zero goal.

Consumers Energy also expects to avoid building three new power plants through customer efficiency programs.

In June 2019, Michigan regulators approved Consumers Energy's integrated resource plan, which outlines the company's goal of eliminating coal as a fuel source by 2040.