"Large businesses increasingly are making commitments to a future powered by clean energy, and we are pleased to give them the tools to do that," said Brian Rich, Consumers Energy's senior vice president of customer experience and technology.

"This is good for our environment and our state. Large employers looking to locate or expand in Michigan should know that energy providers like Consumers Energy can help them achieve their clean energy goals."

Consumers Energy recently received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission to create the program, allowing large businesses to match their energy use with renewable energy sources.

The proposed program offers a blueprint for businesses that make renewable energy commitments.

Those businesses would help defray the costs for new renewable energy sources.

This would result in new renewable energy in Michigan, in addition to the 10 percent of Consumers Energy's energy supply that already comes from clean sources.

This is a pilot program. Consumers Energy could ask the Michigan Public Service Commission for permission to expand the program if there's customer interest.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.