DTE Energy has completed construction of the 100-megawatt Cold Creek Solar Park near Coldwater, Michigan. Ford is backing the $194 million project through DTE's CleanVision MIGreenPower program, and the array generates enough electricity for roughly 23,000 to 25,000 households. Construction began in April 2025.
Cold Creek is the first of several DTE projects tied to Ford's 2022 agreement to purchase up to 650 MW of renewable energy through MIGreenPower. The program lets households and businesses match their electricity use with Michigan-generated renewable power while helping fund new wind and solar developments. Ford says the goal is to assemble every vehicle it makes in Michigan with the equivalent of 100% carbon-free electricity by the end of 2027.
That deadline is later than the one announced in August 2022, when Ford and DTE set a 2025 target; the latest announcement does not explain the change. DTE says MIGreenPower projects create local jobs and tax revenue, but has not provided specifics for Cold Creek. Earlier estimates for the broader Ford buildout pointed to 250 temporary jobs and 10 permanent positions, with host communities using added tax revenue for roads, schools, libraries, and first responders.
Ford's Michigan purchase is part of a wider effort to use 100% carbon-free electricity across its global manufacturing by 2035 and reach carbon neutrality across vehicles, manufacturing, and supply chain no later than 2050.